If it's up in the air, an aerial lift can reach it!

Need a lift? Rent the right aerial lift for your construction, industrial or institutional maintenance job.
Aerial lifts are among the most popular rental items for good reason. They offer huge productivity gains over ladders and scaffolding. Whether for construction or maintenance, lifts enable trained operators to reach everything that's up in the air.
 
Questions to answer before renting
Depend on your area A.R.A.-affiliated rental professional to determine and explain important manufacturers' specifications located on unit model numbers, i.e., a 2033 means the lift has a 20-foot platform height and is 33 inches wide. Together, you'll be able to determine the best unit for your specific job by answering the following questions.

Where will you use it?

You'll use the lift either "on the slab" or "off the slab."

For on-the-slab jobs (on a paved slab), most battery-powered lifts will do, particularly when the unit is to be used indoors where gasoline or diesel fumes from an engine-driven unit may be concerns.

• For off-the-slab projects like new construction sites where the terrain may be uneven, a gasoline or diesel engine-driven unit with larger, flotation-style tires may be best.
• Aerial boom lifts, with their ability to go up and over obstructions, are a better choice than straight up-and-down scissor or vertical lifts where a lot of obstructions are present.
• Along with drop-offs and holes on the surface, the presence of overhead wires, lines and other obstructions are safety hazards that must be considered.

Is there access to electricity?

The presence or absence of electricity on a job site is another qualifier:

• Electric units use battery power to operate the hydraulic mechanisms for lifting, and motors for moving about. These batteries need to be recharged.
• If no electricity is available, such as at greenfield construction sites, larger units that rely on diesel or gasoline engines for propulsion and battery charging may be the only option.
• Once a greenfield site is hooked to the electric grid and a slab has been poured, the user can switch to electric units.

How will you use it?

Lifts are rated by gradability rather than horsepower:

• In addition to being able to travel on rough terrain, the larger units should be able to get on and off tilt-back trailers or roll-back trucks easily under their own power.
• Units used on a poured slab typically require much less horsepower or gradability because they are operating on a smooth, level surface.

How high is your highest working height?

Maximum lift capacity is an important variable to consider before choosing your rental unit. What's being lifted where may dictate machine recommendation.

• Lift equipment is rated in platform height.
• As a rule of thumb, subtract 6 feet from the ceiling to get the platform height needed. For example, if you have a 26-foot ceiling, you will need a 20-foot reach unit.

Have you been trained to operate an aerial lift?

Lift manufactures are required by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) to follow ANSI A92 and other pertinent regulations. Basically it states that every potential lift operator has to be trained and a record kept of this training. See more about mandatory training under Safety regulations & tips

What's popular in aerial rentals?
Aerial lifts have become important rentals for construction, industry and maintenance because they are high-ticket items that are usually used only during certain phases of a project.

Typical users include electricians, pipe fitters, HVAC people, renovation experts and building maintenance personnel.

• The most common rental is a self-propelled unit -- these are greatly preferred for nearly all types of construction activity due to greater productivity over manual-push units. As opposed to non-mobile styles that must be pushed or towed to the work site, self-propelled units are designed to allow the user to travel when elevated.
• Most popular scissor lift -- currently, the 20-foot, 750-pound capacity scissor lift is perhaps the most often rented. The capacity includes the operator, tools and materials.
• Most popular articulating boom-style unit -- currently one of the most popular is a boom with a 51-foot working height and 25 feet of outreach. These are used in a wide range of applications, are self-propelled and available in rough-terrain versions.

Safety regulations & tips
When it comes to lifting equipment, safety is your closest friend. The American National Standards Institute requires aerial-lift operators to follow ANSI A92 and other pertinent regulations. Basically, the regulation states that every potential lift operator has to be trained and a record kept on this training, including those who rent this type of equipment.

Training may take three to four hours to complete, and is typically offered through the manufacturer at a dealership, or even on a job site.

Qualifications include:

• Instruction and hands-on training
• Reading safety manuals
• Watching videos on the different models and styles used

Trained operators should depend on their A.R.A.-affiliated rental house to provide a walk-around so the operator can become familiar with the machine before it goes off the lot. Such a walk-around will help you understand:

• Operating the controls
• Location of the operator manuals
• Any other topic the operator needs to understand before the lift is operated at the start of each shift

These units are not intended for use by the casual operator or "weekend handyman" type of renter.

Safety features for user protection

• Vertical and scissor lifts typically have a guardrail around the platform's perimeter
• Boom-style lifts, where the basket can extend beyond the footprint of the base, call for restraints such as lanyards, tethers, body belts or harnesses. If the boom is crossing rough terrain with the boom in an extended position, and the machine hits a bump or a dip in the ground, the basket may have a "catapulting" effect on the operator. This means the impact of the bump is magnified by the time it reaches the operator. Restraints are intended to keep the user from being pitched up and out.

Self-propulsion safety

While self-propelled lifts are designed to allow the user to travel when elevated, the speed is governed so the unit travels faster when lowered.

• In a stowed, or lowered, position, the lift can travel at around 3 mph.
• In the raised position, the speed is automatically decreased to about 1 mph.

Scissor lifts
Today's scissor lifts are usually designed to carry one person. The platform allows the worker enough room to take materials aloft and maneuver to the exact spot where work is to be done. Once elevated, the worker can also travel from spot to spot to complete a task. Putting in sprinkler heads in new construction is a good example.

Features:

• Allows maneuverability in restricted spaces
• Some achieve a zero-tolerance clearance turning radius by pivoting on one rear wheel
• Available in front-wheel-drive and steer machines and, for unique access situations, four-wheel-drive and steer units
• Scissor is designed to operate in tight quarters
• Many feature non-marking tires
• Most are electric-over-hydraulic drive systems, which means they rely on batteries to power a DC motor, which in turn drives the hydraulic pumps
• Some use a joystick to control direction and movement. These controls can be tilted slightly to accommodate operators of different heights
• Some feature an optional extending platform that can extend out of the front of the lift for up to 48 inches of increased reach and extra working area

Common applications/users:

• Facilities maintenance
• Aircraft maintenance
• Drywall installation
• Plastering
• Lighting
• Utilities installation and maintenance

Articulating booms
Articulating booms are also called up-and-over booms, or Z-booms. Like telescopic booms, these are considered to be elevated work platforms.

Features:

• Many models are available in rough-terrain versions
• Available in both self-propelled and truck or trailer-mounted versions
• Excel when extreme agility and lifting power are needed
• Up-and-over styles allow the user to get up alongside obstructions and over them to get to the work site
• When leveling is needed, such as an outdoor application on uneven terrain, outriggers are used. (Obviously, the machine is not drivable while outriggers are deployed)
• Available in both internal combustion and DC-driven models, the latter is most often used in indoor or "on-slab" applications, and on medium-terrain sites.

Common applications/users:

• Building construction
• Building maintenance
• Refineries
• Sports and entertainment facilities
• Campus buildings
• Utility contracting
• Paint contracting

Telescopic booms
Telescopic booms are also known as stick booms. Like articulating booms, these are considered to be elevated work platforms.

Features:

• Many styles are available in rough-terrain versions
• Larger booms may be truck-mounted or trailered to the work site
• Boom platform travels straight up in the line of sight from the base
• Unlike an articulated style, telescopic booms cannot swing around to reach tight spots
• These booms typically do not require outriggers
• Some larger units can reach 120 feet

Common Applications/Users:

• Utility contractors
• Painting contractors
• Steel erection
• Maintenance and repair
• Manufacturing and industrial facilities

For more info about products mentioned in this article click below

Lifts: Material Handling, Telehandlers