Building construction work is often accompanied by the need for various aids since a lot of activities are performed at a height that isn’t negligible – at all. In order to preserve the safety of workers engaged in such ventures, it’s fundamental to ensure that the work equipment is of excellent quality and suitable by all criteria. Access platforms are the most common pieces of gear used in such situations, and therefore, one must not fail to choose the best option when it comes to this.
The safety of the individual who ascends to a certain height depends on this aspect and, since it’s a human life, there’s no room for error, since the percentage of people who lose their lives annually in these circumstances is devastating.
So, are you ready to find out what to keep in mind when choosing a quality machine? Please note the following tips – and thank us later.
1. How long will you use this piece of gear?
It might sound like an insignificant point, but it’s actually quite recommendable to think in advance of this one. In case there are some repetitive and not-so-simple works that require durable construction elements, access units are normally the best alternative. They’re made to be rather persistent and therefore are absolutely suitable for more demanding activities. However, if you need something for less strenuous jobs, maybe you’d want to consider another simpler option which is by using a safety ladder.
2. How many individuals will use the platform at the same time?
It’s not the same to have one person on an elevation unit and three or four of them on the one-person-only lift machine. If you know for sure that you need the latter, the single-user platforms seem to be the best choice. These types of lifting machines only help to perform work at height to one user, as we can see by their name.
Similarly, the amount of load it supports is much less than that of scissor lift ones, but the way of transport and comfort is definitely the best virtue of this kind of machine. Due to the reduced space, it’s more beneficial for the budget and it’s surprisingly easy to move it anywhere.
3. What’s the height the worker will be exposed to?
This one is quite logical. Sometimes, in order to reach particular and not-so-low points on building construction, we might face obstacles or simply need a machine with a bigger height range in order to perform the elevation better. Articulated booms are more potent than scissor lift ones, especially on uneven terrain and they are ideal for “jumping” over barriers if there are any, while also being extremely helpful with difficult-to-reach angles. Cherry pickers could also be a decent choice for occasions similar to these.
4. Safe working load of the machine – how much?
In some cases, it’s not enough only for workers to be lifted – there’s always a possibility that they might need additional instruments or tools that could be quite heavy. Therefore, another thing to take care of is the load capacity, or so-called safe working load capacity, which states the maximum capacity of the weight that the unit can bear while remaining safe for use. Scissor lift type of units is more sturdy on such occasions and when lifting material and people due to its better stability.
Most articulated boom platforms have an average capacity of about 227 kgs, although certain manufacturers have models that reach 450 kgs. Whichever you choose, ensure that the things and people lifted never exceed the maximum weight and dimensions to keep safety on the satisfying level. Also, the scissor-type ones ascend vertically and don’t compromise their steadiness with horizontal extensions, thus being able to offer greater load capacity.
5. Are you going to use it indoors or outdoors?
Electric scissor lift platforms are most recommended for indoors. The reason is that, with a drop of more than 2%, they might not be as operative as expected. In addition to this, their lateral extension is only 1m, while diesel scissor lift platforms possess up to 3m long extension. The main advantage of these electric platforms is the reduction of energy expenditure and decent quietness.
On the other hand, diesel ones are designed for outdoor work. This is not only because diesel gives them more charging power, but because their size is larger and complicates their use in closed spaces. They are better adapted to slopes and can reach a 3m lateral extension. However, pollution and energy expenditure is much higher, but we could say that it’s logical for having all circumstances in mind.
6. Which supplier should be in charge of providing you with the machine?
Sometimes this point is crucial, as well. If you aren’t sure that you know enough about platform manufacturing and all this causes much hassle for you, research first. Nowadays many companies allow their clients to leave feedback for the given products. And, even if they don’t, there’s a bunch of forums and online places like Facebook groups where you can bump into different opinions and often rather detailed comments about the services of certain enterprises.
Only when you’re sure that you’ve found the appropriate level of professionalism should you opt for starting the collaboration with the company. A pure example of versatility In this sphere might be CPS Lift – not only because they’ll provide you with high-quality machines and platforms, but also because they’ll offer you all additional assistance you need when it comes to this. Repairs, additional gear parts, and you can even hire a machine. Less or more, that’s the kind of service you should consider.
Would you ever guess that you’d need to take into consideration all these factors when searching for the perfect access platform for your business? Yes, we know – no one would. But hey, the more you know, the better you’ll cope with the search that awaits you. Choices like these are of immense significance, so don’t tempt fate – do your best to take this task seriously in order to get the best for yourself and your workers.
