Knowledge base

Practical articles on choosing and safely using aerial work platforms (MEWPs), cherry pickers, scissor lifts and telehandlers.

Lift for plant maintenance: factory and production site

A factory maintenance department most often works from an electric scissor lift: inspecting and repairing installations under the ceiling, replacing luminaires, sensors and rooflights, work at overhead cranes. An electric articulating boom lift reaches over production lines and conveyors. When long-term rental beats buying, how to work in a hall that stays in use and who may operate the machine.

Lift for a food plant, processing plant and cold store

In a food plant, processing plant and cold store you work from an electric lift: no exhaust fumes, quiet, on non-marking tyres. A scissor lift serves refrigeration, ventilation and lighting under the ceiling, an articulating boom reaches over production lines. How to prepare the machine for work around food, what to watch in low temperatures and how to plan work without stopping production.

Lift for fire protection systems: sprinklers, detectors, smoke venting

Installing and inspecting sprinklers, smoke detectors, smoke vents and alarm systems in halls and warehouses is done from an electric scissor lift, and over racking from an articulating boom. How to match the height to the ceiling and roof, how much material the platform holds, how to work in an operating building and when to rent the machine for a few days and when for longer.

Lift for replacing lighting in a hall: LED upgrade

Replacing luminaires with LED in a hall, warehouse or shop is fastest from an electric scissor lift: a long platform holds two electricians with luminaires, and the machine drives along the row of fittings. Over racking and machines an electric articulating boom lift works. How to choose the height, how many luminaires to take on the platform, how to work out the rental time and how to work in an operating building.

Hydraulic hose repair: replacing the hose and crimping

A split hydraulic hose is never patched with tape or a clamp: it is replaced with a new hose assembly crimped on a press for the machine's working pressure. How to tell that a hose needs replacing, how many years it can last, what to do when one bursts on a lift and what on-site crimping looks like, without taking the machine to a workshop.

Lift for a film and photo set: camera and lights from the platform

Camera and lights at height are placed from a cherry picker (aerial work platform): indoors and in a studio from a 7.7–14.3 m electric scissor lift, outdoors from a 4×4 articulating boom lift from 16 m or a telescopic boom. How to work out shot height and outreach, how much equipment the platform holds, a lift or a drone for aerial shots and how to plan a shooting day.

Lift for urban tree care: crowns and hedges

Tree crowns in parks and along roads are pruned from a diesel 4×4 articulating boom lift (16–26 m), on paths from a 15 m electric one, and tall hedges from an 8–12 m scissor lift. How care differs from felling, how to choose height and outreach, how to protect the lawn and roots and what permissions to agree with the land manager.

Lift for roof and façade inspections: building inspections

Inspecting façades, eaves, gutters, parapets and balconies is done from the platform of an articulating boom lift (15 m electric, 12.5–43 m diesel 4×4): the inspector looks at and taps the element up close, without scaffolding or going onto the roof. What can be checked from a platform, how often the regulations require inspections (once a year, large buildings twice), a lift or a drone, and how to organise an inspection.

Lift for installing CCTV cameras and antennas

Cameras, antennas, radio links and sensors at height are installed from a cherry picker (aerial work platform, MEWP): in a hall from a 7.7–14.3 m electric scissor lift or a narrow mast lift, on a façade or pole from a 15–26 m articulating boom. How to work out height and outreach, what the platform holds, what to watch near power lines and for how many days to rent the machine.

Lift for clearing snow from roofs and removing icicles

Icicles, overhangs and snow at the roof edge are removed from the platform of a diesel 4×4 articulating boom lift (12.5–43 m): from the street side, over cars and greenery, without stepping onto an icy roof; at halls, with a 10–18 m rough terrain scissor lift. How to choose the height, set up a drop zone by the pavement, work in frost and who is responsible for snow on the roof.

8–10 m lift: narrow, through a door, for shops and offices

Narrow 8 m electric scissor lifts (0.76–0.81 m wide, weighing 1.5–2.1 t) fit through a door of about 0.9 m. At 10 m the narrow ones are the Genie GS-2632 and Haulotte Compact 10N, and the wider scissor lifts and the JLG Toucan 10E L vertical mast lift go through a 1.25 m gate. Goods lift, floor, access and licences.

12 m lift: which to choose and what it is enough for

A 12 m lift has its platform at about 10 m: a hall ceiling at 11–12 m, the façade of a three-storey building, lights and installations at 10–11 m. For a hall choose a 12 m electric scissor lift (JLG 3246ES, Genie GS-3246, Haulotte Compact 12), on a building site a rough terrain diesel scissor lift (Genie GS-3268 RT, Haulotte H12SX, JLG 3394RT), and over obstacles a 15–16 m articulating boom lift. Weights, widths, access and capacity.

16–18 m lift: which to choose for construction, façades and halls

A 16 m lift reaches a 4–5 storey building and a hall 14–15 m high; an 18 m lift reaches a hall 16–18 m high and 5–6 storeys. For construction and façade work choose a diesel 4×4 articulating boom lift, for work straight on a 15–18 m diesel scissor lift, and for a hall a 15 m electric articulating boom lift. Reach, weights and what to check.

20–28 m lift and higher: which to choose (up to 57 m)

The platform of a 20 m lift is at about 18 m (a 6 storey building, a hall 18–20 m high) and of a 28 m lift at about 26 m (8–9 storeys), while the Genie SX-180, the highest in our fleet, reaches 56.9 m. Choose an articulating boom lift for reaching over obstacles and a telescopic boom lift for a long, straight reach. Weights of 8–25 t and what to prepare on site.

Lift or scaffolding: which to choose and when it pays off

A lift pays off for short, spot jobs; scaffolding for long jobs along a whole wall. A comparison of cost, time, safety and formalities (UDT, the Polish Office of Technical Inspection, and scaffold handover inspection) and which lift (scissor, articulating or telescopic) replaces scaffolding.

Lift for installing Christmas lights: street lamps and the town square

Which lift for Christmas decorations: a diesel 4×4 articulating boom lift for lamp posts and decorations strung across a street, an electric one for the town square and shopping centres, an articulating or telescopic boom with reserve height for the town Christmas tree. How to work out height and outreach, night work and lane closures, power lines and tram overhead lines, booking for installation and removal.

Lift for painting halls and steel structures

An electric scissor lift for painting the walls and roof of a hall from inside, an electric articulating boom over machinery and racking, a diesel scissor lift and a 4×4 articulating boom for structures outdoors, anti-corrosion work and blasting. Capacity for the spray unit, height to the ridge, protecting the machine from paint and ventilation.

Lift for installing air conditioning on a façade or roof

Which lift for installing an outdoor air conditioning unit on a wall or roof: an articulating boom lift over the pavement and balconies, a telescopic boom for tall buildings, a scissor lift on level ground. Whether the platform capacity will carry the unit, when to hoist it with a telehandler and how to secure the area under the platform.

Lifts in farming: silos, grain elevators and livestock buildings

Which lift for a silo and grain elevator, and which for a cowshed, pig house or produce store? When a rough terrain 4×4 articulating boom lift, when a scissor lift and when a telehandler, and why people are never lifted on forks. Ground, tanks, power lines and UDT licences (the Polish Office of Technical Inspection).

Lift for installing glass façades and windows

Glazing façades, curtain walls, large panes of glass and aluminium joinery: when an articulating boom lift over a driveway and greenery, when a telescopic boom for tall façades and when a scissor lift on level ground. How to work out the capacity for a heavy pane on vacuum lifters, why wind matters with glass and how to protect a finished floor.

Lift for a sports hall and swimming pool

Lighting over the court, scoreboards, nets, sound systems and work above the pool: an electric scissor lift on the parquet, an articulating boom over the stands and the water. How to protect the sports surface, measure outreach from the pool edge and plan work outside classes and events.

Lift for roadworks and street lighting

Lamp posts, traffic signals, signs and gantries over the carriageway: when an articulating boom lift, when a telescopic 4×4 and when a truck-mounted one. How to work out height and outreach from the verge, what road occupation permit is needed and how to work near power lines.

Lift for installations under the ceiling: ventilation, air conditioning, sprinklers

Ventilation ducts, air conditioning, sprinklers, cable trays and lighting in a hall: when an electric scissor lift and when an articulating boom over racking, how to work out the height to the fixing point, how much material the platform holds and how to work in an operating building.

Lift for a church and tall historic interiors

Painting vaults, conserving polychrome wall paintings, lighting and sound systems in a church, assembly hall or auditorium: how to fit the machine through doors and between pews, how not to damage a historic floor and why only electric drive.

How to rent a lift: step by step

From describing the job to the machine being collected after the work: what to prepare before you call, what the quote includes, how delivery and handover work, what to do after a breakdown and how to end the rental.

Lift for installing signs, billboards and 3D letters

A sign above an entrance, a sign box on a façade, a banner on a hall, letters on a parapet: which lift to choose, how to work out height and outreach, when a road occupation permit is needed and how to lift a heavy sign box into the platform safely.

Telehandler: what it is for and how to choose one

A telehandler lifts and carries material up and forwards. What it is suited to, how to choose lifting capacity and reach, which attachment to pick and what operator licences from UDT, the Polish Office of Technical Inspection, are needed.

Mini excavator: what jobs it suits and how to choose one

Trenches for utility connections, foundations and work in tight spaces. When to choose a mini excavator, how an expanding undercarriage lets it through a gate and which buckets to match to the job.

Vertical mast lift and installation lift: what they are for and how to choose

A vertical mast lift is a narrow, quiet platform with a basket for 1–2 people for work indoors; the Sumner installation lift lifts materials only. When a mast lift replaces a ladder, what openings it needs and how it differs from a scissor lift.

Lift for façade work: how to choose

Insulation, painting, installation and washing of façades: how to work out the height, what to do about obstacles at the base of the wall, what ground will carry the machine and when scaffolding is better.

Cherry picker, bucket lift, mobile elevating work platform: what is the difference?

Three names, one group of machines. What the Polish terms “zwyżka” (cherry picker), “podnośnik koszowy” (bucket lift) and “podest ruchomy” (mobile elevating work platform, MEWP) mean, and what to tell a rental company to get the right machine.

Which lift should you choose? A guide to the types

Scissor, articulating, telescopic or mast: how they differ and when each type of aerial work platform works best.

UDT operator licences for aerial work platforms (MEWPs): what you need to know

The general rules on operator licences for mobile elevating work platforms in Poland, issued under the Office of Technical Inspection (UDT) system: who must hold one and how it is obtained.

Scissor or articulating lift? What to choose for building a hall

A comparison of the two most popular lift types for work inside halls and industrial buildings.

Electric or diesel lift? The differences

When electric drive works best and when diesel: a comparison by terrain, conditions and type of work.

How to prepare a site for a lift delivery

A practical checklist of what to remember before a lift arrives on site, so that delivery and unloading go smoothly.

Safe work at height: the basic rules for aerial work platforms

The most important safety rules for working from mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs), from the pre-use check to exclusion zones.

How much does lift rental cost? What the price depends on

What really affects the price of renting an aerial work platform (scissor lift, cherry picker or mast lift): machine type and height, rental period, transport, availability and extras. How to prepare when you ask for a quote.

How high does a lift reach? How to choose the working height

How working height differs from platform height, where the “+2 metres” comes from and how to work out which machine you really need for your job.

Lift rental with or without an operator? What to choose

When it pays to rent a lift with an operator and when the machine alone: operator licences from UDT (the Polish Office of Technical Inspection), responsibility, cost and safety. How to decide for a specific job.

A lift for building a hall: step by step

How to choose and organise a lift for building a hall: from assessing the height and the ground, through choosing the machine type and drive, to delivery, safety and the stages of erection work.

How to read the load and reach chart of an aerial lift

The range of motion chart and the dimensions table show where a lift can actually reach and with what capacity. How to read them, what horizontal outreach is and why capacity falls with distance.

Long-term lift rental: when it pays off

Long-term rental of a lift instead of buying: a lower daily rate, a predictable cost, service and inspections by UDT (the Polish Office of Technical Inspection) handled by the rental company, and a replacement machine. When to choose long-term rental and when to buy.

Lift for installing solar panels (photovoltaics): which to choose

Which lift for solar panels on a house roof, a hall roof and a ground-mounted solar farm: an articulating boom lift for pitched roofs, a scissor lift and telehandler for halls, only rough terrain machines on open ground. Height, outreach, UDT licences.

How much does a lift weigh? Machine weight, floor and slab capacity

The real weights of scissor lifts, articulating boom lifts, telescopic boom lifts and telehandlers (1.5–25 t) and how to convert them into the load on a hall floor, a car park slab or paving. When ground protection mats and the structural engineer's approval are needed.

Lifts in winter: working at height in frost, wind and snow

How to use a lift safely in winter: electric or diesel in frost, warming up the hydraulics, ice on the platform, wind up to 12.5 m/s, frozen and thawing ground, delivery and service in the winter season.

Lift for events: installing a stage, lighting and decorations

Which lift for a concert, trade fair, arena and open-air event: an electric scissor lift on a level floor, an articulating boom lift over the audience and structures, a 4×4 on grass and paving. Height, capacity for equipment, working above people, wind and formalities.

Lift for tree felling and care: how to choose

An articulating boom lift instead of climbing: how to match height and horizontal outreach to the crown, why a 4×4 rough terrain machine is needed on grass and in a park, how to work out capacity for the sawyer and a long log, and how to work safely near trees and power lines.

Lift for a high-bay warehouse: which to choose

Working at high-bay racking: an electric scissor lift for narrow aisles and a level floor, an electric articulating boom lift over racking and conveyors. Non-marking tyres, zero emissions, narrow width, floor loading and working without shutting the warehouse down.

Lift for cleaning halls, rooflights and ceilings

Washing glazing, rooflights, lamps and structures under a hall roof: an electric scissor lift under the area being cleaned, an electric articulating boom lift over racking and machines. Height measured to the ridge, tyre load on the floor, working in sections in an operating plant.

Lift for roofing work: gutters, flashings, roof

Work on a roof from a lift instead of scaffolding: a rough terrain 4×4 articulating boom lift around the building, a telescopic boom at tall walls. How to work out eaves height and horizontal outreach, what to check before driving onto paving and why you do not step from the platform onto the roof.

Lift for cleaning windows and glass façades from outside

Which lift for cleaning windows and glass façades: an electric scissor lift at a flat wall, an articulating or telescopic boom over greenery, a canopy and a car park. Height and horizontal outreach, paving and garage slab, wind, work next to a pavement.

Lift for a shopping centre or office building: which to choose

Work in atriums, malls and lobbies: an electric scissor lift, a narrow 8 m lift or a mast lift that fits through doors and a goods lift, an electric articulating boom lift over escalators. Tiled floors, slab load capacity, night work, cordoning off the area.