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

A 12 m lift is a cherry picker (aerial work platform, MEWP) with a working height of 12 m, which means the platform floor stands at about 10 m. That is enough for a hall ceiling at 11–12 m, the façade of a three-storey building, and lights, beams and installations at 10–11 m. For a hall or warehouse the best choice is a 12 m electric scissor lift (JLG 3246ES, Genie GS-3246, Haulotte Compact 12); for a building site or yard, a diesel rough terrain scissor lift (Genie GS-3268 RT, Haulotte H12SX, JLG 3394RT); and for reaching over obstacles, a 15–16 m articulating boom lift. Below: which models in our fleet reach 12 m, what jobs they cover, how they differ and what to check before you order.

What does “12 m lift” mean and what is it enough for?

Rental offers give the working height: the platform height plus about 2 m of the operator’s arm reach. A 12 m lift therefore has its platform at about 10 m. Typical jobs at this height:

• Halls up to 12 m — lighting, ventilation, sprinklers, cable routes, painting and washing the roof structure.
• Three-storey buildings — façade, gutters, windows, advertising signs and air conditioning units up to about 10–11 m above ground.
• Warehouses — racking up to 9–10 m, detectors, cameras, doors.
• Shops and public buildings — suspended ceilings, lights, decorations, inspections.

When the work point is higher than 10 m above the floor, you need the next class up: a 16–18 m lift. How to calculate the height exactly is explained in the article how to choose the working height.

Which 12 m lift for a hall and warehouse?

Electric scissor lift — quiet, free of exhaust fumes, on non-marking tyres. In this class our fleet includes:

• JLG 3246ES — 11.68 m, capacity 320 kg, width 1.17 m, weight 2.7 t.
• Genie GS-3246 — 11.75 m, capacity 318 kg, width 1.17 m, weight 2.8 t.
• Haulotte Compact 12 — 11.75 m, capacity 320 kg, width 1.20 m, weight 2.9 t.
• Iteco 12122 / 12151 — 13.8–13.9 m, capacity 300–350 kg, weight 3.1–4.4 t — when you need extra height.
• JLG 4069LE — 14.2 m, capacity 360 kg, platform 2.92×1.65 m, weight 5.3 t — a large platform for a crew with materials.

Over racking, machinery and conveyors, where a scissor lift cannot drive up straight, you use a 15 m electric articulating boom lift (Manitou 150 AET2, Haulotte HA15 IP) with a horizontal outreach of 8.65–8.86 m. A comparison of the two types: scissor or articulating lift for a hall.

Which 12 m lift for a building site and outdoors?

Diesel rough terrain scissor lift with 4×4 drive and a large platform:

• Genie GS-3268 RT — 11.75 m, capacity 454 kg, weight 3.8 t.
• Haulotte H12SX — 12 m, capacity 700 kg, platform 6.00×1.89 m with extension decks out, weight 5.4 t.
• JLG 3394RT — 12.06 m, capacity 1,020 kg, platform 3.81×2.18 m (5.03 m with the extension deck), weight 6.6 t.
• Genie GS-3384 RT — 11.94 m, capacity 1,134 kg, platform 3.98×1.83 m, weight 5.4 t — for heavy items and a crew.

When there is a trench, scaffolding, planting or parked cars between the machine and the wall, a scissor lift cannot get close enough. In that case you take a diesel articulating boom lift of 16 m with a horizontal outreach of 7.5–9.2 m, even though the height is then “spare”.

What should you check before ordering a 12 m lift?

• Access — a gate at least 1.25 m wide and 2.5 m high for a 12 m scissor lift; through a 0.9 m door only a narrow 8 m scissor lift (0.76–0.81 m) or the vertical mast lift JLG Toucan 10E L (10.1 m, 0.99 m wide) will pass.
• Ground — an electric 12 m scissor lift weighs 2.7–2.9 t, a diesel one 3.8–6.6 t; a floor slab, raised floor or block paving needs its load capacity checked (see how much does a lift weigh).
• Platform capacity — people plus tools plus materials; 320 kg means two people with equipment, 454 kg and more means a crew with materials.
• Qualifications — the operator needs a certificate from the Office of Technical Inspection (UDT); without one, we rent the machine with an operator.

Just give us the working height, the place (hall or yard), the access and the rental period, and we will choose the model and arrange its delivery. Prices depend on the type, the rental period and the delivery distance: how much does lift rental cost.

Frequently asked questions

What does “12 m lift” mean?

It refers to the working height: 12 m is the level at which the hands of an operator standing in the platform work. The platform floor is then at about 10 m, because working height is platform height plus about 2 m of arm reach. With a 12 m lift you can therefore reach the ceiling of a hall 11–12 m high, the façade of a three-storey building, or lights and beams at 10–11 m.

Which 12 m lift should I use in a hall?

A 12 m electric scissor lift: in our fleet the JLG 3246ES, Genie GS-3246 and Haulotte Compact 12 (platform capacity 318–320 kg), and when you need to go a little higher, the Iteco 12122/12151 (13.8–13.9 m) and JLG 4069LE (14.2 m). A width of 1.17–1.20 m goes through gates and between racking, and non-marking tyres and no exhaust fumes allow work in an operating plant. Over machinery and racking, where a scissor lift cannot drive up straight, a 15 m electric articulating boom lift is used.

Which 12 m lift should I use outdoors, on a building site?

A 12 m diesel rough terrain scissor lift: Genie GS-3268 RT, Genie GS-3384 RT, Haulotte H12SX or JLG 3394RT. They have a large platform (up to 6 m long) and a capacity of 454–1,134 kg, so they carry a crew with materials onto an uneven yard. If there is an obstacle between the machine and the work point (scaffolding, a trench, planting), a 16 m diesel articulating boom lift with horizontal outreach is the better choice.

How much does a 12 m lift weigh and can it go onto the floor?

The 12 m electric scissor lifts in our fleet weigh 2.7–2.9 t (JLG 3246ES 2.7 t, Genie GS-3246 2.8 t, Haulotte Compact 12 2.9 t); the 12 m diesel rough terrain ones weigh 3.8–6.6 t. An electric lift goes onto an industrial floor without a problem; on floor slabs, raised floors and block paving you need to check the load capacity and lay ground protection mats. Details are in the article “How much does a lift weigh?”.

Will a 12 m lift go through a door?

Standard 12 m scissor lifts are 1.17–1.20 m wide and about 2.4–2.5 m high when folded, so they will pass through an industrial gate, but not through an ordinary 0.9 m door. For narrow passages you take a narrow 8 m scissor lift (0.76–0.81 m wide) or the JLG Toucan 10E L vertical mast lift (10.1 m, 0.99 m wide).