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

For installing ventilation, air conditioning, sprinklers, cable trays and lighting under the ceiling of a hall, the usual choice of cherry picker (aerial work platform, MEWP) is an electric scissor lift: it has a large platform for two fitters with their material, produces no exhaust fumes and does not mark the floor. When the installation has to run over racking, machinery or conveyors, an electric articulating boom lift is chosen. The height of the machine is matched to the height at which the installation is hung, and the platform capacity to the number of people and the weight of material on the platform.

Which machine for which installation?

• Electric scissor lift — ventilation ducts, sprinkler pipework, cable trays and ladder racks, LED luminaires, detectors. The long platform (up to almost 3.8 m in our fleet) lets you work along the installation and drive with the platform raised, instead of lowering it every few metres. Narrow models (0.7–0.8 m) fit through doors and in the aisles between racking.
• Electric articulating boom lift — when the machine cannot stand under the place of work: installations over high-bay racking, production lines, conveyors or a swimming pool. The platform reaches sideways and over the obstacle, but it holds less material than a scissor lift platform.
• Self-propelled vertical mast lift — spot jobs at lower heights: single luminaires, detectors, cameras and air diffusers in offices and shops. Very narrow and manoeuvrable.

How do you work out the height you need?

The working height is the height of the platform floor plus about 2 m. What you measure is not the height of the hall but the level at which the installation will be hung: the underside of the slab, girder, purlin or trapeze hanger. The fitter should work at chest height, not at full stretch, so a machine with a working height equal to or slightly above the mounting point is ideal. We describe the details in the article how to choose the working height of a lift.

Platform capacity: people, tools and material together

The platform capacity is the sum of everything on it. Electric scissor lifts in our fleet usually have 227 to 454 kg: that is two fitters with cordless screwdrivers, threaded rods and a section of duct or pipe. Heavy items should not be forced onto the platform:

• air handling units, large cross-section ducts and air conditioning units are lifted separately, for example with a manual material lift (installation lift) (on forks, up to 7.7 m), and outdoors with a telehandler,
• long items must not project beyond the guardrails in such a way that they hit the structure while driving,
• material is not leaned against the guardrails or hung from them: the guardrails protect people and are not there for transport.

Floor, access routes and working in an operating building

An electric scissor lift usually weighs from about 1.4 to over 5 t, and the load is concentrated under four wheels. For slabs, mezzanines and floors above a garage it is worth checking this (see how much a lift weighs and the floor loading). Before delivery, the width of doors and gates and the height of passages are measured, and a route is marked in the building that avoids drain grilles, manholes and fresh screed. In an operating plant the area under the platform is fenced off and the work is divided into sections so that traffic is not blocked.

Who can work from the lift?

The operator of a mobile elevating work platform must hold a qualification certificate from the Office of Technical Inspection (UDT), and on articulating boom lifts a safety harness with a lanyard is required in the platform. Installation crews without a licence rent the machine with an operator. For longer installation jobs, long-term rental pays off.

Frequently asked questions

Which lift should I use to install ventilation and air conditioning in a hall?

Most often an electric scissor lift: it has a large platform for two fitters, ducts and tools, produces no exhaust fumes and does not mark the floor. In our fleet electric scissor lifts most often have a working height of about 7.7 to 14.3 m and a platform capacity of 227 to 454 kg. When the installation has to run over racking, machinery or conveyors, an electric articulating boom lift is used: its platform reaches sideways and over the obstacle.

How do I choose the lift height for installation under a ceiling?

The working height of a lift is the height of the platform floor plus about 2 m (the arm reach of a standing person). You measure the height at which the installation will be hung (the underside of the slab, girder or trapeze hanger) and choose a machine whose working height equals that value or is slightly higher. A machine that is too tall gains you nothing and is often heavier and wider.

Will a scissor lift carry a ventilation duct or an air conditioning unit?

Platform capacity covers people, tools and material together. On electric scissor lifts it is usually 227–454 kg, so two fitters with a section of duct or a light unit fit within the limit. Heavy air handling units, condensing units and long, rigid components are lifted separately, with a mast-type installation lift, a material lift or a telehandler, and only fixed in place from the platform.

Can installations be fitted in an operating plant or shop?

Yes. Electric lifts are quiet and emission-free and have non-marking tyres, which is why they work in halls that stay in use, shops and offices. Work is done in sections: the area under the platform is fenced off, and forklift and pedestrian traffic is routed past it. For longer jobs it is worth planning the work outside peak hours or on night shifts.

Do I need a licence to operate a lift for installation work?

Yes. The operator of a mobile elevating work platform must hold a qualification certificate from the Office of Technical Inspection (UDT). Installation crews without a licence can rent a lift with an operator or send an employee on a training course.