Scissor Lift Hire

Scissor Lift Hire

Vertical Mobile Elevating Work Platforms

Scissor lifts are industry standard, versatile aerial work platforms and access solutions. They provide safe, temporary access to heights and inaccessible areas. You use them to carry out work in a more comfortable way and with less chance of a fall.

Scissor lifts are suitable for all types of industries. You use them in construction, as they are mobile and easy to operate. Scissor lifts also meet important health and safety regulations. But, these versatile machines are suitable for any task at height. You can use them during repair, inspection, maintenance, surveying, decorating, cleaning, manufacturing and facilities management, and more. You will find various deck sizes and working heights available for whatever job you undertake.

Scissor lifts can carry operatives plus tools and materials vertically to a designated height. They use a pantograph structure. Each support section of the extending arm links in a criss-cross pattern. This allows the frame to extend and retract in a steady and even way. A hydraulic, pneumatic, or mechanical actuator propels the scissor arm of bi-fuel, diesel, and electric lifts.

While slab scissors are stable and safe, there are certain safety practices that you should observe to prevent accidents -

• Do not exceed the working load limit (WLL) of the unit.
• Ensure guardrails are fit for purpose. These are fall protection systems and should be a minimum height of 39-45 inches. 
• Do not exceed the maximum working height of the unit (1m above the guardrail). Also, do not stand on toeboards, rails, or objects to gain extra height.
• Do not move the lift when elevated.
• Perform regular checks & maintenance.

You can read more about MEWP health and safety at HSE mobile elevating work platforms guidance.

Electric Scissor Lifts (Slab Scissors)

Electric scissor lifts are ideal for indoor applications. They are more lightweight than their diesel counterparts. Their weight makes them easier to handle and suitable for more confined spaces. Electric scissor lifts are battery-powered. They need recharging, but you do not need to refuel them, and they do not produce any emissions. They are quiet, so you can operate them in populated areas without disrupting any day to day activities.

Electric scissor lifts can also be very compact. We have manual units designed so you can push them into position by a single user, such as the 3m Pop Up Pro 10 IQ. These access platforms have a small footprint, ideal for confined rooms and busy environments. They fit through corridors, single doorways, and personnel lifts. They also meet the safety requirements of the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC taking guidance from the European Standard BS EN280:2001 and A2:2009 Mobile Elevating Work Platforms. Push around electric scissor lifts are ideal for building sites, shopfitting, building management, warehousing, and more. 

We also have a range of driven electric scissor lifts available that you can move around a site with joystick control. Powered scissor lifts are ideal for large indoor environments, like warehouses, factories, and hangars.

Diesel Scissor Lifts

Diesel scissor lifts are for external use. As the fumes produced by the engine can be harmful, they are not suitable for use indoors or in enclosed spaces. The diesel engine provides more power, so these scissor lifts are better equipped for travelling across roads and uneven surfaces. We also have rough terrain scissor lifts available. They have more robust tyres and better positive traction and gradeability - ideal for construction sites.

Diesel scissor lifts are perfect for reaching high levels on construction sites and building exteriors. They are heavier than their electric counterparts and are often wind rated for safe outdoor work. These scissor lifts often have outriggers for improved balance and stability. They are ideal for construction, signage installation, painting, cleaning, and more.

You do not need a licence for operating access equipment. But, for employees and contractors, the health and safety legislation for height regulations 2005 states that all operatives using MEWP equipment must be competent and trained via a recognised scheme. You can find IPAF (International Powered Access Federation) training courses for static vertical, mobile vertical, push around vertical equipment and more at ipaf.org.

Workers should never operate a lift alone. Although MEWPs are safe and relatively easy machines to operate, they still present risks.

Although MEWPs have safety features like guardrails, toe boards, locking gates, locking wheels, they still present a risk of falls since they are used for working at height. High winds, potholes, inclines, and uneven surfaces pose toppling risks. Working at height also comes with risk of electrocution, platform collapses, and being struck by obstacles.