Choose the Best Electric Scissor Lift for Your Needs

The electric scissor lift is one of the most useful pieces of machinery that exists for getting your personnel to height, to get the job done. Scissor lifts are quick, safe, and nimble to maneuver your people into tight spaces and up to high places. Different electric scissor lifts come in different sizes and have different features and capabilities for different jobs. In this article, we will walk you through the criteria that you are going to need to take into consideration when choosing the right electric scissor lift for your needs. Let’s jump in and have a look at some key considerations.  

Height Requirements

This seems like a good place to start. Of course, if you are renting or purchasing access equipment, one of the first things to take into consideration is the working height. There isn’t much point in acquiring a piece of access machinery if it doesn’t get your workers up to where they need to be. Ensure that you choose a model with a working height that allows your people to reach their work.  

Space Requirements

Alright so you have found a machine that can get tall enough to reach the ceiling of the warehouse, but it’s too wide to fit down the aisles. That isn’t going to work, is it? Luckily, there are narrow aisle and high reach type electric scissor lifts that are designed to solve these kinds of problems. In this case, you may have to work around a reduced capacity in order to get a machine that is both small enough and tall enough to get where you need to go. This is just one example of why all aspects of the job need to be taken into consideration before making an equipment choice. Make sure you can get your machine to where it needs to go. Most scissor lifts come with extendable platforms to help operators get to places that they may not be able to drive directly under.  

Ground Conditions

There are two major factors to consider. Is the floor upon which the machine is to drive around, laden with materials, tools and live workers rated for this kind of load? This may seem obvious but on living and breathing jobsites where slabs may still be curing or unscored, you need to consider that the size of machine you are using is appropriate for the ground it is operating on. To this effect, and especially regarding electric scissor lifts, you need to consider the grade. An electric scissor lift is designed to be a mobile elevating platform. That means that where they are operating needs to be quite level. These machines are not designed for going off road or off of the slab, and they are not designed for driving up and down ramps. If you are planning on working off of a steeper grade like a parking ramp then it would be in your best interests to consider going with a boom lift instead.  

Capacity

Of course, once you’ve made sure that your lift is able to get to where it needs to be, you will need to ensure that it has the capacity to get your people up to where they need to be. These machines are not designed to be material lifts, so due planning in working procedures is required. Personnel will not be able to use these machines to lift up heavy beams or structural members. If this is the kind of work that is required, make sure to have a zoom boom or crane on-site to assist in lifting materials. At MAK Industries, we have a wide variety of Genie, JLG, LGMG and Skyjack electric scissor lifts and construction equipment to help with all of your access needs. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with one of our friendly and knowledgeable team members today.