Buying Criteria for Aerial Lifts

Although there are others (vertical mast/personnel lifts, and push-arounds, to name but two) there are three principal types of aerial lifts:

1. Telescopic boom aerial lift--sits on a swivel base, can be raised to any angle, and then extended straight out like a telescope. The clue is in the name.

2. Articulated boom aerial lift--like its telescopic brother, this also sits on a swivel base, and can be raised to different angles. However, it is articulated, which means that it has a joint that performs the same function as an elbow in a human arm.

3. Scissor aerial lift--its base does not swivel, and is generally the same size as the aerial lift platform that sits upon it. Again, the name describes the mechanism. As the platform rises, and falls, the supporting structure resembles multiple pairs of scissors opening, and closing.

Buying Criteria for Aerial Lifts
When buying (as opposed to renting) an aerial lift, it is important to think creatively about the situations in which it may be used. Perhaps it is going to be mainly deployed for cable work, or painting and decorating, or steel frame erection. But might it have other applications? And how embarrassing and costly will it be if it becomes necessary to rent another aerial lift because the one purchased cannot fulfill an unanticipated role? There is, as always, a trade-off between cost, and flexibility.

Having identified the tasks that a new aerial lift platform might have to undertake, there are five key questions--besides the obvious issues of price, and delivery--that must be asked when making a purchasing decision:

• How high?
• How accessible?
• How heavy?
• How rugged?
• How plug-inable?