Platform Selection Guide
On work at height, the most expensive mistake is sending the wrong machine to site: the transport is wasted, the crew waits and the job slips a day. This guide helps you find the right machine with four questions. Where you cannot answer with confidence, we come and survey the site β survey and quotation are free.
Question 1 β How high do you need to reach?
Two terms get confused here, and most selection errors start at this point:
| Platform height | Height of the platform floor above ground |
|---|---|
| Working height | Platform height plus an average person's reach (about 2 metres) |
The large figure in a catalogue is usually the working height. A "12 metre" machine does not raise the platform to 12 metres; the platform reaches 10 and you reach the point at 12.
Rule of thumb: measure the height of the point you need to reach and ask for that figure. Do not pay for extra height β a bigger machine is also heavier, wider and harder to manoeuvre.
Question 2 β What is the ground like?
The ground decides both the power source and the machine class.
Indoors, level concrete
Use electric machines with non-marking wheels and no exhaust: electric scissor lifts, vertical mast lifts, or electric articulated lifts where indoor outreach is needed.
Open site, rough or muddy ground
Diesel machines with four wheel drive and off-road tyres: diesel scissor and diesel articulated lifts.
Delicate floors β marble, parquet, grass, gratings
Tracked spider lifts spread the weight over a wide area, so the risk of marking is low.
Mezzanines, basements, car park slabs
Here the question is not "will it fit" but "will the slab carry it". Machine weight and load per wheel must be checked against the structural capacity of the floor. If you are unsure, ask for a survey at this point β getting it wrong causes real damage.
Question 3 β Can you get directly beneath the work point?
This single question settles the choice between a scissor lift and a boom lift.
- Yes, I can stand right under it: scissor lift β the widest platform and highest capacity in its class, and the most economical.
- No, something is in the way: articulated boom lift β reaches up and over the obstacle.
- No, I must reach from far away: telescopic boom lift β the greatest height and reach.
- I need to go inside a building and work high: tracked spider lift β folds down to pass through most standard doors.
- Short jobs at many locations in one day: truck mounted platform β drives to the next address without waiting for a transporter.
Question 4 β Who and what goes on the platform?
Capacity is not only about kilos: the number of people, tool bags and materials are counted together.
The critical point on boom lifts: capacity falls as the boom extends. The catalogue figure applies at the shortest reach. A machine listed as "22 m, 230 kg" may not carry 230 kg at 22 metres. So when requesting a quote, state both the distance and the load.
If one person with light tools is enough, a vertical mast lift is cheaper and easier to manoeuvre.
Can you actually get the machine onto site?
Choosing the right machine and giving the wrong dimensions is the most common disappointment. Note these three measurements before delivery:
- The narrowest passage β doorway, corridor, gate, ramp entrance
- The lowest ceiling or beam β even folded down, the machine needs clearance
- Where the truck can pull up β the machine arrives by truck and unloading needs room to manoeuvre
Platform, or a different machine?
| Lifting people | Aerial work platform |
|---|---|
| Lifting loads | Crane β a crane basket is not designed to carry people |
| Placing loads high and forward | Telehandler |
| Moving pallets | Forklift or pallet truck |
| Long hours in one spot, low height | Aluminium tower is often cheaper |
Who will operate it?
Aerial platforms turn dangerous quickly in the hands of someone who does not know them. Most incidents come not from machine failure but from how the machine is used: working on a slope, leaning out of the basket, or not knowing the emergency lowering procedure.
- No certified operator, or a short job: operated rental
- A team using machines regularly: operator training pays for itself within months
Short term or long term?
Daily, weekly and monthly unit costs differ for the same machine, and the daily rate falls as the term grows. Beyond a month, long term rental includes servicing and a replacement machine in case of breakdown. Where the duration is open ended we start with a rolling monthly contract and move to a better rate as the job extends.
When you are not sure
This guide covers most jobs, but every site has something particular about it. Where you are unsure, do not guess: our site survey is free, and it often turns out that a smaller, cheaper machine will do the work.
Just put your working height and ground conditions on the quote form and we will identify the right model with you.