Access platforms are important in ensuring the safety of construction and operational tasks at height. Lifts, access towers, and platforms are essential in ensuring optimum safety while working in elevated and high areas. You should have access to different kinds of access equipment to secure smooth and productive industrial work.

This article will enlist the common and most popular kinds of platforms. This article will help you to easily determine the kind of access equipment that best suits the demands of your industry.

4 Different Kinds of Access Equipment the Ensure Safety in the Construction Industry

1. Scissor Lift

Construction sites commonly use scissor lifts for easy aerial work. A scissor lift can be used in both indoor and outdoor constructions. It’s better than boom lifts because scissor lift machines are not limited to vertical movements. If your industry needs demanding aerial work that is not limited to vertical movements, you should opt for a scissor lift that can also easily move horizontally.

Criss-cross braces are essential in securing and supporting scissor lift machines. They’re so important that its name was even derived from such parts. Criss-cross braces look like scissors when they’re stretched and doing essential work in lifting and moving manpower. Such braces play a large role in supporting the machine when moving upward or downward.

Scissor lift machines can carry many workers as it comes with a large platform. Its platform can also carry and lift heavy material and tools.

PROS:

• Scissor lifts are perfect access platforms for people that do aerial work and need a steady machine that can easily move upward and downward.
• They can carry numerous workers.
• Can lift heavy tools and materials.

CON:

• Cannot reach extremely elevated areas

2. MEWP

A mobile elevated work platform is the most affordable variant of access platforms. It is lightweight and compact and can easily support laborers while doing tasks in elevated areas. A MEWP can usually carry one person. MEWP machines can reach high heights so they’re perfect for work environments that need an access platform that can reach high elevated areas.

PROS:

• Can reach high elevated areas that other access platforms cannot.
• Works well with solo laborers.
• Lightweight and compact.
• Affordable

CON:

• Cannot carry numerous laborers

3. Cherry Picker

A cherry picker is a kind of platform that puts a person at the edge of a crane to allow for better access when working in elevated areas. Because of its unique design, people are not limited to moving upward and downward, they can work in multiple directions.

Cherry picker platforms are perfect for industrial tasks that require extensive repair work, inspections, and maintenance. It can easily work and adjust to the design and architecture of buildings as it can reach tight and tricky spaces.

Construction work that needs laborers to access tricky and challenging spaces will work well and operate fast with cherry pickers.

PROS:

• Works well in construction work that requires laborers to move in different directions
• Can easily allow for navigation of tricky spaces and buildings with unique designs
• Perfect for inspection work and repairs

CON:

• Not suitable for work that demands fast upward and downward access
• Cannot carry numerous laborers

4. Mobile Access Tower

Mobile access towers or mobile scaffold towers are access platforms that can also be used indoors and outdoors. It is engineered to allow people to work on highly elevated areas so prior training is important to secure everyone’s safety.

Working with scaffold towers is highly risky so any person that would be using it must undergo training for optimum protection. A mobile access tower is usually 1 meter to 5-meter-tall. Any fall from such height can lead to serious injury if no prior training was undergone.

PROS:

• Can reach great heights
• Safety measures are highly regulated and observed
• All users are highly trained

CON:

• Cannot be used instantly because prior training for laborers is required
• Requires extremely skilled users that know how to manage the risks the come with working on extremely elevated areas

Safe Access Equipment for All

Regardless of the kind of access platform that you would use, your ultimate goal should be securing the safety and welfare of your laborers in the workplace. All access platforms are specially designed to cater to different needs. In choosing one, take note of the following factors:

1. Number of Laborers

    How many of your laborers will need to use access platforms? If many of your laborers will need access to elevated workspaces, choose an access platform that can carry numerous workers like a scissor lift machine.

2. Height of Workplace

    Do you need your workers to reach extremely high areas? If you need workers to reach extremely elevated areas like tall buildings, it’s best to opt for mobile access towers that can reach great heights. However, using one would require prior training as elevated heights are extremely risky workspaces.

3. Operational movement

   Do you know the operational movement that your laborers need for work? If you need one that can easily go upward and downward, a scissor lift machine would do. If you need one that also allows for horizontal movement and in multiple directions, a cherry picker would be a good choice.

Consult Experts

Picking the right access platform for your workspace can still be tricky even if you already know the different kinds. If you’re still confused and in need of further guidance, you may contact access platform experts like the friendly consultants from Bend-tech Australia. Experts can easily study the nature of your work and suggest the best access platform for all your operational needs.