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If your jobs require overhead work and you are still using ladders or scaffolding, it’s time to consider the efficiency and safety of a scissor lift. With an electric-powered scissor lift, you’ll provide a safer work environment for your employees and make it easier for them to meet OSHA requirements that call for people working more than six feet above ground level be protected from falls. The guardrails on a scissor lift fulfill those requirements. However, some manufacturers also recommend the use of personal fall arrest equipment when operating a scissor lift.

Another feature of scissor lifts is their versatility. Most frequently they are used inside, but they are also suitable for outdoor use as long as they are operated on a firm, level surface. They can also be driven from one location to another and positioned to resume work without a lot of set-up time.

Scissor lifts’ maximum platform height for overhead work normally ranges from 19 feet to over 40 feet. In the shorter 19- to 20-foot range, machine width for most scissor lifts is usually 30 inches, which means they can be driven through standard 32-inch doorways or into freight elevators when working on multi-story projects.

In larger units, the machine’s body is wider (up to 46 inches) with higher platform heights. Standard capacity for most 20-foot platform height machines is 500 pounds, while larger scissor lifts’ capacity can go up to 1,000-pounds or more.

A feature that helps increase versatility is folddown rails on the platform. When a 20-foot model with a normal stowed height of 87 inches is fitted with folding rails, its overall machine height becomes just under six feet, making it capable of being driven through pedestrian doors.

Another feature that has become standard on lift machines is a platform extension. This is a rollout platform extending about three feet, with a capacity of 250 pounds. The advantage of extensions is that they overcome the access limitation of scissor lifts. Since scissor lifts normally only lift vertically, the platform extension provides some horizontal reach to extend over obstacles.

Cost Considerations

For most electrical contractors, a scissor lift with a 20-foot platform height is the most useful size to own. If more height is required for a particular job, a larger scissor lift can be rented. In the 20-foot range, a used machine can be found on the Internet for as little as $4,600 — but be careful! Batteries do wear out and they are costly to replace, hydraulic hoses can deteriorate or have loose fittings resulting in fluid leakage problems and electronic controls can be at the end of their useful life and need replacing.