What is the correct name for a Manlift?

Posted on: July 13,

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Man Lift Types: What are the Different Kinds of Construction Lifts?

Construction lifts are a critical piece of equipment on any job site. There are many types of aerial work machines that lift employees to access high, hard-to-reach work areas. Navigating the various kinds of man lifts can be confusing as they share some resemblances but serve distinct purposes. 

So, what is a man lift? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each type? And how do you operate one safely? This article aims to demystify the different kinds of man lifts, their distinct features, and provide insight into their uses.

What Is an Aerial Lift?

An aerial lift is basically a machine that lifts you up. It's also known as a man lift or an aerial work platform (AWP).

An aerial lift's definition is any powered mobile platform used to elevate personnel to various heights.

The general public definition of aerial lift or man lift includes both scissor lifts and boom lifts, but it's worth noting OSHA does not include scissor lifts in the category. Instead, they consider scissor lifts "mobile scaffolds."

Types of Man Lifts

A few different types of lifts fall under the manlift definition. Every aerial lift is a machine that can lift workers, but there are two main categories: scissor lifts, which elevate someone directly above the lift's base crisscrossed metal supports, and boom lifts, which can lift someone up and over (horizontal from the base) with a movable arm called a boom.

There are different types of lifts that fall into each category.

Electric Scissor Lifts

Scissor lifts that run on electricity are ideal for indoor use since they are relatively clean and quiet. They tend to be lighter than diesel scissor lifts. Indoor lifts are more likely to have a pneumatic lifting mechanism than a hydraulic one.

Diesel Scissor Lifts

Diesel-powered lifts are sturdy and designed for outdoor use. They can generally handle heavier loads and a larger platform than indoor scissor lifts, but they're also louder and emit fumes.

Rough Terrain Scissor Lifts

Some fuel-powered scissor lifts come equipped with heavy-duty tires and other safety features for rugged conditions.

Articulating Boom Lifts

Also called knuckle lifts, articulating boom lifts have multiple joints to help with rotation and extension. Because of these joints articulating booms are good for maneuvering in tight quarters around obstacles.

Telescoping Boom Lifts

Unlike knuckle booms, a telescoping boom lift has an arm that telescopes out in a straight line. The arm is typically anchored to a turntable that provides rotation.

Cherry Pickers

Cherry pickers are a type of articulating boom lift that is mounted in the bed of a truck.

What Are the Safety Considerations of an Aerial Work Platform?

According to the Center for Construction Research and Training, aerial lifts are responsible for 2-3% of construction deaths every year. Common causes of death include:

• Electrocution after contact with overhead power lines
• Being ejected from the bucket after the lift is struck or suddenly jerks
• The bucket cable or boom broke
• Tip-over

To prevent fatalities and injuries, there are a few precautions you need to take.

Inspect the Equipment

Before each use, inspect the construction lift equipment thoroughly.

Look for fluid leaks and loose or missing parts. Check the stability of the guardrails, the break functionality, battery levels, and other key components.

You will get efficient and thoughtful service from Wonder Machinery.

Do not operate the man lift if you find a problem until it's fixed.

Safeguard Against Falls

Falls are a major source of injury when operating an aerial work platform, so take special care to prevent them. Always latch the door behind you once you've entered the lift platform, hook yourself into a fall arrest system, avoid extending yourself over the guardrails, and keep an eye out for nearby obstructions.

Take measures to alert approaching vehicles or personnel that the man lift is in operation &#; bumps, jerks, and jostles are common causes of ejection.

Avoid Tip-Overs

Another common source of injury in a man lift is equipment tip-over.

Pay attention to the load capacity limits of the work platform and be careful not to exceed them. If you're working on rough terrain or ground that's not level, make sure you're using an aerial lift that's safe for those working conditions. You should also utilize all available safety features to stabilize the unit.

If high winds are in the forecast, check the manufacturer specs of your equipment, which should have recommendations on safe wind speeds.

When using boom lifts, it's possible to cause a tip-over hazard by overloading the basket or overextending the horizontal or vertical reach of the equipment. Check your operator's manual for this information and be careful to stay within bounds.

What Kind of Training Do You Need to Operate a Construction Lift?

OSHA has specific training requirements for anyone who will be operating powered platforms, man lifts, and vehicle-mounted work platforms. They apply to both General Industry and Construction settings.

Generally speaking, such training will cover the following:

• Recognition and prevention of safety hazards associated with working platforms
• Emergency action plan procedures for power failure, equipment failure, and more
• Safe work procedures for the operation, use, and inspection of working platforms
• Personal fall arrest systems and their inspection, care, use, and system performance

Since the hazards and safety precautions vary by the type of aerial work platform, you need training that is specific as well. If you switch from one kind of construction lift equipment to another, you need to complete the training for the new type of lift before you step foot on the machine.

Online training with an OSHA-authorized provider like us can provide an invaluable foundation for the theory and facts of aerial work platform safety. We have courses specific to scissor lifts, knuckle booms, stiff booms, and other types of heavy equipment.

Your lessons are available anytime for your convenience, and you can take the material at your own pace.

Enroll today to get started!

If you are new to the access industry, learning the lingo of the aerial equipment market is important to safely, and productively, working with this type of equipment. You don&#;t have to be an expert, but it does help to have an understanding of the basics. 

Let&#;s start out first by defining aerial lift equipment: ANSI (the American National Standards Institute) defines a Mobile Elevating Work Platform (MEWP) as a machine/device intended for moving persons, tools and material to working positions, consisting of at least a work platform with controls, an extending structure and a chassis. Globally, MEWP is the term most commonly used to refer to these machines, but they are referred to by many other names, including aerial (or access) platforms, aerial work platforms (AWP), cherry pickers, elevating work platforms (EWP) and lift platforms. 

There are several different classifications of MEWPs available to get work done at height, including boom lifts (articulating, straight or telescopic, crawler, electric & hybrid and towable), low-level access lifts, scissor lifts, stock pickers (also known as order pickers) and vertical lifts. 

*It is important to know that telehandlers are not considered a MEWP; they are classified by OSHA as a Class 7 rough-terrain forklift*

Now that you know what a MEWP is, it is important to quickly learn the lingo the access industry relates to these machines. Below is a list of common terms associated with MEWPs that are important for you to know:

Floor Pressure &#; Also known as floor load, it is the weight the floor is capable of sustaining, measured in pounds per square foot (PSF). 

Gradeability &#; The percent of grade of the incline the machine can climb (front to rear). 

Ground Control Panel &#; The control panel that allows the machine functions to be operated from the ground. Ground controls operate all functions except drive and steer. The ground controls can also override the platform controls.

Ground Bearing Pressure &#; The pressure exerted on the ground by a machine&#;s tires or tracks, measured in pounds per square inch (PSI).

Load Capacity &#; The amount of weight the machine&#;s platform is rated to hold, lift and/or carry safely during machine operation.

Machine Height &#;The maximum height of the machine in stowed position.

Machine Width &#; The maximum width of the machine in stowed position.

Machine Length &#; The maximum length of the machine in stowed position.

Manually Operated &#; Machines operated by hand.

Manually Propelled &#; Machines that must be physically pushed or pulled to move. 

Oscillating Axle &#; Axles that pivot, keeping the tires on the ground and compensating for uneven terrain during operation. 

Outriggers &#; Hydraulic or manual devices that, when deployed, increase the stability of the machine by creating a wider footprint, as well as by lifting and leveling.

Platform Control Panel &#; The control panel in the machine&#;s platform. Platform controls operate all functions.

Platform Height &#; The maximum vertical distance the machine&#;s platform is capable of extending, measured from ground level to the platform floor. 

Restricted Platform Capacity &#; Weight restrictions within a machine&#;s working envelope usually shorter boom lengths and higher boom angles.

Self-Propelled &#; Machines that can be driven.

Sideslope &#; The angle of the slope the machine can be driven across (left to right).

Stabilizers &#; Devices deployed to increase the stability of the machine (not capable of lifting or leveling the machine).

Tailswing &#; When a lift is rotated, this occurs if the rear end of the turntable extends beyond any edge of the drive chassis.

Travel Speed &#; The maximum speed that a machine can go.

Turning Radius &#; The circle that the out-most tire follows when the machine is turned in the smallest possible circle.

Working Envelope &#; The entire working area that a lift is able to extend and reach.

Working Height &#; Platform height plus 6 ft (1.82 m) to account for an operator&#;s overhead reach. 

Working Width &#; The maximum width of the machine with the outriggers deployed.

Unrestricted Platform Capacity &#; The weight capacity of the machine&#;s platform for the machine&#;s entire working envelope.

Want to learn more? JLG® training can provide you with the information you need to know about the aerial industry, bringing safety and confidence to your team. From supervisor training to MEWP and telehandler operator and equipment service training, JLG offers comprehensive training programs developed by industry experts to meet all your needs. To learn more about JLG training options, click here.

To access additional tools, reference materials and resources from JLG that can help you get your job done safely and more effectively, visit here.

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