Avoiding Common Mistakes With Industrial Equipment

A scissor lift is a good choice for when your workers need to quickly and easily change their position while working at an elevated height, and you can often rent these for indoor or outdoor use or for industrial areas. As with any other type of heavy-duty equipment you might rent, there is a wide variety of scissor lifts available, so note a few important features and factors to consider so you know you get the right choice for your needs.

Ask if it will work in colder temperatures

Because many scissor lifts work with hydraulics, they may actually not work in very cold temperatures. The cold air may not build up enough pressure in the hydraulic system to lift and lower the platform. If you want to use the lift outside during wintertime or in a cold storage room in a production facility, note if the rental has a cold application option. This would be a model with some type of protection for the hydraulics; it might be a built-in heater that keeps the air warm or it might be added insulation around the hydraulic system.

Note if you might need an edge side load

An edge side load means putting more weight on one side of the scissor lift than on the other, and keeping that weight off-center while the lift is extended. This can typically cause damage to a lift as the scissors lift the platform evenly on all sides, so excessive weight on one side can cause added wear and tear to the scissors. If you would need an edge side load, such as when having to keep heavy equipment on the edge of the platform and near the wall where you're working, ask about this capacity for a lift. You may need one that has added bracing along one side to protect it from damage.

Note the rollover load capacity

The rollover load capacity refers to how much weight the scissor lift can manage being rolled over the platform after the lift is extended, not just what it can lift from a collapsed position.  You may want to use the scissor lift at a dock to load materials from a high shelf or pull them off a truck, but keep in mind that the scissor lift is not meant as a loading platform. Even if you're simply rolling materials across the lift, you could easily exceed its weight capacity and cause damage. Note this rollover load capacity so you know the lift will be safe for any use.