How to Best Rent the Access You Need. (aerial-work-platforms)
Published in: Construction Equipment
Date: 10/1/2000
By: GRIFFIN, JEFF
Thinking through aerial-work-platform needs helps determine the rental model that best–and most economically–meets your needs
You have to wonder what the world did without aerial-work platforms. Self- propelled aerial-work platforms (AWPs) have become absolutely essential tools in today’s construction industry. They have the mobility, stability and ease of operation that make them the fastest, most efficient and safest way to position workers, tools and equipment at elevated heights for a variety of building or maintenance tasks. Safe, because self-propelled AWPs limit the situations in which workers must climb structures or ladders while carrying heavy tools and equipment. Fast, because they often eliminate the time-consuming job of transporting, erecting and dismantling scaffolding. And efficient, because a worker who feels secure and confident when working above ground likely will do a better job than a counterpart who is hanging off a ladder.
Many of the aerial lifts on today’s jobsites are rented or leased, since the sporadic use of these units in some operations (especially large, expensive units), often does not justify ownership. Plus, equipment users who do employ AWPs on a regular basis find that short-term rental permits them to have exactly the right machine for the different jobs they encounter, without the need to make large outlays of cash to purchase a variety of types and sizes. This flexibility is made possible by the wide selection of types and sizes available today at rental centers in most areas.
“The market for aerial lifts is expanding, crossing over from construction to industrial applications, and even to homeowners,” says Brian Stanley, United Rentals’ sales director for southeast Michigan.
Demand for AWPs is increasing, Stanley believes, because lift equipment improves jobsite safety and helps users lower liability exposure. Plus, aerial lifts not only make the work safer, they allow it to be completed faster, enabling personnel to meet deadlines and be more cost efficient.
“Thirty years ago, for example, steel erectors walked beams in the course of their work,” says Stanley. “Today, 90 percent of that work is done from aerial platforms.”
How to make good selections
When selecting an AWP, lift capacity, maximum height requirements and accessibility issues are primary considerations. Other important specifications include the size of the platform, outward reach of boom models, transport dimensions, turning radius, slab or rough-terrain capability, total weight and type of power source.
According to Stanley, rental AWPs fall into three categories: scissors, telescoping-boom and articulating-boom. And, of course, the specific conditions on a jobsite will dictate both the type and size of unit that’s best for the job.
“Consider an industrial facility where light fixtures mounted 20 feet above the floor must be changed,” says Stanley. “Because such a plant contains a variety of different jobsites under the same roof, each type of lift may be required. In a wide open area without obstructions, a scissors lift will do the job best. The scissors’ platform can accommodate more tools and supplies, reducing the need to make frequent up-and-down trips, and some models can be moved at full extension, again saving time. A scissors lift also is the least expensive to rent.
But when equipment, fixtures or other obstacles restrict placement of the lift, says Stanley reach and height are required. The best choice in this situation is a telescopic-boom model, which has a multi-section boom that provides a wide range of motion, including horizontal reach. The capability of reach allows the platform to extend out as well as up.
The size and location of obstacles will determine the length of the boom needed, says Stanley, but a 40-foot-boom machine should be able to provide the reach and height to access the 20-foot-high light fixtures. Lifting capacities of this size equipment range from 500 to 1,000 pounds.
Articulating-boom AWPs have telescoping boom sections connected at individually controlled pivot points, a feature that provides “up-and-over” capability. The ability to actually reach over and into a confined space gives access to areas that would be off-limits to scissors and telescoping-boom units. Also, platforms are most maneuverable on the articulating-boom type.
“Steel framework, racks or other obstructions restrict the reach of conventional booms,” says Stanley, “and that’s when articulated-boom lifts are needed. The articulated boom allows access in confined spaces that the traditional telescopic boom cannot reach. A 30-foot articulated model with lifting capacity in the 500-pound range should be sufficient to access the 20-foot-high fixtures in most situations. The operator can drive down a plant aisle and reach lights on both sides.”
The amount of weight that either type of boom lift can handle decreases, of course, as boom extension increases, and some models have restricted weight limits, depending on their use. Remember, too, that the work environment also influences the choice of power for an aerial lift. Smaller models may have electric motors, which operate off rechargeable batteries. Larger models use gasoline, diesel or dual-fuel (gasoline-propane) engines. A liquid-propane-powered engine emits lower levels of emissions than a gas or diesel counterpart, and are more common for indoor applications.
According to Stanley, the most popular rental AWP is a 20-foot scissors model with load capacities to 750 pounds. These units have the lowest rates, averaging approximately $200 per week (rental rates vary by geographic location).
The next most-utilized rental unit is the 30-foot, narrow-aisle, articulated-boom type, with an average weekly rate of about $500. A 40-foot telescoping-boom unit rents for approximately $600 per week.
QUICK TIP
If you’re renting an aerial-work platform for the first time, choose your supplier with care by considering these basic questions: Will the exact unit you need be available–when you need it? Is field service, or a replacement unit, quickly available if the AWP on your site breaks down? Is training available for your workers from the rental dealer? Do the available financial arrangements surf your budget?
Selecting the Right Aerial-Work Platform
Knowing how an AWP will be used enables the rental center to help clients select the machines best suited to their needs. According to Brian Stanley, United Rentals’ sales director for southeast Michigan, rental coordinators consider several factors to determine the appropriate unit for a client’s specific application:
1. What is the working height required?
2. How much weight will be lifted?
3. How many workers need to work from the platform?
4. What size platform is required, perhaps to handle light, but bulky items?
5. Is the work inside or outside?
6. What are the surface conditions?
7. Will all lifting be vertical, or is reach also required?
8. Will obstructions limit placement and movement of the unit?
9. If obstructions are present, what are up-and-over heights?
10. Is equipment width, weight and height a factor?
11. Will special training and instruction be required?
12. Are safety belts, lanyards, and other accessory equipment available or does the rental center need to provide these items?
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