The boom lift is a go-to piece of machinery across a wide range of industries. You’ve no doubt seen elevated work platforms high in the air on construction sites with workers on them. Or technicians well above the ground fixing or installing signage. Most likely, that’s a boom lift they’re on.
Boom lifts are incredibly useful tools that enable workers to successfully take on jobs at heights. They might be just the tool you’re looking for for your next job, in which case you should take a look at the range of Socage Raptor Spiders Altequip has for sale.
If you’d like to learn more about boom lifts, the different types and when you would use them, keep reading because we’ve got you covered in this article.
What Exactly is a Boom Lift?
A boom lift is a type of Elevated Work Platform (EWP) designed to safely lift workers, tools, and materials to high areas. Picture a long hydraulic arm, the “boom”, with a basket or platform at the end which the team members are secured in.
What’s special about a boom lift is its boom arms can extend both horizontally and vertically. This range of movement allows workers to travel over and around obstacles to get to hard-to-reach spots. Its versatility makes the impossible possible!
There are a few other names for boom lifts, including cherry pickers, aerial lifts, knuckle booms or man lifts. If you hear any of those mentioned, they’re generally referring to the same thing (although there are different types of boom lifts – keep reading to find out what they are.)
When Would You Use a Boom Lift?
If your job requires working at heights, a boom lift is a safe and reliable means of accessing elevated areas. Construction crews use them for installing HVAC units, painting tall walls, fitting windows, or handling roofing jobs without the need for scaffolding or dangerous ladders.
In warehouses, they improve efficiency by allowing staff to grab or count products on high shelves. Stocktake suddenly becomes a whole lot easier!
In the film industry, they’re something of a behind-the-scenes stalwart too. They allow camera crews to capture dramatic angles and crew can rig lights and sound equipment in difficult spots.
Different Types of Boom Lifts
There are a couple of different types of boom lift. At Altequip, we are the agents for Socage, who manufacture articulating booms, or telescopic booms with Fly, such as the Raptor 35S.
Here’s an explanation of the two types of boom lift:
Telescopic Boom Lifts (aka Straight Booms)
These can go straight up and out, a bit like a telescope. If you’ve got a clear path to the job site and just need vertical and horizontal reach, a telescopic boom will work for you. They’re great for jobs on large buildings, industrial sites or anything in open areas.
Telescopic Boom plus Fly Lifts
These can go up and over, like a telescopic Boom, but with more side reach. If you’ve got an obstacle to get over like a tree or a building and require horizontal reach at height, a telescopic boom with a fly will work best for you. They’re great for jobs on large buildings, industrial sites or where operating space is restricted.
Articulating Boom Lifts (aka Knuckle Booms)
If you need to navigate around and over obstacles, consider an articulating boom. They have multiple sections that can articulate in different directions, effectively allowing you to ‘bend’ over obstacles. These are popular for use in built up areas or indoors, helping overcome tricky angles and tight spots.
Boom Lift Safety
Safety when working at heights is our number one priority at Altequip. We are all experienced EWP operators ourselves, and have worked on countless jobs at height. We’ve developed an understanding and appreciation of the need to ensure safety comes first. Here are a couple of crucial things to keep in mind with regards to this:
Training
Operating an EWP in Queensland comes with strict compliance to safety rules and training standards. If you don’t know what you’re doing and you climb into a boom lift, you’re taking your life and those of your colleagues into your hands. The Elevated Work Platform Association of Australia (EWPA) can grant an EWP operators license commonly referred to as a Yellow Card, which indicates you have the skills to operate an EWP up to 11m capability and manage emergency situations should they arise. Workplace Health & Safety are responsible for the High Risk Licence (WP) Working Platform, which allows a person to operate a machine over 11m.
Protective Gear
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) should be worn at all times, including your hard hat, protective glasses, high-vis clothing and steel caps. On top of this, and most important when working at heights, is your harness that connects you to the machine itself. This is an essential fail safe that will keep you attached to the machine in the case of a fall or slip. Don’t proceed without one!
Regular Maintenance
Your boom lift is a work machine, and like all others it needs TLC in order to be kept in excellent operating condition. A breakdown when working at heights can create a dangerous situation, never mind causing downtime for your business. Regular servicing of your EWP also keeps you compliant with Australian Standards. Stay on the right side of the law and stay safe by implementing a regular maintenance schedule. Our EWP experts at Altequip can help with all your servicing and maintenance requirements.
Altequip – The Boom Lift Experts in Brisbane
At Altequip, we’ve got decades of collective experience in the elevated work platform industry. We’re the official Australian distributor for Socage and Socage Raptor, a premium EWP brand with its factory in Italy. Have a look at their exceptional EWP range here.
We also have onsite servicing and maintenance division at our North Brisbane headquarters in Geebung. Whatever brand of EWP your business uses, we’ll help you keep it functional and reliable, enhancing your team’s safety and your operational efficiency.
Our expert EWP team will help you with everything you need to know about boom lifts, so don’t hesitate to get in touch today with any questions. Whether you’re a tradie on a tricky build or a hire company needing fleet servicing, we’ve got the answers and the experience to support you.
We look forward to chatting about boom lifts and all things EWP!
