A Guide to Boom Lift Hire
Boom lifts are a handy piece of equipment used for construction, maintenance, and repair jobs. These aerial work platforms are created in many varieties that are customized to various types of tasks. They are designed to lift employees to higher access locations. So, which Boom Lift is the best fit for you?
When looking to hire a boom lift, you must first evaluate the needs of your project to any limits that may exist. When managing a job site, considerations such as area, impediments, weight, and application can play a significant role in selecting which boom lift is most suited to your project. As a result, when looking to hire a boom lift, gaining a sense of the overall project scope is frequently the first step. You know what your future job entails, but you’re not sure what the difference between boom lifts is? Great! Allow us to clarify.
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Types of Boom Lifts
With so many various types of boom lifts available, it’s critical to understand the functionality and characteristics of each option. When handling the many needs of a building site, you must select the suitable machinery for each task. Consider using one of these adaptable boom lifts for your next aerial job.
1. Articulating Boom Lifts
Often known as a knuckle boom, this lift employs a bucket on a swiveling turntable at the end of an articulating arm. The one-of-a-kind design allows for vertical and horizontal flexibility. An articulating boom has a maximum vertical reach of 125 feet and a horizontal extension of 75% of its height. Workers can also maneuver up and over barriers by extending the boom in parts.
A bendable jointed arm on an articulating boom lift is suited for restricted locations. The arm’s base is attached to a turntable, allowing it to complete a full circular rotation. The flexible design bends around and over barriers, lifting the worker to reach locations that would otherwise be inaccessible.
Articulating booms can be used for indoor and outdoor applications — electrical and cable repairs, plumbing systems, external cleaning, and maintenance. Indoor variants are powered by electricity and are often smaller than their outdoor counterparts. Outdoor knuckle booms are often diesel-powered or transported to a job site.
Atrium Lifts
Atrium lifts, often known as spider lifts, are a form of articulated boom lift. These aerial lifts are narrow and lightweight and are positioned on four legs to provide maximum elevation in a compact inside space. Because they lack wheels, atrium lifts are a subset of articulated boom lifts. Atrium lifts move on tracks (similar to those seen on excavators). It guarantees that atrium lifts are safe to operate on a variety of terrains.
Atrium lifts are smaller and lighter than conventional boom lifts in terms of size and weight. It allows atrium elevators to reach heights of up to 60 feet. Furthermore, atrium lifts can take high loads and employ foldable outriggers to keep them stable. Atrium lifts may also be utilised both indoors and outdoors because of their low ground pressure. The chassis spreads the weight of an atrium lift over a large area, allowing it to be utilized safely on lawns, pavement, marble, and other surfaces. Atrium lifts can be used in confined spaces and when steep surface inclines render self-propelled or scissor booms hazardous.
Features & Technical Specifications
- Outstanding rough terrain driving features
- Four-wheel drive
- Oscillating Axle
- Great horizontal outreach
- Inside and outside use with the choice of diesel or battery operation.
Consider using an articulating boom lift when:
1. Get into limited workspaces.
An articulating boom with a tiny configuration and zero tail swing may be appropriate if you need to go into tight locations.
2. Overcome hurdles.
Although articulating booms have less horizontal reach than telescopic booms, they are more versatile due to their many joints that allow them to reach up, over, and out to access hard-to-reach work areas.
3.Travel through rough terrain.
Rough-terrain articulating boom lifts use lug-tread tires, powerful petrol/LPG or diesel engines, four-wheel drive, and active oscillating axles for greater traction and performance on uneven task sites.
4.Work from home.
Because of their ease of use, articulating boom lifts are ideal for indoor work.
5. Require extra platform reach.
Some articulating boom lift types have a boom extension (jib) between the platform and the primary boom. Jib booms add another articulation point to some models, allowing them to raise or lower the platform or move it sideways.
Scissor lifts are a convenient and safe way to raise things to a particular height. It drastically decreases the chance of workers injuring themselves, their backs particularly, while manually lifting goods. R-aising the worker to the proper height to conveniently put away loads to eliminate the risk of strains from horizontal or vertical plane lifting. Scissor lifts can help lessen the probability of repetitive strain injury in workers.
2. Telescopic Boom Lifts
Telescopic boom lifts have more vertical height than other types of boom lifts. Telescopic boom lifts, like knuckle lifts, have a bucket on the end of a telescopic arm, but the arm can only extend in a straight line — up, forward, and down. Telescopic booms are sometimes referred to as stick booms since the arm can only move in one direction. Telescopic booms, with platform heights ranging from 40 to 80 feet, are perfect for work in tall buildings and other elevated work settings. The greatest telescopic boom lifts can reach up to 185 feet in height, making them for industrial tasks.
Telescopic booms feature wider bases than articulating lifts to aid in operating safely at heights. Rough-terrain telescopic booms with stability require a work surface of at least 10 feet. They are available with either an electric motor and solid tires for indoor usage or a gas motor with inflated tires for harsh outdoor use.
The telescopic boom is primarily used in jobs that require workers to reach much higher than with other aerial booms and in different applications like industrial, construction, bridgework, and so on. The bucket in a telescopic boom lift is designed to carry only one worker at a time.
Features & Technical Specifications
- Instant Scaffolding
- Telecommunication Maintenance
- External Painting and Decorating
- Arborist Works
- Steel Cladding
Consider using a telescopic boom lift when:
1. Need a lot of reach and height.
Telescopic boom lifts offer more height and reach than articulating boom lifts, making them suitable for operating from a distance or in circumstances where barriers or terrain prevent close access.
2. Tough workplaces.
Four-wheel drive and dynamic oscillation axles are standard on rough terrain telescopic boom lift for optimum traction and terrain capabilities.
2. Productivity at its peak.
Telescopic boom lifts can go from ground level to dozens of meters in the air in just one minute, allowing your staff to get into working positions more quickly.
3 Factors on How to Select the Right Boom Lift
When comparing different types of boom lifts, there are three criteria to consider to select the right boom lift for the right job:
1. Workspace Maximum Height
Aerial lifts of varying lengths are available. As a result, you must pick an aerial lift that matches the height of your workplace.
2. Maximum Weight Support
Some man lifts can handle greater weight than others. As a result, you must evaluate how much weight your lift will have to hold.
3. Boom Angle or Direction
Some boom lifts can be tilted and be moved up and down. As a result, you must examine the work at hand — and which sorts of aerial lifts will assist you in completing it.
6 Things to Consider When Choosing a Boom Lift
With so many different types of boom lifts available, you must make an educated choice. Let’s take a look at the six variables you may use to compare different types of boom lifts:
1. The Workplace Terrain
Do you like to be indoors or outside? Is the terrain smooth and level or rugged and slanted?
2. Obtaining Job Access
Is the job site easy to get to or difficult to get? Will you start from the top, the side, or the bottom?
3. Flexibility
Is the job going to need both horizontal and vertical movement? Or do you just want to go up and down?
4. Work Requirements
How many employees will be expected to utilize the platform? What tools and equipment are needed for the job?
5. Gaining Access to the Job Site
Do you need a boom lift that you can carry yourself to the job site? Will a towable boom lift be required due to the location and work conditions?
6. Weight Considerations
How much weight will you have to lift? What is the maximum weight that the work surface can withstand?
5 Things to Consider in a Boom Lift
Which is the best? Size is an essential consideration. You want enough range but in a size that will fit securely and comfortably in your workstation. You should also consider movement type, weight capacity, task site circumstances, space constraints, and power supply.
1. Space Restrictions
Consider the space that your lift will be traveling. Tall structures with small doors will necessitate a different aerial lift than one utilized on a large project site.
2. Weight Capacity
Consider how many employees (elbow room included) and gear will be loaded on the aerial platform to avoid overloading.
3. Type of Movement Required
Aerial lifts can be single-mast or multiple-mast — that is, they can move simply vertically or both vertically and horizontally. The movement will determine the amount required.
4. Compatibility with Power Sources
Diesel is a popular alternative due to its availability and torque. Electric motors, on the other hand, are quieter and emit no pollutants when used indoors. Dual fuel motors are another option for more versatility.
5. Workplace Conditions
Is your terrain steep, or delicate and soft? Tires, like any other component of a car, are critical. Some of the options are flotation, non-marking, normal pneumatic, solid rubber, and foam-filled.
Boom lifts are used for a wide range of tasks. Aerial work platforms come in sizes, that can elevate one person up to 12 feet to machines that can carry a group of employees up to 150 feet. Whether you need one for a big construction project or a warehouse, you’ll want to examine the strengths of each type of boom lift before deciding on the ideal one for your purposes.
7 Common Uses of Using Boom Lifts
Boom lifts are an ideal elevated work solution for projects and tasks of erecting scaffolding and other construction jobs, painting walls and ceilings, general building maintenance tasks outdoors, lighting works, and signage installation. Boom lift access platforms are an excellent solution for lifting too hard-to-reach places as they have flexible height and outreach. Boom lifts have a wider range of movement than some other types of access equipment and can get around various obstacles in the built and natural environments. They are designed to tackle jobs on or offsite that are high up and in hard-to-reach places. Let’s take a closer look at the seven common uses of using a boom lift.
1. Indoor working
Boom lifts can be used indoors or out. Most models come with an electric motor as a standard to minimise indoor noise disruption. Some models have lightweight mechanisms so they can operate without damaging floors or delicate ground.
2. Range of Movement
Boom lift buckets and work platforms can be rated to hold single or double operators to allow the work to be done depending on the task needs. Unlike some access equipment that is designed for just moving up and down from one position, boom lifts can move both vertically and horizontally. The articulated or telescopic boom configuration makes it easier and safer to lift to areas that might be otherwise out of reach.
3. Easy Size Modification
A boom lift’s joints allow it to be stretched or retracted as needed. This flexible size makes it easy to move the boom lift into any workspace, no matter how big or little it is.
4. Heightening the Lift
Boom lifts have the greatest lift heights of any elevating work platform. Boom lifts’ increased lift heights enable workers to reach even the highest job sites.
5. Increased Manoeuvrability and Flexibility
When finishing work, articulating boom lifts give additional flexibility and agility. Their multi-arm design enables the operator platform and basket to be precisely adjusted to accomplish tasks in difficult-to-reach or tight locations.
6. Move around obstacles
The articulating boom lift’s numerous hydraulic arms allow the operator platform or bucket to move over, under, or around obstacles. It enables operators to have access to all locations, regardless of barriers. Many buildings and spaces have obstructions that need to be avoided for safety like the branches, architecture, or even geographical features that can get in the way of an access platform and cost time and money to get around.
7. Multiple Fuel Types
Boom lifts are available in fuel types, including diesel, battery-electric, and hybrid models. Diesel lifts are suitable for usage on construction sites because the added power from the diesel engine allows the device to travel across uneven ground. Battery-powered devices emit no exhaust fumes and may be used safely indoors. Hybrid units provide the most versatile lift option since their fuel source may be swapped depending on the work location, allowing them to function in all circumstances indoors and outdoors.
5 Advantages of Boom Lift Rentals
This dependable aerial lift is a piece of cost-effective equipment that comes in variants, making it ideal for tasks, whether for home or commercial usage. Aside from the site inspection and risk assessment of the task at hand, here are other benefits to consider when renting a boom lift.
1. It comes with several choices.
Boom lifts are available in a variety of versions. Boom lifts are a fantastic choice for any sort of work, from lightweight versions to AC and battery-powered models. It is critical to understand the job to be done before renting a boom lift. The variety of types will be useful for first-time users in avoiding purchasing the incorrect boom lift.
2. Maintenance inspections and training
One of the most significant benefits of using boom lift rentals is that maintenance checks, training, and other services are included in the price. Accreditation and scheduled visits are also available. The program gives students hands-on experience, which is very beneficial for homeowners which makes machine handling easier and safer.
3. Get the proper height for the work.
Another significant benefit of renting boom lifts from a reputable rental business is that height limitations are not an issue. Each rental company’s selection of boom lift models presents various heights that are ideal for the sort of task at hand. The availability of higher-height boom lifts not only saves money but also reduces production delays.
4. Expert assistance is always available.
Rental businesses are trustworthy since they have their staff of specialists ready to assist you. Their professional guidance aids clients in determining which equipment is ideal for the work and provides owners with hands-on experience on how to operate the equipment properly before, during, and after the activity. Other rental businesses frequently include further guidance as an add-on to their packages.
5. Excellent low-cost bundles and insurance coverage
The high cost of acquiring a boom lift prevents households and business owners from owning their own. Rental businesses provide a cost-effective solution by offering packages during the rental period. These packages give insurance as well as hefty reductions on the initial rental price.
Choosing the right rental business necessitates extensive study if you want to make the most of your cash. You can call local rental firms to inquire about their various goods and price ranges. What contributes to good work is renting the greatest boom lift from the most dependable rental company in the area.
3 Things You Should Know Before Hiring A Boom Lift
Although there are several advantages to leasing a boom lift, there are a few things to think about before signing on the dotted line to ensure that you’re making the right option. In this piece, we’ve taken a closer look at the things you should know before hiring to help you make an informed selection.
1. Choice of Machine
Although you might already know what type of lift you need, keep in mind that there is more than one type of model under each category. Boom lifts are available in electric and diesel varieties.
2. Examine the Terrain
It’s vital to remember that not every model is capable of traversing rough terrain. You must ensure that it is capable of coping with the topography of the workplace before committing to hiring a machine. Some versions are also exclusively intended for indoor usage and cannot be driven outside (and vice versa). Make sure you are familiar with the working environment in the workplace.
Also, keep in mind that each model will differ in the amount of weight it can hold and the height it can reach. Calculate how much weight you need to transfer (don’t forget to include any operators) and how high you need to reach.
3. Safety Comes First
A strong lift necessitates expertise and experience. It is critical to assess if your operators are certified to operate the sort of machine you desire to employ and, if not, what you intend to do to address this issue (get them certified or hire an operator, too). Never operate the equipment if the operator is unskilled or uncertified since the effects might be devastating. Finally, a second person should be present to function as a spotter if the operator’s view is obscured at any moment. It will assist everyone in the workplace safely and avoid unpleasant surprises for the operator or other personnel.
Remember that making the inappropriate option may be costly, so be sure you’ve covered all of your bases from the start.
9 Basic Safety Tips for Using Boom Lifts
Boom lifts are useful in getting to difficult-to-reach areas such as maintenance, construction, and emergency response. Reviewing and adhering to fundamental safety principles might be the difference between being safe and injuring yourself when it comes to safety.
Boom lifts are essential for the correct deployment and completion of many construction projects. However, due to the size, scale, and construction of this sort of equipment, they may also offer significant risk and inflict serious harm if adequate safety precautions are not implemented. These safety guidelines are critical to consider and apply when using boom lifts, as they may assist prevent injuries, accidents, property damage, and liability problems.
If your firm uses boom lifts or will be using one shortly, here are nine safety guidelines for working on or around them.
1. Keep a clear base and circumference
Keep an eye on your surroundings. While the boom lift is in operation, make sure that the base and the whole perimeter are clear of any employees. The diameter of the boom lift is frequently large, and tools can easily fall from the platform and badly injure anyone standing below. Keeping the whole space clean reduces the possibility of someone getting hurt.
It is also possible for boom lifts to topple over. Keeping the area beneath and surrounding the boom lift clean will guarantee that no one is injured if the entire structure collapses.
Tip: Whether you are operating the boom lift personally or are working close, you must be cautious to avoid any mishaps. Running a boom lift necessitates paying attention to what’s going on around you. For example, if operating a boom lift near hydro lines, one must be aware of the lines and use extreme caution to avoid electrocution (in this case, a 3-metre (10-ft) space between the machine and the wires is required).
2. Hire trained lift operators
Hiring personnel to operate boom lifts and who have necessary safety certificates and expertise may assist you and your employees stay safe while the boom lift is in operation. They demonstrate operational understanding of the lift that can spot potential problems and fix them before any accidents occur on the job.
3. Wear your harness
Wearing a harness and fastening the lanyard securely to the bucket is a simple but critical safety precaution. While it may appear improbable that an operator will fall from the platform, even a minor bump from another piece of equipment or an item might knock an operator off-balance and put them in danger of falling. Even a strong blast of wind might push someone down or off the platform, resulting in catastrophic harm. Wear a harness and attach it to the guard rail to avoid falling from the platform. The guard rail keeps you inside the platform, but wearing a harness can save your life from high winds or a lift malfunction.
4. Don’t go over the weight limit
Do not overload the lift. Each boom lift has a different weight capability. It is critical to recognize and abide by these limitations. Going above this limit, even little might cause the lift to become top-heavy and tip over. One should always account for the operator, items, and tools’ weight on the platform to ensure that the total weight does not exceed the recommended capacity before operating the lift. It’s also vital to remember not to utilize the boom lift for heavy lifting.
Most boom lifts include overweight sensors and will not elevate if you exceed the safe limit. Overloading can cause the platform to tip if there is no overweight sensor. Taking smaller loads within the machine’s weight limit is desirable, even if it requires a few additional trips.
5. Make sure the boom lift is inspected
If you are permitted to inspect the equipment, ensure that all parts are in good working order and that the lift has sufficient power before using it. Also, keep an eye out for any leaks and deal with them as needed. Mistakes might arise if the elevator is improperly examined. All boom lifts include an emergency stop button; you never want to use it, but it can help you avoid accidents caused by the malfunction.
6. Don’t climb or sit on outer edges
Do not lean on guard rails. It’s easy to climb on the platform’s edge to reach something rather than moving the entire boom lift when standing on the platform of a boom lift. However, this is a far more hazardous situation than many people think. Climbing or sitting on the platform’s edge increases one’s risk of slipping off, which might result in serious damage. If anything is inaccessible, speak with the boom lift operator to help you get to a safe location on the platform where you can easily reach what is required.
If you can’t reach anything, change the position and height of the lift. (This also means that you should not utilise ladders or anything else to gain more height.)
It is critical to observe all government and manufacturer safety regulations when operating a boom lift.
7. Windy conditions should be avoided
Wind may be a significant safety hazard when a boom lift is stretched high. If the wind is strong enough, it can topple a boom lift. To prevent the possibility of a boom lift collapsing, one should avoid utilizing them in highly windy or other severe weather conditions. Each lift has a wind limit that it can endure; reading the user handbook will assist an operator in understanding the unique limits of the lift they are operating and identifying methods for utilizing the lift in tough weather. Be wary of falling objects.
Always be mindful of tools, equipment, and debris that may fall to the ground if you are operating below the lift. Listen for any warnings from the lift’s operator and respond swiftly if you are in the path of the object.
8. Operate on level ground
Work on flat ground. Because of the height to which boom lifts may reach, this equipment is particularly prone to toppling over. Making sure the boom lift is operated on level ground with a sturdy base can assist keep the operator and other personnel safe. One approach that may be used to steady the boom lift base is to use the boom lift brakes appropriately.
9. Move the lift correctly
Reading the manufacturer’s handbook will assist an operator how to handle the boom lift efficiently and when it is and isn’t safe to move the lift while it is extended. However, it is typically better to avoid relocating the lift in this manner as a best practice. Moving a lift while it is extended increases the risk of harm and should be done when absolutely required and only if explicitly permitted by the manufacturer’s handbook. Otherwise, the boom lift should be entirely lowered, moved, and then extended as needed.
Operating boom lifts may be challenging and dangerous, but following these safety recommendations can help prevent on-site accidents and injuries.
How Much Does it Cost to Rent a Boom Lift?
What are the average boom lift hire rates?
Boom lift hire prices vary depending on the type of boom lift required, the size of the boom lift, and include a transport fee. You can expect to pay on average between $190 – $400 per day to hire a boom lift depending on the model variation, fuel option, and height requirements. In general, access equipment is not available for wet hire, and many labour force companies can organise a worker should you require one for your project.
Articulating Boom Hire Rates
| Knuckle Boom Size | Average Dry Hire Rates / Day | Transport Each Way |
|---|---|---|
| 30 ft | $190 | $170 |
| 34ft | $215 | $170 |
| 40ft | $220 | $170 |
| 45ft | $255 | $170 |
| 51ft | $275 | $180 |
| 60ft | $300 | $230 |
Telescopic Boom Hire Rates
| Telescopic Boom Hire Rates | Average Dry Hire Rates / Day | Transport Each Way |
|---|---|---|
| 30 ft | $230 | $150 |
| 45ft | $250 | $150 |
| 65ft | $300 | $230 |
Note: The above rates are an industry average and have been calculated from extensive research of the current industry climate.
Are there minimum hours required to hire a Boom Lift?
There are no minimum hours necessary when hiring a boom lift, although you will often pay a per-day cost rather than an hourly rate when booking your telescopic boom lift or articulating boom lift.
Hiring for boom lifts is contracted for projects that take more than one day to complete in which a minimum hire requirement is not required. However, if the boom lift is needed for a few hours, the client is charged a full day fee of transportation expenses.
What does 'Travel expense' mean in Boom Lift rental rates?
According to industry standards, the time and resources spent delivering and transporting the boom lift and access equipment to your site are time spent on that machine, which is not creating any ROI for the owner because it is inoperable.
The float cost is estimated as the average hourly cost of that unit plus the charges to load, unload, and drive the machine to your site.
Boom lift long-term hire rates
Most equipment rental and boom lift suppliers give their customers discounts based on the length of time the boom lift is rented. Discounts can include, on average, the following:
If you rent a boom lift for more than a week, you will receive a 5% discount on average.
If you rent a boom lift for more than a month, you will receive a 10% discount on average.
Hire a boom lift for more than two months and receive a 20% discount.
Hire a boom lift for more than six months and receive a 30% discount on average.
What are the Four Best Boom Lift brands in Australia?
While discovering which boom lift is best for your upcoming project is typically the first step when hiring a machine, finding which brands will work the most for you is next! So, are you looking for leading telescopic boom lifts? A world-class knuckle boom, perhaps? Well, strap in! Here is the moment you have been waiting for:
1. Genie
Genie Industries is a prominent provider of aerial work platforms with decades of expertise and a stellar reputation in the market. Despite being owned by Terex’s Aerial Work Platforms division, all Genie machines are still sold and rented globally under the Genie brand. You can count on employing firms who believe in Genie.
2. Haulotte
Haulotte is a prominent provider of people and material lifting equipment, with over a decade of expertise in aerial access devices. Since 1881, Haulotte has currently manufactured world-class telescopic boom lifts and articulated boom lifts – suited for indoor and outdoor applications – and now provides some of the top equipment in Australia.
3. JLG
JLG Industries is arguably the most well-known producer of access and lift equipment, providing great design and decades of expertise to their unique products. JLG manufactures a wide range of aerial access devices, from knuckle booms and telescopic booms to stock pickers and vertical lifts. Today, JLG Industries has a global presence in several countries, ensuring that you receive the best training and service no matter where you are. They also claim to have created the world’s tallest boom lift, which soared over 55m.
4. Skyjack
Skyjack is a renowned manufacturing business that brings to market some of Australia’s most dependable boom lifts from high-quality straight boom lifts to revolutionary knuckle booms. When it comes to simplicity, Skyjack truly stands out from the rest, with a straightforward design and a wide range of features that make its products some of the most sought-after in the hiring business. With a global presence, Skyjack products provide excellent serviceability and support no matter where you are, making maintenance a cinch.