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Beyond Ground Level: Types of Scissor Lifts and Their Versatile Applications

By Bia Pendelton, California Business Journal

Whether you’re a construction professional, warehouse manager, or simply curious about scissor lifts, our guide below shares all the 411 of the different types of scissor lifts that have come a long way since 1963. Learn which scissor lift suits your needs best. Knowing more about the features that make each type unique will help you make an educated decision on the right lift for your project.

Keep reading to learn more.

Electric Scissor Lifts

These lifts are powered by electric batteries. This makes them perfect for indoor applications because you don’t have to worry about emissions and loud machines. Electric scissor lifts operate almost silently compared to diesel or gas lifts.

Electric scissor lifts offer precise control over vertical movement. This makes them perfect for tasks that require accurate positioning. If you’re working on maintenance work, installation, or repairs in confined spaces, this lift will come in handy to get the job done.

You will be able to easily navigate through tight spaces and narrow aisles. We recommend looking at these used scissor lifts if you’re looking to save money on your new lift.

Hydraulic Scissor Lifts

These types of lifts leverage hydraulic systems to provide strong lifting capabilities. Hydraulic scissor lifts are great for heavier needs because they can handle large loads. These systems use pressurized fluid to create motion, and a hydraulic mechanism that provides the power needed for lifting heavy loads.

Depending on the model, these lifts can lift a load ranging from thousands to tens of thousands of pounds. Hydraulic scissor lifts are also commonly used in the aviation industry for aircraft maintenance. The lifts give easy access to different parts of an aircraft for inspections and repairs.

Rough Terrain Scissor Lifts

These are ideal construction scissor lift options because they can navigate uneven terrain and challenging outdoor environments. Rough terrain scissor lifts are equipped with sturdy tires designed for off-road use. The tires make it easy to navigate gravel, dirt, uneven surfaces, and rough construction sites.

Many rough terrain scissor lifts come with four-wheel-drive systems. This feature allows them to tackle slopes and navigate through uneven terrain with ease.

Outdoor events and entertainment setups often require equipment to be positioned on uneven surfaces. Rough terrain scissor lifts assist in setting up stages, lighting rigs, and sound equipment, providing stability on challenging outdoor terrain.

Before operating one of these lifts, you want to assess the terrain to ensure it is suitable for the use of a rough terrain scissor lift. Anyone operating one of these lifts needs to go through proper training.

Training involves understanding safety protocols, features, and controls. Operators also need to know the procedures to deploy and retract outriggers.

Now It’s Time to Choose Between These Types of Scissor Lifts

Now that you learned more about the types of scissor lifts, we hope you are feeling confident about choosing the best lift to get the job done. As you can see, there is a lift designed for every need.

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