Hiring equipment is a great way to get the tools you need for any job quickly and cheaply, but with so many options to choose from, how do you know if what you’ve chosen is right for the job or if it’s going to leave you short?
When it comes to lift hire in particular, getting it wrong could have potentially dangerous consequences. So, how do you choose the right lift to hire for your project? Let’s take a look.
What kind of job is it?
It may seem obvious, but a lot of the factors you’ll need to think about are related to the type of work you’ll be doing. The most obvious things to think about are factors like how high you’ll need to go, how much space is available on the ground and what the access to the site is like.
Generally speaking, the higher you need to go, the wider the base needs to be, so if you don’t need to go as high, it can be a good idea to sacrifice height in favour of size so that you can comfortably fit your lift on site. Whether the ground is stable is also something to check, because some kinds of lift are suitable for use on unsteady ground while some aren’t.
Will you be using tools?
If your main concern is getting a person up high, you may not be worried about how much space they’ll have once they’re up there, but if they need to take tools with them, it can become a factor. Some lifts are designed to be just big enough for a person to get to a higher point, and these lifts are perfect for inspections because they’re generally small and narrow enough to reach difficult places. If your employee is going to be doing work up there using large and specialist tools, you’ll need to choose a lift that has a larger platform to accommodate their equipment.
Need power?
Another decision you’ll need to make is how the lift is powered. If you’re in a built-up area then an electric lift is often a good choice, because they tend to be quieter and cheaper to run while also clean enough to use in confined spaces. However, if your site has no power source or is in an outside area, it can often be better to use diesel engine lifts because you never know if you’re going to run out of battery and be unable to continue.
Similarly, you’ll also need to decide whether you need the lift to be able to move if you have to take it a long way or over rough terrain, or if you can safely push it around yourself.
If you’re still unsure and need some advice, Global Hire has all the expertise you need to help you make the choice. We have years of experience supplying lifts of all types to all kinds of industries, so we can think of all the little details that go into turning a good job into a great job!
