Whether your company rents or owns an aerial forklift, it’s essential for each worker to know what an aerial forklift is, the different lift styles available, and where each style is often used. Below is an outline of several different lift styles on an aerial forklift.

Scissor Forklifts

A scissor forklift is a vertical lift with a platform that’s the same size as its base. The scissor lift is most commonly used in indoor and outdoor settings. The main reason these aerial lifts are so popular is that they can lift personnel and equipment simultaneously. There is a difference in how scissor lifts are used; smaller scissor lifts are generally found indoors, often in parking garages and urban areas. Larger lifts are located in rural, rough terrain areas. A scissor forklift is excellent for stability and can only go in one direction—up. The lift is easy to position, and they have a weight capacity of up to a thousand pounds.

Cherry Picker Aerial Lift

The cherry picker aerial lift is found in orchards, where they help workers pick ripened fruits from hard-to-reach areas. These lifts are located on the backs of vehicles with an aerial platform supported by a boom. The lifts also help break down overhead utility lines, help workers trim trees, and are used in other construction and maintenance projects. If you happen to drive past an orchard, make sure to keep an eye out, as these types of forklifts are still in operation today.

Telescopic Boom Aerial Lift

This type of forklift can actually extend and retract itself with tubular sections that can slide in and out, just like a hand-held telescopic boom lift. Telescopic boom lifts tend to be on the pricier side of the aerial lift spectrum, but they’re still highly desirable because they can go as high as 100 feet off the ground. You can find this lift near bridges, HVAC system installations, and even fire rescues.

Personnel Lift

A personnel lift is often also called people lift, and these ladders are the most popular and quite different from what was used in the past. A personnel lift can go about fifty feet off the ground and is often found near buildings when cleaning windows or painting. When it comes to lifts like a personnel lift, it’s important to note that all workers need to learn more about the aerial lift during their training.

Aerial forklift certification is an excellent addition to your worker’s training and a great motivator for expanding your business certifications. Getting to know the different lift styles on an aerial forklift will help set you and your workers up for a bright future of understanding the basics of an aerial forklift and the different lift styles.