Lifts by job · 3m to 6m working height
Lifts for shopfitting and ceiling work
Fit-out work is low and fiddly, indoors on finished floors, often up stairs or through a passenger lift and around other trades. The figures that matter are working height, weight against the floor, stowed width against doors and lift cars, and how easily the machine moves from bay to bay.
How high is the job?
Common working heights for this kind of work. Measure your own job to the highest point you need to reach: working height allows for a person standing on the platform, about 2m above the platform floor.
| Task | Typical working height | Machine types often used |
|---|---|---|
| Suspended ceilings and lighting in offices and shops | 3m to 4.5m | Push-around mast or scissor lift |
| Retail units, showrooms and restaurants | 4m to 6m | Self-propelled mast lift or mini scissor |
| Atriums, malls and double-height spaces | 6m to 10m | Electric scissor or narrow electric boom |
Machine classes used for this work
Push-around lifts
Among the lightest machines we hire: the Pecolift mast lift weighs 196kg and the 5.2m push-around scissor 370kg, so they suit upper floors and go up in a passenger lift where its rated load allows. You push them into place and raise the platform.
Self-propelled mast lifts
One person drives the machine from bay to bay. Models rated 3a drive with the platform raised, so the fitter can work along a ceiling run without coming down to move it.
Mini and slab electric scissor lifts
A wider deck for two people, boards and fittings, with no exhaust. Slab scissors are built for smooth, level floors and most run on non-marking tyres.
Catalogue machines in this range
Machines we hire in the classes and heights above, with their key specs, for you to compare with your job. Every figure on the machine pages comes from the maker's data sheet.
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Check the access and ground before it arrives
- Measure every door, corridor and stair landing on the route, and compare them with the stowed width and height on the machine page.
- For a passenger or goods lift, check the car's size and rated load against the machine's dimensions and weight before you book.
- Check upper floors and raised access floors can take the machine weight, which is on each machine page from the maker's data sheet.
- Protect finished floors along the route. Most slab machines run on non-marking tyres, but grit in a tyre can still mark a polished floor.
- Fence off the area below the platform in public or shared spaces, as HSE advises, so falling tools or fittings cannot hit anyone.
- Working close under a ceiling grid or soffit brings a trapping risk. Brief the operator on it, as HSE advises.
IPAF cards and safety
Whoever operates the machine needs an IPAF PAL card, or equivalent training, that covers its category. The card lists the categories the holder is trained on, and each machine page on this site shows its category.
Push-around lifts are IPAF PAV (push around vertical). Static mast lifts are 1a, and self-propelled mast and scissor lifts are 3a.
A harness is not normally needed in a scissor or mast lift unless your risk assessment says so, according to IPAF.
Book it for the days you need
You set a fixed end date when you book and pay for those days up front, so there are no open-ended charges. On delivered hires we arrange collection from your end date. Need longer? Call us before it ends and we will extend it.
Questions
- Will it fit in a passenger lift?
- The push-around lifts are the smallest and lightest machines we hire. Compare the stowed width, length and weight on the machine page with the lift car's size and rated load, which is usually on a plate inside the car.
- Will it mark my floor?
- Slab scissor and mast lifts normally run on non-marking tyres made for finished floors. Keep the route clean and protect delicate finishes, because grit picked up by a tyre can still scratch.
- Do I need an IPAF card for a push-around lift?
- Operators should be trained for it. IPAF has a separate PAV (push around vertical) category for these machines, alongside 1a for static mast lifts and 3a for self-propelled scissor and mast lifts.
- Mast lift or scissor lift for ceilings?
- Mast lifts are the narrowest and lightest, and most carry one person. Scissor lifts carry two or more people with room for boards and fittings on the deck. The platform capacity, width and weight of each are on its machine page.
- How long can I hire it for?
- You choose the start and end dates when you book and pay for those days up front, so the hire has a fixed end date and no open-ended charges. On delivered hires we arrange collection from your end date, so there is no call to off-hire. Need longer? Call 0333 038 4946 before the end date and we will extend it.
Sources
Safety points on this page summarise public guidance. Read the full text before you plan the work.