Lifts by job · 4m to 20m working height
Lifts for signage and lighting
Signs and lights sit where the public are: over pavements, along roads and above car parks. Kerbside jobs suit a platform that drives to site, sets up where it parks and leaves again, while car parks and buildings suit self-propelled machines that can move from light to light.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Shop fascia signs and lettering | 4m to 7m | Van mount or scissor lift |
| Street and car park lighting columns | 6m to 14m | Van mount or articulated boom |
| High-level signs, billboards and floodlights | 14m to 20m | Truck mount or larger boom |
| Indoor high-bay lighting | 8m to 14m | Electric scissor lift |
Machine classes used for this work
Van and truck mounts
A boom on a road vehicle that drives between jobs, sets up on its own outriggers at the kerb and comes with a trained operator. IPAF's guidance on public areas says a vehicle-mounted MEWP should ideally be the first choice for work on or beside a road.
Articulated boom lifts
For car parks, retail parks and yards: drive from column to column and reach up and over cars, barriers and landscaping.
Electric scissor lifts
For indoor lighting and signs where you can park under the work. The deck carries fittings, and battery power means no exhaust.
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
- Plan the traffic management first. IPAF advises a site-specific plan, checking early whether the highway authority needs to give permission, and signs, cones and lighting to warn drivers.
- Set an exclusion zone that covers the boom when raised and slewed, so nothing overhangs the traffic lane, and stop pedestrians walking under the platform.
- Look up for overhead power lines and other cables, and follow HSE's guidance GS6.
- Standard MEWPs are not insulated. Work near live conductors calls for an insulated aerial device and its own IPAF category (IAD).
- Check the weight and size of the sign or fitting against the platform's capacity. HSE advises planning how materials get up, which may need separate lifting equipment.
- Check the ground under each outrigger or wheel: kerbs, gullies, cellar lights and covers can give way, as HSE warns.
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.
Van and truck mounts are IPAF 1b (static boom). Ours come with a trained operator who holds the card, so on those you do not need your own.
Self-propelled booms are 3b and scissor lifts are 3a. In any boom-type platform IPAF strongly recommends a harness with a short restraint lanyard.
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
- Do I need my own operator for a van mounted platform?
- No. Our van and truck mounts come with a trained operator who drives to site, sets up and works the controls. Operated hire is quoted for your job rather than booked online.
- Do I need permission to work from the road?
- Often, yes. IPAF advises checking with the local highway authority well in advance, because working from or beside a road can need a permit and traffic management.
- How high are street lighting columns?
- Common column heights run from about 5m on residential streets to 12m or more on main roads. Working height allows for a person standing on the platform, so a working height a little above the top of the lantern puts the work at chest height rather than overhead.
- Can I lift a sign up in the platform?
- Only within the platform's rated capacity, which counts people, tools and materials together and is on each machine page. HSE advises checking the weight and size first; bigger signs need separate lifting equipment.
- 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.