Lifts by job · 6m to 26m working height
Lifts for tree work and grounds maintenance
Trees grow where machines struggle: on lawns, slopes and verges, behind houses and under power lines. HSE says a MEWP should always be considered when tree work is planned, because the law puts collective protection, such as a platform with guardrails, ahead of a rope and harness. The trick is getting one to the tree without wrecking the ground.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hedges, young trees and crown lifting | 6m to 12m | Narrow spider lift or trailer mount |
| Garden and street tree pruning and reductions | 12m to 20m | Spider lift or 4x4 boom |
| Mature trees, parkland and dismantling | 20m and above | Larger spider lift |
Machine classes used for this work
Spider lifts
Rubber tracks with low ground pressure cross lawns and rough ground, and four outriggers level the machine on slopes within the maker's limit. The narrowest we list is 0.78m wide stowed, so it passes a garden gate.
Trailer mounts
A towable boom that sets up on a drive, verge or hard standing, for regular smaller jobs where you move between sites yourself.
4x4 articulated booms
Drive between trees on firm parkland or estate ground, and reach up and over into the crown without setting up outriggers each time.
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
- Walk the route in. Measure gates, paths and the gap between trees, and compare them with the stowed width on the machine page.
- Check the ground the outriggers will stand on: recent rain, roots, drains, cesspits and hidden voids all matter. Use spreader pads under the feet, and keep within the maker's slope limit.
- Look for overhead power lines before you plan the job, and follow HSE's guidance GS6. Branches touching a line are dangerous too.
- Plan the drop zone and set the machine so branches and sections cannot touch any part of it, as the Arboricultural Association's code of practice advises. Near a road or path, HSE says to set up so the counterweight does not swing into pedestrians or traffic.
- Agree a rescue plan. HSE advises that someone on the ground knows how to use the machine's ground controls.
- Check the maker's wind limit for the machine, and remember wind moves the tree as well as the platform.
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.
Spider lifts and trailer mounts work from outriggers and are IPAF 1b (static boom); IPAF publishes a separate spider-type poster for 1b. Self-propelled booms are 3b.
IPAF strongly recommends a full-body harness and short restraint lanyard in boom-type machines, which includes spider lifts.
An IPAF card covers the machine, not the saw. Using a chainsaw off the ground needs its own training, according to HSE.
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
- Why use a spider lift for tree work?
- Tracks spread the weight over lawns and rough ground, and outriggers level the machine on a slope within its limit. The narrowest spider we list is 0.78m wide stowed, so it reaches back gardens a wheeled boom cannot.
- Can I lower branches with the platform?
- Plan to drop or rig the timber down separately. The platform is rated for people, tools and materials inside it, up to the capacity on the machine page, and the Arboricultural Association's code of practice says to position the machine so branches and sections cannot touch it.
- What IPAF category is a spider lift?
- 1b, static boom, because it works from outriggers. IPAF publishes a spider-type poster for the category. Self-propelled booms are 3b.
- Will it damage the lawn?
- Rubber tracks have low ground pressure, but wet ground can still rut. Lay ground protection on the route if the lawn matters, and put spreader pads under the outriggers.
- 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.