Are Scissor Lifts User Friendly?

09/10/2020

The simple answer: yes. The primary function of scissor lifts is to provide workers with an elevated work platform that's safer than ladders and scaffolding. Part of the reason slab scissors are safer is that workers can operate them with minimal effort, reducing fatigue and allowing work to continue for longer periods of time with less risk of injury. Keep reading to learn about even more features that make scissor lifts user friendly!

Loading & Unloading the Platform

Not only do scissor lifts provide workers with easier access to elevated workspaces, but they make transporting associated equipment and materials a breeze. Many of these tools and materials are heavy, oddly shaped, or both, like 5 gal paint cans for example. Standard scissor lift platforms run high and can cause workers to lift outside their power zone, increasing the risk of injury. Hy-Brid Lifts are uniquely designed with low platform heights, reducing the risk of neck, back, and shoulder strain from lifting.

What is the Power Zone?

The power zone is the safest place to carry items you're lifting. It's the space directly in front of the torso, extending from the shoulders to the thighs. By keeping objects you're lifting in the power zone, especially heavy ones, you greatly reduce the risk of injury.

Entering & Exiting the Platform

To safely enter the lift platform, three points of contact must be maintained until the operator is firmly standing inside the platform rails. The safest way to exit the platform is to face the front of the lift and step backward out of the platform while maintaining three points of contact. Many injuries occur when operators step forward out of the platform, get a foot caught somewhere in the step or door, and fall face-first onto the floor. The higher the platform, the more dangerous entry and exit can be.

An easy way to mitigate risks prior to starting work is selecting a scissor lift that's not only the right height for the type of work you’ll be doing, but also has a low step-in height and full swing entry door, like the Hy-Brid Lifts Pro Series and Zero-Turn Series elevating work platforms. Their low step-in heights make it significantly easier for operators to load and safely enter and exit the platform. Having a full height entry door allows operators to enter the platform without having to crouch under a fixed bar.

Easily enter and access the working area with low step in heights

Slide Out deck for increased working area

Slide Out Extension Decks

Slide out extension decks are a great way for workers to extend over jobsite obstacles and into hard-to-reach areas. Often times, extension decks are engaged with a pedal on the platform. Once engaged, operators can push the extension deck out and into place. This maneuver can become complicated if debris jams up the rollers, making it impossible to push the extension deck out or pull it back in. Due to the awkward motion, operators are forced to stand on one foot while working standard extension decks, which can cause them to lose their balance and sustain injuries.

Hy-Brid Lifts Pro Series and Zero-Turn Series scissor lifts feature an EZ-Glide slide out extension deck that's engaged with the right hand, allowing both feet to remain balanced on the deck. The extension also slides out on the mid-rail, preventing platform tools, materials, and debris from jamming it up.