What to Ask When Considering Lift Hires

Hiring a platform lift allows a contractor to work at elevated heights without having to face the costs of owning a lift, as well as the maintenance and storage space to go along with it. A homeowner might also rent or hire a lift to handle their own maintenance tasks at home, inside or out. When you are ready to hire a platform lift of any sort, note a few questions you might have and then discuss them with a rental agency as needed.

Harnesses should be standard with the lift

When working at any elevated height, even if you're just a few feet or meters off the ground, you want to ensure you are safely harnessed to the lift. Falling from even a relatively small height can still cause major injuries, so it's vital that you understand where the harness is located and how to use it. Ask the rental agency about the harness if you've never used one before, and note if they can provide additional harnesses and how these are secured if you're planning on having more than one worker on the lift. Whatever the case, don't go without that harness or assume you'll need to figure a way to secure yourself when you rent or hire a lift.

Note their requirements for a stand-down

A stand-down is a requirement that you do not use the lift for a certain time; this is usually done when there is extremely inclement weather that could make the lift unsafe to use outdoors. Most lift hiring agencies will note the upcoming weather and will then inform their customers of a stand-down during certain days or hours of the day; ask the agency if you can expect a stand-down and how your bill would be adjusted to account for the hours when you are not allowed to use the lift.

Ask about refuelling if you're hiring a petrol-powered lift

Many small, interior lifts work with hydraulics for the platform itself and then an electric battery for moving the lift on its wheels. However, outdoor units need to be stronger and larger to stay steady against high winds and over uneven ground, so they may require a petrol-powered engine. Ask about refuelling; how long you can use the lift before you'll need to refuel, how to refuel the lift, and if the agency can or will do this for you. This will ensure you have enough petrol on hand for longer periods of use, or you can call the agency to do this for you if you're uncomfortable with handling petrol on your own.