Vertical lifting work platforms · Scissor lifts and single- or multi-stage mast lifts, electric for indoors or diesel and hybrid for outdoors, from 6 m to over 20 m, with guardrails, tilt and overload protection
A lifting platform, in the sense used here, is a work platform that raises people and their tools vertically to work at height: a scissor lift, whose crossed beams push the platform straight up, or a vertical mast lift, whose telescoping mast does the same with a smaller footprint. Ask three things first: what working height and platform load you need, whether the machine works indoors on smooth floors or outdoors on rough ground, and which guarding, sensors and training the site requires.
Vertical lifting work platforms for people: scissor lifts (electric, diesel and crawler), self-propelled and push-around vertical mast lifts, and similar vertical aerial work platforms. Boom lifts, truck-mounted aerial devices, goods lifts and lift tables for materials, order pickers (see order picker) and forklifts (see forklift truck) are outside this page except where compared.
Start with your task
01
OSHA describes scissor lifts as work platforms used to move workers vertically and to different locations in construction, retail, entertainment and manufacturing, differing from aerial lifts because the lifting mechanism moves the platform straight up and down using crossed beams in a scissor-like fashion. [1]
Reeslift describes vertical mast lifts built on single or multi-stage telescoping masts: single masts up to 6 m, double masts from 6 to 10 m and three- or four-stage masts from 10 to over 14 m. It lists indoor models as battery electric with non-marking solid tyres and low ground clearance, reaching 6–14 m, and outdoor models as diesel or hybrid with pneumatic or foam-filled tyres and high ground clearance, reaching 10 to over 20 m; narrow-aisle models fit aisles as narrow as 0.8 m in some configurations. Its load guide pairs 6–8 m heights with 120–200 kg, 8–12 m with 200–300 kg and 12–16 m with 250–400 kg, and it treats working height as platform height plus 1.8 m of operator reach. [2]
Editorial calculation: on that basis a 12 m platform gives about 13.8 m working height. [2]
A scissor-lift data sheet fills the fields buyers ask about. Genie's specification for its GS-1930 electric scissor lift (EMEAR edition, 2024) gives a maximum platform height of 5.85 m indoors and 4.47 m outdoors (working height defined as platform height + 2 m, so 7.85 m and 6.47 m), 227 kg capacity for two people indoors or one outdoors (113 kg on the 0.91 m slide-out extension), a 1.64 × 0.76 m platform with 1.10 m guardrails and 15 cm toeboards, and stowed dimensions of 1.83 × 0.77 × 2.16 m (1.80 m with rails folded). It lists drive speeds of 4.0 km/h stowed and 0.8 km/h raised, 25% gradeability stowed, lift/lower times of 26/22 s, allowable slope of 3° longitudinal and 1.5° transverse, a 24 V DC supply from four 6 V 210 Ah flooded batteries or one 24 V 90 Ah lithium-ion pack, a 1,456 kg weight, 672 kg maximum wheel load, 1,136 kPa maximum tyre contact pressure and 13.73 kPa occupied floor pressure, and sound below 70 dBA. [3]
Editorial calculation: 5.85 m in 26 s is an average lift speed of about 0.23 m/s (5.85 ÷ 26); and the 1,456 kg machine plus 227 kg load puts 1,683 kg on the floor, so check the slab for the 672 kg wheel load at 1,136 kPa contact pressure, not just the average. [3]
Give the supplier the working and platform heights, platform load and size, indoor or outdoor use, floor or ground conditions and load-bearing capacity, aisle and door widths, power source and charging, drive while elevated or not, required safety devices, applicable standard or certification, and operator training support.
02
OSHA's hazard alert found that the scissor lift fatalities and injuries it investigated over one year arose from employers not addressing fall protection, stabilization and positioning. It requires guardrails on scissor lifts (29 CFR 1926.451(g) or 1910.29(a)(3)(vii)), advises following the manufacturer's instructions on movement, noting that this can rule out moving the lift while it is elevated, choosing firm, level surfaces away from drop-offs and holes, using the lift outside only in good weather (OSHA notes that lifts rated for outdoor use "are generally limited to wind speeds below 28 miles per hour"), never exceeding the manufacturer's load rating, keeping at least 10 feet from power lines, and training workers under 29 CFR 1926.454. [1]
Reeslift lists dual control stations at ground and platform level, tilt sensors that halt operation on uneven surfaces, overload sensors, emergency lowering valves for manual descent on power failure and anti-crush guards, and recommends checking the floor's load-bearing capacity against the machine's gross operating weight. [2]
Editorial calculation: 28 mph is about 12.5 m/s and 10 feet is about 3.05 m. [1]
NIOSH reports that 306 workers died from aerial lift incidents between 1992 and 2003, and that it partnered with the leading scissor lift producer and standards committees to develop safer lift equipment and fall-protection systems. [5] One case investigated by California's Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation programme (CA/FACE, 2010) shows the drive-while-elevated hazard: a 48-year-old welder died when the scissor lift he was operating, extended about 12 ft, tipped into an adjacent pit as he moved it in the raised position; the only barrier between lift and pit was an orange cone. CA/FACE recommended a hazard assessment before aerial lift use, not moving scissor lifts forward or backward while raised, and that manufacturers install interlocks preventing travel while the platform is raised. [4]
Editorial calculation: 306 deaths over the 12 years from 1992 to 2003 average about 25 aerial lift deaths a year in NIOSH's figures; 12 ft is about 3.7 m, below the 5.85 m platform height Genie lists for its GS-1930, so the tip-over occurred well short of a compact lift's full height. [5] [4] [3]
03
The companies below list lifting work platforms on their own websites. A listing shows what a company offers; confirm the legal seller, factory and certification for your order.
Ask any supplier for platform and working height, rated load and number of persons, platform size and extension deck, drive and lift speeds, power source and battery, gradeability, wind rating, gross weight and wheel loads, safety devices, the standard and certification the model meets, and inspection and service support.
04
This is a functional reference built from the sources cited; it is not one maker's specification.
| Part | Role | Fix in the order |
|---|---|---|
| Scissor stack or mast | Raises the platform vertically. [1] [2] | Type; stages. |
| Platform and guardrails | Holds workers; prevents falls. [1] | Size; rails. |
| Chassis, drive and tyres | Moves and supports the lift. [2] | Tyres; clearance. |
| Power source | Battery, diesel or hybrid. [2] | Battery; charging. |
| Controls | Ground and platform stations. [2] | Layout. |
| Safety devices | Tilt, overload, emergency lowering. [2] [1] | List. |
05
A lifting platform quotation needs values for your site and tasks. The table explains each field, gives published values where a reviewed source states them, and says what to obtain from the supplier.
| Field | What it means and published values | Ask the supplier for |
|---|---|---|
| Rated Load Capacity (kg) | e.g. 120–400 kg depending on height. [2] | Load; persons. |
| Platform Height (m) | e.g. 6–14 m indoor; 10 to over 20 m outdoor. [2] | Platform and working height. |
| Platform Size (m) | e.g. 1.64 × 0.76 m, +0.91 m extension. [3] | Size; extension. |
| Lifting Speed (m/s) | e.g. lift/lower 26/22 s to 5.85 m. [3] | Lift and lower speeds. |
| Positioning Accuracy (mm) | Not stated in the reviewed sources. | Accuracy if required. |
| Power Supply (V AC) | Battery electric, diesel or hybrid; e.g. 24 V DC (4 × 6 V 210 Ah). [2] [3] | Battery voltage; charger supply. |
| Motor Power (kW) | Not stated in the reviewed sources. | Motors. |
| Operating Temperature (°C) | Not stated in the reviewed sources. | Range. |
| Ingress Protection | Not stated in the reviewed sources. | IP of controls. |
| Noise Level (dB(A)) | e.g. < 70 dBA ground and platform. [3] | Noise. |
| Frame Material | Not stated in the reviewed sources. | Material. |
| Net Weight (kg) | e.g. 1,456 kg; 672 kg max wheel load. Check floor capacity. [3] [2] | Gross weight; wheel loads. |
| Drive-while-elevated interlock | CA/FACE recommended interlocks that prevent travel with the platform raised after a tip-over at about 12 ft. [4] | Whether drive is cut out or limited when raised, and at what height. |
06
Paste it into your enquiry below or into an email to a maker, then replace every bracket.
Task: [working height; platform load; persons] Type: [scissor; mast; crawler] Site: [indoor/outdoor; floor; slopes; aisles] Power: [battery; diesel; hybrid] Safety: [guardrails; tilt; overload; wind rating] Standard: [certification] Support: [training; inspection; service] Quantity: [units]
These companies list lifting work platforms on their own websites.
Lists self-propelled vertical mast lifts and aerial work platforms.
Product scope checked 2026-10-11
Lists electric and construction scissor lifts and mobile aerial work platforms.
Product scope checked 2026-10-11
Lists electric, crawler and mobile scissor lifts and aluminium alloy lifting platforms.
Product scope checked 2026-10-11
Lists mobile scissor, mast-type and crawler lifting work platforms (Chinese site).
Product scope checked 2026-10-11
Lists tracked aerial work platforms and reverse ceiling lifting platforms.
Product scope checked 2026-10-11
Lists a hydraulic lifting platform among lifting and rigging products.
Product scope checked 2026-10-11
Explore company information and manufacturing capabilities, then discuss the scope of your project with a relevant supplier.
OSHA says a scissor lift moves the platform straight up and down on crossed beams. [1]
OSHA's hazard alert says scissor lifts rated for outdoor use "are generally limited to wind speeds below 28 miles per hour"; check the maker's rating. [1]
Reeslift treats it as platform height plus 1.8 m of operator reach. [2]
Genie's GS-1930 sheet lists 1,456 kg, a 672 kg maximum wheel load, 1,136 kPa tyre contact pressure and 13.73 kPa occupied floor pressure, for 5.85 m platform height and 227 kg capacity. [3]
After a fatal tip-over of a lift raised about 12 ft and driven toward a pit, California's CA/FACE programme recommended not moving scissor lifts forward or backward while raised and asked manufacturers to fit interlocks that prevent travel with the platform up. [4]
Sources checked 2026-10-12. OSHA publishes the scissor lift hazard alert; NIOSH and California's CA/FACE programme report fatality data and an investigated case; Reeslift and Genie make vertical lifts and publish data for their own models.
Ask for use case, specification boundaries, supplier type, and RFQ preparation information for this product.
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