Telescopic boom lifts – everything you need to know about them

A straight arm of a telescopic lift that lifts people and loads to a height of several or several dozen meters is an irreplaceable help wherever work takes place at high altitudes. Despite limited maneuverability compared to articulated devices, telescopic basket lifts have many advantages and are widely used in many industries. Where is a telescopic boom lift most often used and what is worth knowing about it?

How does a telescopic boom lift work?

Telescopic boom lifts stand out among all types of basket lifts straight, extendable arm. Made of one or several sections, inserted one into the other, it allows you to easily reach a specific height. Most devices end directly with a basket. Some also have an auxiliary arm. The lifts are operated using a control panel from the lower platform or directly from the basket. Thanks to hydraulic actuators, using chains or ropes, the arm operates smoothly and quickly. This is important because telescopic basket lifts most often operate at high altitudes, transporting people and loads to a specific place. The coordinated operation of the arm ensures the safety of the machine user, as well as additional protective systems enabling stable lifting of the basket (for example, blocking dangerous movements during work). 

Electric or combustion drive allows the lift to operate indoors or outdoors, although it must be admitted that in the case of telescopic boom lifts, the latter option is much more often used. Due to its extendable arm, the electric telescopic lift can be used in high halls and high-bay warehouses. In the field, on unstable ground, combustion telescopic boom lifts are used, additionally stabilized with supports that allow the device to be immobilized. 

Due to the reach of telescopic boom lifts, they are an indispensable helper in case of emergency work at high altitudes – they lift and transport loads up to 60 meters high. Lifting and lowering takes place at a much higher speed than with other lifts.  

Telescopic boom lift equipment

Most of the additional features of lifts are focused on ensuring work safety persons in the lift basket and/or securing the load transported in it. These are among others:

• blocking dangerous movements during work,
• vertical position stabilization systems,
• skyguard – anti-crush protection system protecting the operator and the control panel in the basket, 
• an additional power source allowing you to connect, for example, power tools directly in the lift basket,
• extension of the main arm to further increase the reach; Some models of telescopic boom lifts have the ability to maneuver the extended arm up to 2 meters, thanks to which people in the basket can reach hard-to-reach places.

 

Telescopic basket lift - a helpful arm in many situations

Most work that takes place at high altitudes requires the use of a lift. The telescopic design of the device allows efficient operation on construction sites where it is used the need to stay at high altitudes. In everyday life, in some industries, a telescopic basket lift is helpful. Telescopic lifts are used, for example, by foresters (working in treetops), fire brigades (tall buildings), shipbuilding industry, renovation companies, municipal services (washing windows at heights, conservation works, occasional decorations in cities, etc.). Despite the amount of space that telescopic boom lifts need so that the arm can work freely, they have quite a large room for maneuver thanks to the ability to perform even a full 360° rotation. Due to the way the arm is unfolded, telescopic boom lifts also have the largest lateral reach of all types of boom lifts. When folded, the telescopic lift is relatively small. Its operation is failure-free and efficient. Does this device have any disadvantages?

An experienced operator is necessary

Due to the fixed position of the arm, the telescopic basket lift extends in one position, without the possibility of correcting it during operation, as is the case with articulated-telescopic or articulated boom lifts. Therefore, the operator must position the lift in a way that allows precise transport of the load and people into the delivery window. Otherwise, correcting the machine's position requires folding the arm, any supports and driving the lift to the right place. The operation takes much more time than in the case of articulated boom lifts - hence experience or... a trained eye is necessary, even if the basket lift has a large lateral reach. Working on a lift requires authorization for operating mobile platforms – see UDT training and examination.

Telescopic boom lift – leaseal, price

Telescopic boom lift leaseal price depends on the preferred form of leaseal. For occasional use, short-term leaseal is sufficient, in which the price is set per day of operation of the device. Long-term leaseal, however, requires individual arrangements - depending on the client's needs. The price in this case is lower due to the longer leaseal period. 

The largest initial investment is the purchase of a device, which is chosen almost exclusively by companies working in the industrial (construction) sector that use telescopic lifts on a daily basis. In all other cases telescopic boom lift leaseal seems to be a more advantageous option due to the lack of additional costs of servicing and maintaining the machine.  

Get to know the offer GIZO – sale and leaseal of telescopic boom lifts