MEWP Hire

Types of MEWPs Available

• Cherry Pickers (Boom Lifts): Truck or van-mounted booms with an enclosed basket. These may be articulating (jointed) or telescopic (straight), offering 7–58 m working height with extended outreach over obstacles. Ideal for exterior building work, signage, tree surgery and telecoms.
• Scissor Lifts: Platforms that raise straight up on cross-braced supports. Wide decks (~1–2 m) carry multiple people or tools, with heights from about 5 m to 33 m. Electric models work quietly indoors; rugged rough-terrain versions with outriggers handle outdoor sites.
• Spider (Atrium) Lifts: Compact tracked lifts with collapsible outriggers that pass through tight openings before extending to 10–25 m. Adjustable legs stabilise on uneven or sloping ground — ideal for churches, atriums and restricted-access sites.
• Trailer-Mounted (Towable) Booms: Boom lifts on road trailers, hitched to a van or truck. Once unhitched, outriggers lift the chassis and the boom operates like a standard lift. Heights of 10–20 m make these portable and cost-effective for painters, decorators and homeowners.
• Vertical Mast Lifts: Single telescoping mast with a small platform for 1–2 people. Very narrow footprint, fitting through standard doorways and lifts. Typically 6–8 m reach for tight indoor spaces, office fitouts, and warehouse access.

Find Your Lift: Scissor Lifts vs Cherry Pickers Explained

When to Choose a MEWP Instead of Scaffolding

• Speed & Efficiency: A MEWP can be delivered and set up in hours, whereas scaffolding often takes days to erect. MEWPs can be driven into place, raised immediately, and repositioned on the fly without dismantling.
• Limited Space: Compact MEWPs — mast lifts, small scissor lifts or tracked spiders — have narrow bases and tight turning radii. They can be brought through gates, doors or driveways, eliminating the large footprint of scaffold.
• Access Flexibility: Articulating booms bend over eaves or around obstacles; telescopic booms extend straight out for distant reaches. Scissor lifts give a large, level work deck for multi-person jobs. Outriggers or tracks handle uneven ground where scaffold stability would be compromised.
• Short-Term Projects: For brief jobs — replacing guttering, changing lights, cleaning windows or installing signs — hiring a MEWP is often more cost-effective than scaffolding. You avoid the labour and time needed to build towers for a short task.

Safety Standards & Compliance

• IPAF Certification: UK regulations require all MEWP operators to be trained and competent. The standard qualification is an IPAF course covering both boom (Category 3A/3B) and scissor lifts, resulting in a Powered Access Licence (PAL) card valid for five years. We ensure every operator is IPAF-certified.
• Regulatory Compliance: MEWP use in the UK is governed by Work at Height Regulations, PUWER and LOLER. Hired platforms must be suitable, well-maintained and inspected. Each unit is thoroughly checked before hire to ensure it is fit for purpose and safe to use.
• Inspections & Logbooks: Every MEWP undergoes a thorough LOLER inspection at least every six months, plus daily pre-use checks by the operator. We keep detailed maintenance logs and examination records. Before delivery, our team confirms each platform's certificates are current.
• Safety Features & PPE: All our MEWPs include guardrails, emergency stop switches and outriggers or stabilisers. For boom lifts, operators wear a safety harness attached to the designated anchor point. We brief users on fall protection, spotters and ground-level traffic barriers.
• Ground & Weather Conditions: We follow HSE guidance on MEWP siting — equipment must be on firm, level ground. Tracked or spider lifts help on slight inclines, but we always assess for hazards (trenches, soft soil, overhead cables). MEWPs must not be used in high winds or stormy conditions; each machine has a specified wind limit.

Our MEWP Hire Service

Project-Specific Benefits

• Domestic Projects: Perfect for roof repairs, gutter cleaning, painting, tree work or solar panel installation. A MEWP avoids occupying your entire yard or driveway with scaffolding, with faster completion and minimal disruption to neighbours.
• Commercial Projects: Ideal for shops, offices, schools and public buildings. Our platforms allow maintenance teams to change high windows, repair facades, install signage or service lighting without blocking entryways. We schedule off-peak or evening hires to avoid business downtime.
• Industrial Projects: Large boom lifts handle heavy tools or materials at height, while all-terrain scissors and spider lifts tackle uneven floors or outdoor yards. Rugged enough for servicing high machinery, silos or warehouse racking where fixed scaffolding would be impractical.

Equipment Specifications

• Working Height: Small mast lifts reach ~5–8 m indoors, standard scissor lifts go up to 10–15 m, and heavy-duty booms extend 20–58 m or higher. We recommend the right height for your task.
• Platform Size & Capacity: Scissor lift decks are typically ~1–2 m wide for crews or bulky cargo. Boom lift baskets for 1–2 persons plus gear. Load capacities range from roughly 230 kg up to 680 kg.
• Indoor vs Outdoor Models: Electric MEWPs run quietly with non-marking tyres for indoor use. Diesel and hybrid models power larger booms and rugged scissors for outdoor sites.
• Mobility: Choose self-propelled units, trailer-mounted booms (towed behind a van), or tracked platforms (spider lifts) for access where wheels struggle.