Jobs to Be Done: Trade Workers Benefit from Access Equipment

MEWPs (mobile elevating work platforms), including boom lifts, scissor lifts, vertical lifts and low-level access lifts, and telehandlers have become an indispensable tool for craft professionals across various trade applications, revolutionizing safety and efficiency when crews need to work at height. By providing steadiness and stability for work at height where both human access and material handling tasks are essential, these machines enhance productivity compared to more traditional methods like ladders or scaffolding.

• MEWPs are primarily used for worker access to high and hard-to-reach areas in industrial settings, improving safety and efficiency for maintenance, inspections and installation tasks.
• Telehandlers focus more on material handling, offering heavy lifting, long reach and versatility, particularly in environments with rough terrain or limited accessibility to difficult areas.

Moreover, adopting MEWPs and telehandlers has led to significant advancements in workplace ergonomics. By reducing the physical strain on workers, these machines improve occupational health, potentially decreasing work-related injuries and enhancing workforce well-being and retention. 

 

Let's explore how craft professionals in different sectors can leverage these machines to enhance their operations.

Construction: Building the Future

The construction industry is the most visible user of MEWPs and telehandlers. From foundation to finishing work, these machines provide lift and reach.

• Electricians use MEWPs to do electrical work, drywall contractors use MEWPs to install drywall, and painters use MEWPs to paint high walls and ceilings. Telehandlers are used to assist in lifting and placing heavy construction materials.
• Glaziers and roofers rely on MEWPs and telehandlers to access window openings and rooftops for installation or repairs.
• Masons and bricklayers utilize both MEWPs to work on high walls and telehandlers to move heavy blocks and stones.
• Concrete contractors lay complex concrete foundations and move and erect precast panels with these machines.
• Carpenters benefit from MEWPs for installing structures at height and telehandlers for positioning large wooden beams and trusses.
• Ironworkers and steel erectors use MEWPs and telehandlers to erect steel buildings, bridges and other structures and to install rebar, weld girders or form structural steel.

 

Industrial: Optimizing Workflow

Industrial facilities use MEWPs and telehandlers for various lifting, material handling and access tasks in refineries, chemical plants, auto plants, manufacturing facilities and steel mills.

• Workers use MEWPs for routine maintenance, repairing equipment or replacing parts in high areas such as overhead lighting, ventilation systems or machinery.
• MEWPs provide a stable platform for workers to carry out painting, cleaning or inspection tasks on elevated surfaces such as ceilings, walls or high shelves.
• In facilities where the assembly of large structures or machinery is required, MEWPs are used to provide access to areas that are difficult to reach with scaffolding or ladders.
• MEWPs are also used to set up equipment, lights or other temporary installations for events held at the facilities.
• Telehandlers are used to lift and move heavy materials, large equipment or machinery parts around locations within and outside the facility where forklifts or cranes might struggle.

 

Maintenance: Keeping Up Appearances

Regular maintenance and upkeep are crucial for data centers, institutional and educational facilities like prisons, hospitals, museums, schools and universities, office buildings, and commercial and retail infrastructure like laboratories, stadiums, exhibit halls, arenas, and hotels, to name a few.

Access equipment allows maintenance teams to access hard-to-reach areas to make overhead tasks more manageable:

• Building maintenance workers use MEWPs to clean, paint or repair building exteriors and high-indoor areas. Facility maintenance includes cleaning windows, changing light bulbs, testing building systems and making minor repairs.
• HVAC technicians access high air conditioning units or ventilation systems safely.
• Electrical maintenance teams replace or repair lighting and electrical systems at elevated heights.
• Window cleaners use MEWPs to clean windows and building facades at various heights.
• Facade maintenance teams rely on these platforms for inspecting and maintaining the external cladding or surfaces of buildings.
• Public work officials maintain streetlights and traffic signals, as well as manage vegetation with the help of these platforms.

 

Manufacturing, Warehousing, Distribution and Transportation: Streamlining Logistics

In logistics and production, MEWPs and telehandlers optimize space utilization and improve efficiency in lifting materials to higher levels:

• Warehouse workers use telehandlers to move pallets and products around warehouses. MEWPs access high storage shelves for inventory management, stocking shelves and retrieving items.
• Manufacturing technicians rely on MEWPs to install or maintain equipment in high locations within facilities. In some cases, MEWPs are incorporated into the manufacturing process to eliminate the use of ladders.
• Transport companies use telehandlers to load and unload goods, especially when dealing with heavy or awkward cargo.

 

Events and Entertainment: Setting the Stage

The entertainment industry relies on MEWPs and telehandlers to create creative and complex setups that would be difficult or impossible with traditional equipment, enabling more impressive and immersive experiences:

• Event planners and set designers use access equipment to install decorations, lighting or structures at elevated heights for events, concerts, or exhibitions.
• Cinematographers use these platforms to capture aerial shots or set up equipment at elevated positions.
• Lighting technicians set up and adjust high-level lighting for events or advertising.

 

Signage and Advertising: Making a Big Impact

Artists and installers utilize these platforms to create, install and maintain eye-catching displays at various heights by precisely positioning large signs, billboards, murals or banners.

Aviation & Aerospace: Taking Flight

From hangar maintenance and material loading to pre-delivery and flight-line inspection, access equipment helps workers reach elusive areas on the aircraft, such as under wings, around cowlings, above the fuselage and even up to the tail.

Energy: Powering Our World

From construction to maintenance, MEWPs and telehandlers can be used for installation, inspection, maintenance and testing on solar and wind turbine farms, around power stations and in oil refining facilities.

 

Landscaping and Hardscaping Infrastructure: Shaping Our Urban Environments

Both MEWPs and telehandlers are used in the creation and upkeep of beautiful and functional urban green spaces and infrastructure:

• Landscape contractors use telehandlers to move and place heavy materials like soil, mulch and large plants or trees.
• Parks and recreation workers utilize MEWPs to maintain high features in public spaces or parks.

 

Agriculture: Harvesting Efficiency

The agricultural sector benefits greatly from both MEWPs and telehandlers by handling heavy loads efficiently and reducing manual labor:

• Orchard workers use MEWPs to pick fruit or maintain trees where access to height is needed.
• Farm operators utilize telehandlers to handle bales of hay, feed and other farm materials, as well as to load and unload supplies.
• Farm maintenance teams use access equipment to repair or install equipment and structures in high places on farms.

 

Forestry and Mining: Working in Demanding Environments

In more rugged industries, telehandlers provide the power and versatility needed to handle heavy materials:

• Loggers use telehandlers to move and place logs and timber, assisting with loading and unloading from trucks or trailers.
• Mining operations utilize MEWPs for above-ground and underground maintenance and use telehandlers to handle and move materials such as rocks and ores in and around mining sites.

 

Why Choose Access Equipment?

From skyscrapers and warehouses to wind turbines and server rooms, the modern world is built by people using access equipment. The widespread adoption of MEWPs and telehandlers across trade industries is due to several key factors:

1. Safety: MEWPs and telehandlers are alternatives to traditional methods like ladders or scaffolding. They offer stable platforms with guardrails, significantly reducing the risk of falls and accidents.
2. Efficiency: These machines enhance productivity by allowing access to high or difficult-to-reach areas. They eliminate the need for time-consuming scaffolding setup and enable workers to reposition themselves rapidly.
3. Versatility: With various types of attachments and accessories available, MEWPs and telehandlers can perform multiple tasks beyond simple lifting, making them adaptable to different job requirements.
4. Accessibility: They provide access to areas that would be challenging or impossible to reach with conventional equipment, expanding the scope of what can be achieved on a job site.
5. Compliance: Using MEWPs and telehandlers helps industries adhere to occupational safety regulations and standards, ensuring work is conducted in accordance with legal and safety requirements.
6. Cost-Effectiveness: While the initial investment may be significant, the long-term benefits, such as increased productivity, reduced labor costs and improved safety, often result in substantial cost savings for businesses.

 

Elevating Access Across Trade Industries

MEWPs and telehandlers are more than just equipment; they're essential tools transforming how craft professionals in trade industries approach work at height. Incorporating these machines into their operations can boost productivity and tackle projects that were once considered challenging or dangerous.

Learn more at JLG.com.