Scissor lifts

[billdozier 78]

On big jobs how much labor do scissor lifts save in reality vs ladders. I'm thinking 2-3 times more production is obtainable.

 

[Rewire]

On big jobs how much labor do scissor lifts save in reality vs ladders. I'm thinking 2-3 times more production is obtainable.

depends on if you are in an open area or do you have stuff in the way.

 

[billdozier 78]

open areas and hallways

 

[Rewire]

I dont know if a big increase in production would be attained considering the lift needs lowered each time it is moved. The advantage is a higher work platform.

 

[peter]

The lift does not need lowering in order to move. However, I once worked on a dirt floor which was rough and did have to lower it when moving to avoid the eathquake.
~Peter

 

[zbang]

Yes, it really depends... floor (rough dirt, smooth dirt, concrete/etc), type of lift tires (hard or pneumatic), what you're doing, etc. If it's changing a lamp 10' up and every 15' down a hallway, that one thing. If it's running 10 parallel conduits down the ceiling of the same hallway, it's entirely different, and especially if you can put a helper on the lift, too.

Oh, in many cases, a scissor lift counts as a mobile work platform, so the workers don't need fall protection. Check with the appropriate AHJ on that.

 

[nhfire77]

2-3 times savings in realistic. Every job is different though. I couldn't imagine doing most jobs (not a small add change) above 14' without them, site conditions dependent. What's the height you are working at AFF?

 

[eric9822]

The lift does not need lowering in order to move. However, I once worked on a dirt floor which was rough and did have to lower it when moving to avoid the eathquake.
~Peter

Depends on where you are working. Some places require a lift to be lowered when moving.

Oh, in many cases, a scissor lift counts as a mobile work platform, so the workers don't need fall protection. Check with the appropriate AHJ on that.

OSHA considers a scissor lift a scaffold so no fall protection required by them. Some places do however require fall protection.

 

[kwired]

On big jobs how much labor do scissor lifts save in reality vs ladders. I'm thinking 2-3 times more production is obtainable.

I recently installed lighting and power to overhead door operators (surface mounted raceways) in a 60 x 100 foot shop with 18' ceiling by myself. No way I would have done this alone without a scissor lift, or at least not in a couple days. Was a new building so there wasn't much on floor to have to work around yet. Yes there were many trips up and down, but the scissor lift does not get as tired as I do if I were climbing up and down ladders or traditional scaffolding that many times.

 

[Fulthrotl]

On big jobs how much labor do scissor lifts save in reality vs ladders.
I'm thinking 2-3 times more production is obtainable.

there's a good rule of thumb i was taught....

every 6' in elevation, double the hours.

if running pipe down the side of a wall, shoulder high, you can run 200'
in a day, if it's a 6' ladder, allow two days.

a 12' ladder, four days.

i've used a little giant 21'. once. screw that. it takes four days to set it up.
and three men and a small boy to move it. standing on it is not something
i will repeat. and i have zero fear of heights, just a sense of self preservation.

what rocks, is the genie 30' battery powered snorkel lifts... if you plan your pipe work,
you can run pretty well in one, and reach over all sorts of stuff... i had a 600' straight
run of 2" emt 30' up in the top of a tilt up, with caddy clips on the structural iron, and
i got the 600' in in 7 hours. one 4 point saddle, three 90's, 630' total.

 

[kwired]

if running pipe down the side of a wall, shoulder high, you can run 200'
in a day, if it's a 6' ladder, allow two days.

If 1 inch or less and straight shot, no boxes or other enclosures and the surface is easy to use self drilling or self tapping screws that you can get it done in 2-3 hours, otherwise I need to slow down.

PVC is even faster, done that in poultry buildings 1000 feet long. You have a straight line running most of length of building - you just glue long straight run together on floor and then start hanging. Come back later and cut in boxes where needed, the need for expansion fittings makes it really easy to cut boxes in.

 

[Fulthrotl]

If 1 inch or less and straight shot, no boxes or other enclosures and the surface is easy to use self drilling or self tapping screws that you can get it done in 2-3 hours, otherwise I need to slow down.

PVC is even faster, done that in poultry buildings 1000 feet long. You have a straight line running most of length of building - you just glue long straight run together on floor and then start hanging. Come back later and cut in boxes where needed, the need for expansion fittings makes it really easy to cut boxes in.

i was just using an arbitrary number, to illustrate the doubling.

 

[growler]

I recently installed lighting and power to overhead door operators (surface mounted raceways) in a 60 x 100 foot shop with 18' ceiling by myself. No way I would have done this alone without a scissor lift, or at least not in a couple days. Was a new building so there wasn't much on floor to have to work around yet. Yes there were many trips up and down, but the scissor lift does not get as tired as I do if I were climbing up and down ladders or traditional scaffolding that many times.

I love scissor lifts. I don't think I have ever lost money by renting them. I like the fact that you can adjust to a comfortable height to do whatever needs doing.

I would say that if you compare working off a 12 ft step ladder to working off a lift in an open area you could easliy double production. If you count the fact that you often don't need a helper then the man hours really go down.

Another thing to consider. With the slow down in construction you should be able to negotiate some really good rental terms for long term (big jobs).

By the way I hate ladders.... peoplle fall of those things and get hurt. More people are involved in injuries that involve ladders than anything on a construction site.

 

[jeremysterling]

There is a reason rental companies have lots of Genie 1930 lifts. They are awesome. You lift transformers, tweak overbent pipes, tie it onto rope to pull wire into conduits, loan to other trades for favors, you can't go wrong!

It fits through doorways, turns on a dime, and you don't even need a harness (because you might if your on a ladder).

I love ladders, too. For a quick service call, they're perfect. But on a week-long pipe and wire or luminaire project, the scissor lift will increase productivity just because the mechanics will be so damn happy just to have it on site.

You run it every minute you have it on the job to get your money's worth and then call it off promptly when your through with it.

 

[JP490440]

Lifts rock. I do a lot of commercial work with high ceilings the last of was 45ft. Couldn?t have done without a lift of some sort.

I did the office hallways with a small 1930 scissor lift. It made the lights go up a lot faster than a ladder.
Even a baker scaffold is nicer than climbing up and down a ladder all day.

If there is room and enough work to run a lift, by all means get one.

 

[btharmy]

Depends on where you are working. Some places require a lift to be lowered when moving.

I have never had to deal with such a silly rule and hope I never do. That might only make sense when there might be open holes or close proximity to drop offs. At that point a ground man would be appropriate. Otherwise, you might as well build scaffolding on wheels and climb down and roll it.