Which Type Of Aerial Lift Will Best Suit Your Business?

It goes without saying that the ability to safely reach high places is essential for any tree surgery business. However, many professional tree surgeons and arborists are eschewing traditional tree climbing gear, and instead using boom lifts to provide stable working platforms while they prune and shape trees.

However, boom lifts come in all shapes and sizes and are used for a wide variety of applications, and not all of them are suitable for the unique demands of tree surgery. If you operate a tree surgery business and are looking for a new boom lift, look for a lift model with the following useful properties:

Diesel power

Most modern boom lifts draw their power from one of two sources: a conventional petrol or diesel engine, or an electric battery.

Electric boom lifts are an efficient, eco-friendly choice, but they are mostly unsuitable for tree surgery work. Their batteries have limited endurance, so they can only be used for extended periods when you are relatively close to an accessible and compatible power source -- hardly a guarantee when you are pruning trees. 

Conventional engines are generally more suitable for tree surgeons, as they can be operated in any well-ventilated area for long periods. They also tend to have more raw lifting power, which is useful if you need to elevate heavy cutting equipment or lift platform attachments. In most cases diesel-powered engines are superior to petrol engines for tree surgery work, as they are more fuel-efficient and diesel fuel is much easier to store safely.

All-terrain capability

The boom lift you choose should be capable of functioning properly on a wide variety of terrains, from paved surfaces to uneven, uncleared patches of earth. This is another good reason to choose a diesel-powered boom lift. Diesel-powered boom lifts tend to have superior torque compared to petrol or electric models, so they have an easier time driving across wet and/or uneven terrain.

However, a good all-terrain boom lift needs more than just a powerful diesel engine. Look for all-terrain boom lift models with all-wheel drive, chunky, all-terrain tyres and a relatively high gradeability percentage. You should also make sure your chosen model is fitted with outriggers, which will be vital for stabilising your boom lift on uneven terrain.

An articulating boom

When you see workers using a boom lift to repair telegraph cables or reach high warehouse shelves, chances are they are using a lift with a telescoping boom. Telescoping boom lifts are relatively inexpensive and have straight booms that can extend to great heights. However, because they can only be raised, lowered or rotated at their bases, they are somewhat lacking in maneuverability.

Consequently, you should consider investing in an articulating boom lift if your business budget can afford one. The booms of these lifts have one or or more articulated joints, which provide much greater freedom of movement and allow your boom lift's platform to be maneuvered up and over obstacles. As you can imagine, this is tremendously useful for tree surgeons, allowing you to reach awkward branches and prune the highest parts of a tree's crown with ease.