How high is a cherry picker?

Cherry pickers, boom lifts and scissor lifts offer safe access to hard-to-reach areas – discover the differences, height options and more

Cherry pickers are useful for more than just picking fruit. Elevated work platforms (EWP) like boom lifts and scissor lifts can give you the essential reach you need to gain access to the upper levels of buildings or other structures for construction, maintenance, painting, warehousing, installing utility lines and other work at height.

Usually a nickname for a boom lift, all EWPs are sometimes referred to as cherry pickers, so it's important to know the differences to make sure you're getting the height and other features you need.

How high is a lift boom?

Coates has a wide range of straight booms for hire in heights up to 56.4 metres. If you need the maximum reach, nothing beats a straight boom lift. These hydraulic cranes can lift personnel and equipment above or below ground level, but they don't have the capacity of a scissor lift and they can't bend around obstacles like a knuckle boom.

How high can a vertical lift go?

Coates offers vertical lifts or telescopic work platforms in heights up to 12.1 metres.

Self-propelled or push-around work platforms with vertical mast booms are easier to set up and move around sites than most access equipment, although they don't have comparable reach to boom lifts. They are widely used in factories and warehouses and for ceiling maintenance in commercial buildings.

What is the tallest scissor lift?

Coates has scissor lifts for hire in heights up to 16.1 metres.

Scissor lifts have longer and wider platforms than other cherry pickers, which makes them suitable for moving more personnel or equipment to heights in safety. Standard scissor lifts are designed for indoor use, while rough terrain scissor lifts can handle difficult ground.

What licence do I need to use a cherry picker?

Different heights of cherry pickers require different licences in Australia, so it's important to make sure the operator is properly trained and certified.

You do not need a licence to hire and operate a scissor lift under 11m, but an EWP (Elevated Work Platform) Yellow Card is recommended and you must ensure operators know how to operate the scissor lift safely with the right training, information and instruction.

A high-risk work licence is required for operating boom-type EWPs, such as cherry pickers and knuckle booms, with a boom length of 11m or more.

Training must relate to the type of work platform being used, and operators must familiarise themselves with the controls and safety features of the equipment prior to use.

What's the difference between a knuckle boom and a boom lift?

A knuckle boom or articulated boom lift has hinged sections that enable it to manoeuvre around obstacles such as walls, pillars or machinery when access would otherwise be difficult. They can be a lifesaver for more awkward projects, but they don't reach the same heights as straight boom lifts.

What's the difference between a scissor lift and a lift boom?

Scissor lifts and boom lifts operate in different ways. Whereas a boom lift or cherry picker uses a hydraulic lift that telescopes upwards, a scissor lift uses a foldable support structure that straightens and folds similar to a spring. This gives scissor lifts a greater load capacity, but limited reach compared to boom lifts.

Explore our range of elevated work platforms or contact us or your local branch for information and advice