5 points to consider before hiring a cherry picker

Cherry pickers are fantastic pieces of access equipment, so versatile and suitable for everything from fruit picking to filming, maintenance and construction. They come in all shapes and sizes and with different maximum heights and reaches – our hire fleet have max heights of between 10 and 90 m! Hiring a cherry picker that meets your specifications will keep your workers safe while saving you time and money. Here are 5 things to consider before you start.

1. Your working environment

Before hiring any work at height equipment, think about your worksite. Are you working inside or out, on flat ground or uneven? Are there any obstructions or restrictions to consider? And how much space is there for access and operation?

We have both electric and diesel cherry pickers available to hire, along with lightweight easily transportable machines and compact ones that can fit through a single doorway – whatever the job, we can help; see our range here!

2. The job specifics

Next, consider the job. What height and reach do you need to be able to complete the job safely? That means without having to overreach or climb out of the platform. Do you need access to one area for a long period or are you visiting multiple locations? In which case, a van mounted platform that you can easily drive between sites may be ideal.

3. Equipment limitations

Height and reach are not the only points to consider when choosing your cherry picker, there is also workers, tools and materials. It’s important to never exceed equipment limits so always check whether your requirements fall within the carrying capacities of the cherry picker before you hire.

4. Operator certifications

No matter what access equipment you chose, if you’re working at height, you need to be qualified and competent. That means holding an up to date IPAF PAL card for the correct machine category.  Don’t worry if you don’t have the correct training, though; we run training courses and can also supply experienced operators with all our hires.

5. The hire company

Who you hire from is important, and it’s not all about price. Do they maintain, store and service their equipment correctly? Do they have a focus on health and safety, the experience to be able to provide reliable advice and the desire to look after you, the customer? If not, it’s worth shopping around.

Warren Access is a family-owned company with over 50 years of experience in the industry. We provide a personal approach to working at height and pride ourselves on looking after our customers with honesty and integrity. We treat all our clients as individuals, offering bespoke advice and solutions to suit their needs – contact us to find out more: Newcastle: 0191 236 7120; Huntingdon: 01480 891 581.