Key takeaways
- Understanding the types of boom lifts helps you select the safest and most efficient equipment for your project needs.
- Each major category—from articulating to telescopic lifts—offers unique advantages for different environments and heights.
- Properly matching lift type, power source, and capacity to your task improves productivity and safety for operators and workers.
- Aerial lifts have advanced through innovation, with diesel, and electric models.
- Regular maintenance and sound safety practices ensure the right boom lift delivers long-term value and performance on any project.
Aerial work platforms (AWPs), often called aerial lifts or mobile elevated work platforms, are essential on modern construction zones and in facility maintenance.
With numerous options, from scissor lifts to boom lifts, choosing the right aerial lift type directly impacts site efficiency, worker safety, and project cost.
Understanding the different types of boom lifts—and how they compare with other equipment—helps you find the ideal solution for your unique site challenges.
Overview of Types of Lifting Equipment
Lifting equipment encompasses a broad range of machines: scissor lifts for vertical elevation, cranes for heavy loads, and various types of boom lifts for reaching difficult or elevated locations.
Within different types of aerial lifts, boom lifts stand out for their combination of vertical reach, horizontal outreach, and maneuverability—making them most suitable for hard-to-access areas.
How Boom Lifts Differ from Other Lift Types
Compared to scissor lifts, for instace, which only move vertically, boom lifts offer flexible outreach with their telescoping or articulating arms, letting operators navigate barriers and access hard-to-reach areas.
Everstar’s ladder lift trucks and other specialized aerial work vehicles are essential for safely elevating personnel and equipment. That specialty role makes boom lifts indispensable on construction sites, for facility repairs, and in maintenance tasks requiring both height and horizontal reach.
Main Categories of Boom Lifts
There are main types of boom lifts, each tailored for specific uses. The primary categories are articulating and telescopic boom lifts, with variations based on power source (diesel or electric) and design for rough terrain or indoor use.
Additional models of aerial lifts—like towable boom, and cherry pickers—further expand the options available to operators. The following are the boom lifts types offered by Everstar:
Diesel Articulating Boom Lifts
Diesel powered articulating model feature multiple jointed arms, allowing for ‘up-and-over’ clearance over obstacles like machinery or overhead power lines.
Compact yet powerful, they easily maneuver through congested construction sites, offering reinforced chassis and expanded buckets for heavy-duty tasks.
Their design lets you reach over barriers while maintaining stability and strong weight capacity even on rough terrain.
Electric Articulating Boom Lifts
Electric articulating boom lifts allow smooth, emission-free operation in confined or sensitive environments.
Their intuitive controls and quiet operation make them ideal for indoor usage or enclosed spaces, while advanced battery packs deliver impressive run times.
You can benefit from great maneuverability, even when navigating barriers, making these lifts the preferred choice for warehouses or finished facilities.
Diesel Telescopic Boom Lifts
Diesel telescopic lifts (or straight boom lifts) deliver industry-leading vertical reach, extending horizontally in a straight line to access hard-to-reach exterior sites.
Ideal for outdoor, rough-terrain construction or tasks such as bridge repair and steel erection, they offer maximum height and horizontal outreach. These machines handle heavy loads and withstand demanding weather and ground conditions.
Electric Telescopic Boom Lifts
Electric telescopic boom lifts offer zero-emission performance, featuring powerful horizontal outreach and vertical height capabilities.
Advanced batteries and efficient motors ensure they perform capably indoors or in noise-sensitive outdoor zones. Their compact, maneuverable frame suits delicate work, and the straight boom enhances productivity for tasks that require clean, consistent movement along a single boom.
Choosing Between Two Main Types of Boom Lift
Every job requires careful consideration of lift height, reach, environment, and obstacles.
Narrowing your choice of boom lift types depends on the necessary vertical reach or horizontal outreach, weight capacity, terrain (rough terrain versus smooth surface), and how many workers or tools need to be elevated.
You can select the appropriate aerial lift to ensure site system compatibility, operator safety, comfort, and optimal productivity.
Telescopic vs Articulating Boom Lift
A straight boom lift (or telescopic model) excels in tasks requiring max height, fast up/down speed, or reaching over long, clear distances—such as tall buildings or tree trimming.
An articulating lift suits enclosed spaces or complex tasks with obstructions that require up-and-over movements.
Together with Everstar customized consulting, you can choose a straight boom for open areas and rapid operations, or opt for an articulating lift for maneuvering around pipelines, utility poles, or structural barriers.
Safety Considerations Across Aerial Lifts
Regardless of the boom or lift model, general safety best practices always apply: assess ground stability, monitor for overhead power lines, and verify that operators are properly trained and certified.
For all personnel lifts and aerial machines, weight capacity and safety features—like guardrails, sensors, and emergency shutoffs—must be checked before operation. For more information regarding safety regulations, refer to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Stability Factors to Monitor
Before using any boom lift, operators must ensure the surface is solid and level, as rough terrain, wind speed, and slope can affect safe operation.
Check tire type and stabilizers; always lower the lift if high winds or unstable ground threaten stability. A mobile elevated work platform should only be operated according to the manufacturer’s and site safety protocols.
Cost and Accessibility: Matching the Right Aerial Lift to Budget
Prices for different boom lift types and other aerial work platforms vary widely based on features, working height, terrain capabilities, and safety systems.
Ownership can be price-benefit for frequent, specialized, or long-term jobs—especially when considering care, storage, and operator training costs. When renting such equipment for short-term or infrequent use, highgher fees and delivery costs must be considered.
Long-Term Value Assessment
Investing in a high-quality lift yields benefits through reliable performance, reduced downtime, and fewer safety incidents.
Everstar experts suggest that considering the total cost of ownership, including regular maintenance, insurance, and potential resale value, may provide better ROI for many businesses, thanks to included service and upgrade opportunities.
While renting boom lifts—especially the latest models with advanced safety features and power—additional fees must be considered.
Common Applications of Boom Lifts
Boom lifts are present on construction sites, in building maintenance, warehousing, tree trimming, and utility work.
The articulating models are essential for facility repair, while telescoping boom lifts excel in tackling bridge and façade work. Other boom lifts, such as man lifts—including cherry pickers and personnel lifts—make warehouse or electrical repairs safe and efficient.
Operators must always verify that the right lift chosen is rated for the environment and workers’ requirements.
Case Scenarios for Different Lift Uses
On a construction site, a diesel articulating boom lift maneuvers around steel frame structures to assist painters and welders in working at heights. Electric articulated boom lifts with zero emissions and powerful batteries offer quiet performance and long operating times cross various terrains.
For tall warehouse shelving, an electric scissor lift or vertical personnel lift provides safe, emission-free elevation for one or two workers in tight spaces. A cherry picker is ideal for tree trimming and utility line maintenance, allowing workers to operate safely near obstacles.
Innovations in Boom Lift Technology
Modern boom lifts include advanced safety features (auto-leveling, anti-crush systems), electric power for quieter operation, and smart controls for optimized performance.
Automation, remote control, and telematics help operators reach higher, work more efficiently, and complete maintenance tasks accurately while improving work site safety and compliance.
The Future of Boom Lifts on Job Sites
The next generation of aerial lifts will be more eco-friendly, connected, and flexible. Battery improvements, lighter materials, and intelligent sensor suites will expand indoor and outdoor use. Automation will let fewer workers safely operate multiple machines, adapting to evolving site’s challenges and safety considerations with less downtime and greater productivity.
FAQs – Types of Lifting Equipment
What is the most stable boom lift?
Telescopic lifts are generally the most stable due to their straight boom, heavy-duty chassis, and robust stabilizers. These lifts handle rough terrain well and are preferred for jobs requiring high vertical reach and a solid working platform. Always review safety features and site’s ground conditions for maximum stability.
What is the most common type of lift?
On construction sites, electric slab scissor lifts are the most common for vertical-only elevation, while articulating options are widely used for projects needing up-and-over access around obstacles. Choosing between different types of aerial lifts depends on required reach, work site layout, and application.
Which is better, straight or articulating boom lift?
A straight boom (telescopic) lift is better for height and unobstructed horizontal reach—ideal for tall buildings and bridge work. An articulating boom lift excels in areas with obstructions, offering up-and-over movement. The adequate boom lift choice depends on your project’s vertical and horizontal challenges, as well as tight spaces or complex layouts.
What type of equipment is commonly used for lifting and placing materials on elevated structures?
Boom lifts, scissor lifts, and personnel lifts are commonly used to raise people, tools, or materials to elevated structures. Choose the specific model based on required working height, reach, weight capacity, and job environment (e.g., rough terrain or indoor use).
Conclusion: Selecting the Perfect Solution for Safe and Productive Operations
Choosing between articulating, telescopic, and other types of boom lifts means weighing height, horizontal outreach, terrain, and task complexity.
Articulating models navigate obstacles; telescopic booms reach higher; rough terrain scissor lifts provide stable vertical elevation in complex site conditions.
Operator safety, proper care, budget, and advanced features all combine to maximize the value and efficiency of your selected small platform. Modern aerial lifts provide more options than ever for safely completing challenging tasks.
Consult Everstar Machinery for Guidance on the Right Boom Lift
Explore Everstar Machinery’s diverse catalog of boom lifts, from telescopic and articulating models to cherry pickers.
Contact our equipment experts to find the adequate boom lift or aerial lift for your project. Let us help you choose, maintain, and upgrade your machines for long-term value and work site confidence.
