The 5 Best Straight Boom Lift Attachments For Your Job Site
One of the most popular types of aerial lift, the straight boom lift, also called the telescopic boom lift, allows for both horizontal and vertical reach. This piece of equipment is made up of a platform or bucket with a long arm that is attached to a grounded base. Able to reach heights of over 150 feet, boom lifts make reaching difficult places and heights easier than ever. Helpful for outdoor jobs, industrial tasks, and many other construction projects, these machines provide a more secure workplace at heights than a standard ladder or man lift.
Boom lifts reach much greater heights than other types of aerial lifts such as scissor lifts. They also provide a forward reach, an advantage over scissor lifts which are limited to vertical movement. There are two types of boom lifts, straight (telescoping) and articulating. Easily distinguishable by the differences in the shape of their arm, an articulating lift has multiple pivot points whereas a telescoping lift extends straight out and allows you to take advantage of the machine's entire horizontal reach.
Some common uses for boom lifts include erecting scaffolding, fruit picking on farms (which is why another common name for this equipment is a cherry picker), painting, lighting work, and hanging signs. Looking for more information on these valuable pieces of equipment? Check out our 'everything you need to know' blog for more information on boom lifts, including how to choose the best one for your job and how you can rent one.
Best Boom Lift Attachments
As there are a wide variety of jobs that can be performed by straight boom lifts, manufacturers also provide a diverse selection of accessories to help with these tasks. There are many telescopic boom lift attachments offered by manufacturers such as Genie or JLG that can help your team work more efficiently, but we'll highlight a few of the most useful ones in this article.
- Deck Access Extensions
- Platform Mesh Kits
- Diagnostic Tools
- Expo Installers
- Fall Arrest Bars
Deck Access Extensions
Applicable to all types of aerial lifts, deck access extensions are some of the most valuable boom lift attachments available in the industry.
Straight boom lifts can elevate construction workers to great heights, but it's common for certain tasks to require access to a more confined area that the lift simply cannot reach. With an average length of eight feet, these platforms have some difficulty when faced with restricted spaces. A deck access extension is attached to the mid-rail of the lift platform and can be used by operators as an extra step to gain almost two feet of additional reach. This allows operators to elevate themselves into confined spaces that the lift itself cannot access.
An excellent example of when this type of attachment could be useful would be if your team was working under a bridge. A problem needs fixing between two narrow arches, but your boom lift can't fit between them. The deck access extension would provide additional height to the worker, allowing them to easily fit into the confined space, reach the problem area, and make the fix.
Providing a safe way to work in restricted areas at heights of up to 17 stories, deck access extensions can be invaluable boom lift attachments to help your team work more efficiently and effectively.
Platform Mesh Kits
Straight boom lifts are very safe pieces of equipment when used correctly. However, the most dangerous element of using this machine is the potential for tools or other materials to fall from the platform and cause damage to structures or other workers below.
Platform mesh kits provide a simple and affordable solution to this problem. Available in two sizes, a half or full fabric mesh will enclose the platform to either the mid or the top rail. This prevents anything from falling out of the lift's basket while still allowing visibility and airflow through the mesh.
Easy to install and weighing as little as 20 lbs at full size, these mesh kits are perfect attachments to help minimize the risk of injury to those working around a boom lift. And if that isn't reason enough, just imagine how inconvenient it would be to have to lower yourself all the way down to get the tools you dropped!
Diagnostic Attachments
Diagnostic attachments to straight boom lifts put all the information you need in the palm of your hand. These tools allow operators to track a wide variety of gauges such as engine temperature, oil pressure, fuel levels, and battery voltage, while also allowing the user to calibrate the machine, get service alerts and reminders, and track maintenance intervals.
Providing all these services and much more, these products were designed to provide you with real-time information about your machine that will help maximize efficiency, productivity, and rental return on invested capital. The only drawback to these attachments is that they are not always compatible with all types of boom lifts, so when looking into purchasing this tool, double-check to ensure it will work with your machine or they're provided by the manufacturer
Expo Installers
Truly one-of-a-kind, expo installers aid operators in precisely placing signs, banners, and other hanging decors. This attachment is easily installed by a single person in around five minutes and is an excellent product for maximizing safe productivity while operating boom lifts.
Designed to make operators more efficient when working at height, this attachment is ideal for use in convention centers, arenas, malls, theatres, and other locations that use suspended ornamentation. This tool is attachable to 6-foot and 8-foot platforms and includes a sliding track design with two trolleys that combine for a capacity of up to 240 pounds, and can be used with various rigging types.
Although somewhat limited in the tasks it is useful for, the expo installer is an impressive boom lift attachment when used properly. Easy to install and one of the most helpful accessories you could buy, if you need to hang any sort of decor you should definitely look into this add-on.
Fall Arrest Bars
All of the attachments mentioned above make working from the lift more straightforward, but what about working outside the lift? Fastening a fall arrest bar to the platform of your machine can help workers exit the platform and work comfortably at heights.
This boom lift accessory bar is affixed to the top rail of the lift and is available for 6 or 8-foot platforms. Attached to the bar is a (usually) six-foot-long cable which is then also connected to a harness worn by the operator. The cable can slide along the rail, allowing extra movement for the worker, and is shock-absorbant which reduces the jolt experienced by the wearer should they fall.
These fall arrest systems are great for a variety of applications including roof installation or repair, bridge construction, steel erection, and aircraft inspection. Giving operators the confidence and freedom to maneuver safely and securely outside the platform, fall arrest bars are excellent attachments for straight boom lifts.
Choosing and Renting the Right Straight Boom Lift Attachments
This list highlights some of the top boom lift accessories but is far from a comprehensive list of what is available in the industry. With many more attachments on the market including alarms to alert the operator to obstructions and those around the machine to its movements, tool trays to eliminate clutter on the platform and maximize convenience for operators, and additional safety features to protect from falls or overhead obstacles, you're sure to find something that suits your project.
Telescoping boom lifts are valuable machines that can perform a wide variety of tasks. Although these lifts are excellent on their own, attachments can help your team function more efficiently. Whether you're painting, putting up signs, or erecting scaffolding, anytime you're considering using a boom lift for your project you should always make sure to take a look for any helpful accessories that could maximize your team's productivity.
Looking to rent a straight or telescopic boom lift? Visit the DOZR Marketplace to find a boom lift near you! And if you're looking to rent a straight boom lift with a specific attachment, make sure to mention that to the sales representative or put it in the Attachments and Requests section of the online order.
