Mobile Elevated Work Platform

Mobile elevated work platforms put workers at height on powered platforms — the scissor lifts and boom lifts that replaced most ladder and scaffold work at scale. Boom lifts are the larger class, led by articulating machines.

1,896 Models4 Types ● Every spec cited to source

Mast and Personnel Lifts

162 models

Atrium and Spider Lifts

132 models

How it works

Hydraulic lifting structures raise rated platforms while interlocks, tilt sensors, and capacity limits govern the envelope. Scissors trade reach for platform size and simplicity; booms trade platform size for three-dimensional positioning. Operator training, familiarization, and (on booms) fall restraint are integral to the equipment class.

Types & variants

Scissor Lifts: Vertical-lift platforms for slab and rough terrain work at height.
Boom Lifts: Articulating, telescopic, spider, and mast booms for up-and-over reach.

How to choose

The work position decides the family: straight-up access to large work areas favors scissors; reaching over, around, and beyond favors booms. Within each, working height, capacity, power source (electric indoors, engine outdoors), and ground conditions select the machine — read from range diagrams, not headline heights.

Standards & certifications

ANSI/SAIA · A92.20/.22/.24: Design, safe-use, and training standards for mobile elevating work platforms.
CSA · B354 series: Canadian design and safe-use standards for mobile elevating work platforms.

Frequently asked

Scissor lift or boom lift?

Scissors for vertical access with room for crew and materials directly below the work; booms for reaching over obstructions and positioning precisely in three dimensions. Many jobs stage both.

What training do MEWPs require?

Operator training and machine-specific familiarization under the A92 standards, plus occupant training — and harness-based fall restraint is mandatory on boom platforms.

Which lifts work indoors on finished floors?

Electric scissors, mast booms, and spider lifts — zero-emission, non-marking, and sized for doorways and floor loading limits.