From construction to event planning industries, the cherry picker stands out as a tool for safely reaching difficult and high areas. This access equipment is versatile, which makes it indispensable for a variety of tasks. While it is mainly bought, either as a new model or as a used one, a cherry picker can also be rented.
However, unlike the decision to purchase, hiring a cherry picker goes beyond choosing a model; it involves a deep dive into safety protocols, training requirements, and understanding the financial and regulatory implications. Through this text we aim to simplify the complexities of cherry picker hire, addressing its practical applications, the imperative of safety and training, and the economic considerations.
What are cherry pickers
Cherry Pickers, also known as Aerial Work Platforms (AWP) are a type of access equipment allowing 1 or 2 operators to reach high and difficult access areas. Cherry Pickers are often confused with cranes, which are another type of access equipment used for lifting no longer people but charges like bags of cement. Cherry pickers can take many forms, from truck mounted cherry picker, van mounted cherry picker to scissor lift.
Why renting a cherry picker
Renting cherry pickers is a flexible and cost-effective solution for you as businesses and individuals facing short-term or project-specific needs. Unlike purchasing, renting allows you for the use of the cherry picker without the commitment of a large capital investment.
This flexibility is particularly beneficial for tasks that require aerial access on an occasional basis,indoor or outdoor, such as sign installation, tree care, and repair work in various industries including construction, telecommunications, and facility management.
The relationship between hiring and cherry picker extends beyond financial savings. It also includes access to a wide range of models tailored to specific project requirements. Rental companies often provide expert advice, training, and support services to ensure the safety and efficiency of your employees in operation.
Renting a cherry picker always complies with safety standards and enhancing job site productivity. Moreover, renting eliminates the concerns related to equipment depreciation, maintenance, and storage. Which allows you to focus more on your core operations and less on the logistical challenges of equipment management.
The cost-effectiveness of hiring a cherry picker
Hiring a cherry picker has an influence on your Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) in ways that underscore its cost-effectiveness. As you might know, TCO encompasses all costs associated with the acquisition, operation, maintenance, and disposal of equipment over its lifespan.
When considering the hire of a cherry picker, the immediate cost savings are evident; there’s no large initial investment required for purchase. This approach aligns well with cost-effective strategies by converting a potentially large capital expenditure (CapEx) into a more manageable operating expense (OpEx).
Moreover, hiring eliminates several components that contribute to TCO :
- Maintenance and repair costs are generally covered by the rental company, ensuring that the equipment operates efficiently without imposing you additional financial burdens.
- There’s no concern over depreciation—a significant factor in long-term asset management. Equipment depreciation not only affects the financial books but also impacts the decision-making process regarding equipment upgrade or replacement.
- The flexibility of hiring allows you to respond to project-specific needs with precision, choosing the right model and size of cherry picker for the task at hand without the long-term commitment. This adaptability can lead to more efficient use of resources and better cost management across projects.
- Finally, avoiding the storage costs and logistics associated with owning large pieces of equipment further reduces the TCO, making hiring a cherry picker a financially prudent decision in the context of cost-effectiveness and overall asset management strategy.
Cherry picker rental is a sustainable model
As the European Renal Association, which promotes the rental industry in Europe, explains, equipment rental inherently supports sustainability, enabling both companies and individuals to foster a more eco-friendly world through various means.
Defined by its circular business model, the rental industry aligns perfectly with the principles of the circular economy, thus significantly reducing the environmental footprint of equipment usage.
The rental model enhances the circular economy in several key areas:
- Efficient Utilisation: Rental services allow construction firms and other clients to access equipment on an as-needed basis, boosting efficiency. Effective rental asset management also ensures equipment is used more frequently and efficiently.
- Maintainability: Rental businesses promote designs that simplify maintenance and repair, focusing on efficient spare parts management and requiring detailed repair information from manufacturers.
- Sustainable Consumption: These companies prioritize the procurement of sustainable equipment options for their clients, along with offering both theoretical and practical training to maximize equipment efficiency.
- Reusability: Parts from decommissioned equipment find new life through reuse.
- Recyclability: Rental companies extend the lifespan of their equipment through repairs when feasible and recycle items at the end of their lifecycle. They leverage their purchasing power to encourage suppliers to minimize the use of non-recyclable materials and assume responsibility for the end-of-life phase by facilitating the collection, reuse, or recycling of equipment.
Hiring and safety compliances
Although renting a boom lift seems to be easier and more cost-effective than purchasing one – at least under the conditions mentioned above – it is still subject to the same safety regulations as buying a new model.
Whether you want to hire a cherry picker, you still rely on HSE regulations. First thing first you need to be properly trained thanks to an organization as IPAF which delivers useful training programs for operating an AWP or a MEWP while reducing potential hazards.
LOLER compliances
As you rent a cherry picker you should also consider the LOLER regulation. The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations, also known as LOLER impose accountabilities on individuals and companies owning, operating, or controlling lifting devices, as AWP or MEWP.
This regulation applies to all entities that employ lifting equipment, regardless of ownership. Since lifting devices typically qualify as work equipment, they also fall under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations, also known as PUWER, which mandates regular inspection and maintenance. It’s required that all lifting activities using such equipment are carefully planned by a qualified person, monitored closely, and executed safely.
Furthermore, LOLER mandates that lifting equipment must be suitable for its intended task, fit for purpose, clearly marked, and undergo mandatory, regular ‘thorough examinations’ as per legal requirements. It’s essential to maintain records of these examinations, and any discovered faults must be promptly reported to both the equipment manager and the appropriate regulatory body.
Do you need a driver’s license to rent a cherry picker ?
Whether you need a driver’s license to rent a cherry picker (also known as a boom lift) can depend on several factors, including the type of cherry picker, its size, where you plan to use it (on public roads or private property), and the regulations in your specific region or country.
In the UK, the category B is the category of driver’s licence which allows you to drive conventional passenger cars and other vehicles with a maximum authorized mass (MAM) not exceeding 3,500 kg (about 7,716 pounds) and designed to carry no more than eight passengers in addition to the driver. So if you aim to operate a cherry picker up to 3.5 tons, as most of the van cherry pickers we provide here in CPL Ltd, you can do it using your category B driver’s licence.
You can also operate cherry pickers up to 7.5 tons if you gained your licence before 1994. If not, you need a C1 category that is another category of driver’s licence here in the UK. More specifically, C1 category is part of LGV licence.
Is a driver’s licence enough to rent a cherry picker ?
To operate a MEWP, getting a category B or a category C driver’s licence is not enough. Due to the complexity of that kind of machine and the risk in using them, you must commit to accredited MEWP training so that you can ensure your safety at work.
Cherry picker hire is guided by The International Powered Access Federation also known as IPAF. IPAF is a non-profit organization providing several MEWP training courses and Harness training courses. The PAL Card is a certification delivered by the IPAF after following and succeeding in one of their courses.
