What A MEWP Does
MEWP means mobile elevating work platform. The term covers several types of machine designed to lift people to a guarded working position. Scissor lifts, boom lifts and many compact tracked platforms are all part of this wider group, but their movement, reach and setup requirements differ.
Start with the activity rather than a machine name. A ceiling installation directly overhead needs a different approach from cleaning above a fragile extension. Let us know what people will do from the platform, what they will carry and whether the task involves moving along a building or returning to one fixed point.
Compare Vertical And Boom Platforms
A vertical platform can be useful when the machine can stand beneath the work and the floor can support it. It offers a direct route upwards, with platform dimensions and carrying capacity that need to match the job. Review scissor lift hire for warehouse and fit-out tasks.
A boom platform brings horizontal reach into the choice. An articulated machine can position around some obstacles, while a telescopic design may suit a more open approach. Compact tracked machines can help with restricted entrances, subject to their setup footprint. See our spider lift guide when access width is a concern.
Build A Useful Site Brief
Measure the working height, distance to the target and access route. Photographs should show the full elevation, the proposed standing area and any obstacles between them. Include gate widths, overhead clearances and turning restrictions, as a suitable working position is no use if the machine cannot reach it.
Describe the ground and ask for structural information where floors or covers are involved. State whether the task is indoors, outdoors or both, and whether there are charging facilities. Public access, nearby services and other contractors can affect the plan. If important measurements remain unknown, ask whether a site assessment is needed before a machine is confirmed.
Inspection And Operator Preparation
LOLER thorough examination is separate from routine maintenance and pre-use inspection. Equipment used to lift people normally needs examination every six months unless a competent person’s examination scheme sets another interval (HSE). Ask for the report relevant to the machine being delivered.
Operator preparation should cover the correct machine category and familiarisation with the actual controls. IPAF’s category guide distinguishes mobile vertical, mobile boom and static boom machines. A recognised training card can help demonstrate training, but does not replace site assessment or machine-specific familiarisation.
Agree The Hire And The Working Arrangements
MEWP hire costs depend on the selected machine, transport, duration and operator requirements. Ask whether charging or fuel, cleaning, collection and damage terms are included. A quote should name the proposed machine or specification, so you can check that the quoted solution addresses the constraints you supplied.
Plan the delivery alongside the work programme and agree who will accept the machine. Before starting, allocate responsibility for the working area and emergency arrangements. Keep the machine instructions accessible and stop if the actual conditions differ from those assessed. Changing weather, blocked access or altered ground conditions can require the access plan to be reviewed.
Your Hire, Step By Step
- 01
Describe The Job
Tell us the site location, dates and task for your mewp hire enquiry. Include measured height, reach and the load or people involved.
- 02
Check The Site And Specification
Review the route, ground and proposed machine with the supplier. Resolve unknown dimensions and agree operator, delivery and working arrangements before booking.
- 03
Handover, Use And Collection
Accept the machine with its instructions and relevant records. Complete familiarisation and checks, use it within the agreed limits, and follow the supplier’s off-hire procedure.
MEWP Hire Questions
What Is The Difference Between A MEWP And A Cherry Picker?
A MEWP is the wider category of mobile elevating work platforms, while cherry picker is commonly used for a boom-type platform. A scissor lift is also a MEWP. Describe the reach, ground and access conditions when enquiring, rather than relying on a label that different suppliers may use in different ways.
Do I Need IPAF Training To Hire A MEWP?
MEWP operators need suitable training and competence for the equipment and task. IPAF is a recognised training route and may be specified by a site, but a training card alone does not cover every operating situation. Confirm the relevant machine category, site requirements and familiarisation with the delivered model before starting.
Is A LOLER Examination The Same As A Service?
A LOLER thorough examination is a separate assessment of lifting equipment by a competent person. It does not replace servicing, pre-use checks or repairs. Request the relevant examination report during hire arrangements and check any recorded defects or limitations, alongside the maintenance information and handover instructions for the machine supplied.