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Work always has to be done in the air, and before powered lifts, contractors used ladders and scaffolding. Both methods require a lot of manual lifting, and they are often difficult to maneuver equipment into place —and, small work spaces make it an even more difficult task to use ladders and scaffolding. With the increasing pressure to replace ladders with safer, more productive alternatives, low-level access lifts are the way of the future.

Low-level access is a rapidly growing segment in the aerial access industry. They have furthered the reach of the aerial access equipment into industrial, institutional and homeowner applications. End-users have long realized the benefits of low-level access equipment in maintenance and stock-picking applications, creating a demand for these machines.

Rental companies should consider acting on the opportunity this type of equipment opens up for rental because of these lifts’ low acquisition costs, small footprints and simple service requirements.

How to meet the low-level access demand?

Low-level access products continue to grow in popularity, both in Europe and North America. This growth is likely due strong non-residential construction in North America and areas of construction growth in Europe. The ability of these machines to get into small, tight spaces that other units cannot, as well as to access areas with sensitive floors can help support this growth. These products

are ideal for renovations of places like hospitals, schools and hotels which continue over many regions. These products do not have the same type of seasonality as other products, as they are primarily indoor machines.

Genie has been creating such lifting and work-at-height solutions for more than 50 years, offering appropriate work-at-height solutions to replace ladders and scaffold in nearly any application. Today, Genie offers a complete line of manual and self-propelled vertical mast lifts that are suited for low-level access applications. With the continued trend toward ladder replacement on the jobsite, the Genie^® GR™ and QS™ models are perfect solutions due to their compact size, relative light weight and zero-turn radius.

Advantages of Genie low-level access equipment

A growing segment in the aerial access industry, there is increasing pressure globally to replace ladders with safer and more productive alternatives — low-level access equipment. These lifts give users a quick and convenient means of completing work, while helping to ensure that users can go home safely at the end of the work day.

Low-level access lifts offer operators a wide array of features and benefits for restricted access applications. The Genie Runabout™ (GR) model, for example, offers hydraulically powered steering for precise directional control and zero inside turning radius, enabling operators to maneuver in compact and high density jobsites. Additionally, the low step in height of the Genie GR unit reduces operator fatigue associated with repetitive climbing up and down ladders. Aerial work platforms, such as the Genie AWP™-20, AWP-25, and AWP-30 models, offer compact footprints in addition to lightweight and low floor loading, for sensitive floors often found in low level applications.

Through customer feedback, we realized the industry needed a full heavy-duty construction version of the Genie Runabout model. The Genie GRC-12 model, for example, was designed for more demanding construction applications with its steel tube-in-tube mast and steel platform construction.

Another safe, more efficient alternative to ladders, is the Genie QS-12 model. This lift is designed to make work faster and easier thanks to their small working envelope for maneuvering around corners — ideal machines to use in warehousing, stock-picking, transporting, inventory management and general maintenance and construction applications.

With low-level access segment poised to replace ladders in applications beyond the typical jobsite, including in industrial and institutional facilities, providing a safe workplace for both the operators and the equipment is the number one priority on any aerial jobsite. And, Genie low-level access equipment is designed specifically for the purpose of safe work at height.