Guide · 5 min
What is a lifting platform, and which one do you need?
Also called: aerial work platform, scissor lift, boom lift, lift table
By the SIMAQ technical team · Grupo ConstruMarket ·
Short answer
A lifting platform raises people, or loads, to working height in a stable way. First, separate the two families: platforms for people (scissor and boom lifts) and gear for loads (lift table, scissor pallet truck and stacker). Never lift people on load equipment. For people, SIMAQ has the SQ 140X PRO scissor lift (13.8 m working height, 320 kg) and the SQTHZ 170 PRO boom lift (13.7 m, 200–230 kg); for loads, the PTD1000 PRO lift table (1,000 kg, 380 to 1,000 mm).
scissor working height
basket load
lift table
Two families: for people and for loads
Platforms for people have a guardrailed basket, controls up top, and brakes and systems designed for someone to work at height. Load equipment lifts material, not people: it has no guardrail and no controls to run from above.
That's why the first question isn't height, but who goes up. The diagram sums it up.
For people: scissor or boom
A scissor lift goes straight up: it's the one when the work is right above where you park. A boom lift has an arm that reaches over obstacles and out to the side. If in doubt, the «Scissor or boom?» guide settles it in three questions.
| Spec | SQ 140X PRO scissor | SQTHZ 170 PRO boom |
|---|---|---|
| Height | 13.8 m working (11.8 m platform) | 13.7 m lift height |
| Load | 320 kg (113 kg on the extension) | 200–230 kg |
| Basket | 2.27 × 1.14 m, 0.9 m extension | Basket on an articulated boom |
| Power | 24 V · 300 Ah batteries | Electric, battery with built-in charger |
| For… | Work straight above, two or three techs with material | Reaching over obstacles or out to the side |
Working height isn't platform height
Working height is how far a person standing in the basket can reach; platform height is how high the basket floor goes. On the SQ 140X PRO that's 13.8 m working and 11.8 m platform. Always compare the same figure across machines.
Measure the highest point you'll work at and add up the real load: people, tools and material. The scissor's extension holds less than the basket (113 kg versus 320 kg).
For loads: lift table, scissor pallet truck and stacker
- PTD1000 PRO lift table: raises up to 1,000 kg from 380 to 1,000 mm, hydraulic and mobile, for loading trucks or working at bench height.
- GSF1 PRO scissor pallet truck: a pallet jack that also raises the pallet (1,000 kg) so you can work without bending.
- Manual (1,000 kg) or electric (1,500 kg) stacker: for raising pallets onto a rack.
Platform or scaffold?
If you'll be working for weeks on the same face, like a façade, scaffolding usually wins: you set it up once and it holds several people working at once. If it's many different spots or short jobs (light fixtures, ducts, maintenance), a platform saves you the setup and teardown at each spot.
Before you quote and before you go up
At ConstruMarket branches in El Salvador, Guatemala (CMARKET), Nicaragua and Panama. Request a quote from this guide and an advisor in your country will confirm the model and availability.
- Height of the highest work point and total basket load.
- Door and aisle width: the SQ 140X PRO is 1.15 m wide overall.
- Firm, level ground, with no holes or drop-offs.
- On a boom lift, a harness with a lanyard anchored to the basket; on a scissor lift, the guardrail is the main protection and you follow your site's rule.
- Don't operate in strong wind or near power lines without a safe distance.
Common mistakes
- Lifting people on a lift table, a stacker or forklift forks.
- Comparing one machine's working height with another's platform height.
- Loading the scissor's extension like the basket: it holds 113 kg, not 320.
- Climbing the guardrail for extra height instead of moving the platform closer.
- Buying without measuring doors, aisles and the floor it'll work on.
Takeaway
First decide who goes up. People: the SQ 140X PRO scissor (13.8 m working, 320 kg) if the work is straight above, or the SQTHZ 170 PRO boom (13.7 m) if there are obstacles. Loads: the PTD1000 PRO lift table, the GSF1 PRO scissor pallet truck or a stacker. Never people on load equipment, and always compare the same height figure.
Keep going
Frequently asked
What is a lifting platform?
A machine that raises people to work at height in a guardrailed basket, like a scissor or boom lift. Lift tables and stackers also lift, but only loads.
How high does a scissor lift reach?
The SIMAQ SQ 140X PRO reaches 13.8 m of working height, with the platform at 11.8 m. The SQTHZ 170 PRO boom lift reaches 13.7 m of lift height.
How much weight does the basket hold?
The SQ 140X PRO holds 320 kg on the platform and 113 kg on the extension; the SQTHZ 170 PRO, 200–230 kg. Add up people, tools and material.
Do you wear a harness on a scissor lift?
On a boom lift, always, anchored to the basket. On a scissor lift, the perimeter guardrail is the main protection; follow your site's rule and the machine's manual.
Where can I buy a lifting platform in Central America?
At ConstruMarket branches in El Salvador, Guatemala (CMARKET), Nicaragua and Panama. Quote with your work-point height and the load you'll lift.
