Are you looking for a mobile elevating work platform (MEWP) to aid a commercial fit out job?
A commercial fit out project – whether it’s a new build or an office refurbishment – demands speciality work-at-height access platforms which are both practical, lightweight and versatile enough to meet the requirements of a broad range of tradespeople, often working on the same job at the same time. That means reliable, quality MEWPs, delivered and collected on schedule is a must.
In this guide, Horizon Platforms shares why MEWPs are essential for your commercial fit out projects and what you should be considering before hiring your cherry picker or scissor lift for the job.
Why MEWPs Are Essential For Commercial Fit Out
When it comes to commercial fit out projects, you are bound to need a MEWP, whether that’s a personnel lift or cherry picker, in order to work at a height safely. Access platforms are designed to provide a safe working environment for temporary tasks carried out at height, and they are considered to be the safest work equipment to help prevent a fall.
Access platforms are specifically designed to lift people to a position where they can carry out their work from the platform, whilst limiting the chances of falls. From commercial scissor lifts to work platforms perfect for decorators, high level access platforms are the ideal choice of aerial work platforms for a wide range of office and commercial fit out projects. With nationwide coverage through a national network of trusted access platform providers, the team at Horizon Platforms can ensure you have the right access platform to suit you.
When selecting a specific MEWP for a commercial fit out job, it is important to understand the risks associated, so you can put the right control measures in place to minimise the chance of an accident occurring. Planning is crucial to safe operation when selecting MEWPs for your commercial fit out jobs.
Top Tips When Hiring a MEWP For Commercial Fit Out
If you are performing a job at height for a commercial fit out project, chances are you will be looking to hire a MEWP to complete the job. The best option is to never pick the first cherry picker or scissor lift you see – you will want to carefully consider what equipment is most suitable.
- Understanding your commercial fit out project
Considering a MEWP for your commercial fit out can be a daunting process when there is a huge fleet to choose from. Knowing whether you’re working on a small office refurbishment or a large commercial fit out project is key to understanding what requirements your MEWP needs to meet. A small office project may require a narrow access platform so you can move around restricted, tight areas, whereas a larger, multi-person access platform may be needed for larger jobs.
- Considering the terrain you’re working on
What type of terrain are you working on – finished or unfinished? When considering a cherry picker, scissor lift or any other type of access platform for commercial fit outs, you need to assess the type of terrain you’re working on. MEWPs are available for indoor and outdoor use, as well as having features suitable for newly furnished indoor flooring and unstable terrains. Correctly assessing your terrain will ensure you have a MEWP that will operate safely and efficiently on your commercial fit out tasks.
- Non-marking tyres and wheel covers
Does your commercial fit out site require non-marking tyres? Many fit out projects will require you to have non-marking tyres or wheel covers to prevent any damage occurring to the flooring. The vast majority of Horizon Platforms commercial fit out MEWPs have non-marking tyres, which make them ideal for indoor use, particularly on newly-installed flooring. You can also invest in wheel covers for further protection to ensure no marks or damage is made whilst on your commercial fit out job.
- What levels do you need your MEWP to reach?
When looking to hire a MEWP for a commercial fit out project, you will need to consider the different levels you’ll need to reach, in order to carry out various tasks. From maintenance work just above ground level to installation shelving high up at the top of the building, these factors will determine the type of MEWP you need for the job. Our range offers low to high level reach, so the same platform can be used by partitioning contractors installing stud walls, as well as ventilation and cabling contractors working at above ceiling height.
- Knowing how many people will be operating the MEWP
Do you have multiple people working on the same project? Maybe you need various MEWPs in order to complete the job on time? When working on a commercial fit out job, you may require an access platform that can hold multiple people at one time, in order to complete a task. On the other hand, you may only require a small MEWP for one person to carry out small maintenance and repair tasks. These are considerations people need to take into account when choosing a MEWP for a commercial fit out project.
- Further questions to ask when hiring a MEWP
As well as the above considerations, you will need to ask a few questions before hiring a MEWP. These questions should be asked no matter what the job, racking installations, construction and of course, commercial fit outs.
- How long do you need the equipment for?
- Have you researched the size and type of equipment you need?
- Are you working indoors or outdoors?
- Do you have the right licence to hire an access platform?
- Have you carried out a full safety assessment?
For more information on choosing your MEWP, read our guide on what you should be asking before hiring an access platform.
Keeping Everyone Safe on Commercial Fit Out Projects
When working at height, the risks are naturally greater and employers are obliged to ensure their employees achieve a level of training which enables them to operate access platforms safely on commercial-fit out projects. Falls from height continue to be the most significant cause of serious accidents across workplaces in the UK, as the HSE accident data shows, between 2020 and 2021 there was an average of 41 fatal falls per year.
Along with providing customers with the safest MEWPs nationwide, we also offer a range of training, including IPAF and PASMA, to ensure our commercial fit out MEWPs are being used correctly.
Horizon Platforms offer a range of instructor-led courses including a combined 1-day IPAF and PASMA course. Ensuring people work safely at height is a central part of what we do, and these courses are the best indication that operators know the best practice. Looking to know more on MEWP training? Read our guide to access platforms training.
Horizon Platforms Offers MEWPs Suitable Within a Commercial Fit Out Environment
Available at short notice, next day or even same-day delivery, we have a wide fleet of MEWPs suitable for your commercial fit out projects. The experts at Horizon Platforms can help you find a machine perfect for your project and arrange delivery for a convenient time for you. Our hire specialists have extensive experience and knowledge on hiring machines from our nationwide fleet of scissor lifts and personnel lifts to shopfitters and specialist fit out contractors working on retail, office and commercial fit out projects.
We offer next day delivery of access platforms for commercial fit out projects
Here at Horizon Platforms we pride ourselves on offering industry-standard customer service and understand that with an abundance of people working on the same project at once, your requirements can change, sometimes on a daily basis. That’s why we offer the next day and even same day delivery for our commercial fit out access platforms.
Simply pick up the phone, tell us what you need or ask for advice and we will deliver your MEWP to the site.
If you’re not sure which MEWP is right for your commercial fit out project, we can talk you through the options; all you need to do is give us a few basic details:
- Tell us about the scale of the job: Is it a small office refurbishment or a large commercial fit out project?
- Does your project management plan mean you have a designated sequence of jobs to be carried out consecutively or will individual contractors and trades be working side by side?
- What type of indoor terrain are you working on – finished or unfinished?
Once we’ve got a feel for your requirements, we’ll suggest the ideal commercial fit out platform for you. To discuss the best MEWP to hire for your project, talk to the team at Horizon Platforms today.