What is a Cherry Picker? But firstly, what is a cherry picker? Also known as a boom lift and falling under the Mobile Elevated Work Platform (MEWP) umbrella of powered access equipment, cherry pickers are machines which provide users with access to working environments that may otherwise be difficult or even impossible to reach, including areas at height or above other objects and areas below ground level. For the most part, these kinds of machines comprise a lifting crane with a basket, the platform the machine user stands upon, fixed to a base with wheels to allow the cherry picker to be manoeuvred. The lifting crane will either offer a 'straight up' telescopic lift, or 'up and over/under' articulated reach. Where will the Cherry Picker be used? Before looking to hire a cherry picker, it is important to understand the environment the machine will be required to work in. For instance, for indoor usage, an ideal cherry picker may include non-marking tyres and narrow enough to fit through standard doorways. It will also be powered by electricity, to avoid filling indoor spaces with fumes. Contrastingly, a machine required for outdoor use, for example, a building site, may be powered by diesel fuel, have foam-filled (puncture proof) tyres, 4 wheel drive for extra stability when moving around site, and offer the kind of height access required for larger tasks, such as building development or construction. What kind of job will the Cherry Picker be used for? With many machines on the market, it's important to get the right cherry picker to suit the specific needs of your task. Being able to reach the correct height or the right working area is the most obvious point to take into account, but there are many more variables to consider. Firstly, what kind of lifting action will be required to reach the working environment? For example, if you were using a cherry picker to complete maintenance work on a wall, are you able to move the machine closely to the wall itself, or are there objects acting as barriers between the work area and the machine. In the case of the former, a telescopic boom might prove suitable, in the latter, a articulated boom might be more ideal for the task due to its 'up and over' reaching capacity. Secondly, If you need to install materials at height, you will need to consider cherry pickers with the ability to carry sufficient weight-equally if two operators and further tools are required, this weight needs to be considered when hiring a cherry picker, with some more suited than others to lifting greater weights. Thirdly, and perhaps even most importantly, seek guidance from powered access market leaders such as Nationwide Platforms, who provide the UK's market leading fleet of powered access platforms. Hiring a Cherry Picker: Further Help Nationwide Platforms provide guidance cherry pickers hire and other kinds of platforms, offering telephone guidance, online web chat and even step by step guides. Speaking to the powered access experts provides a valuable, often vital tool in the selection of the perfect powered access platform for all your requirements.