Elevating work platforms, aerial work platforms, scissors, booms, cherry pickers, or lifts are devices to transport passengers on a deck, a platform with handrails, cage, or in a bucket. Elevating work platforms are either powered by hydraulic or electro-mechanical means. Nowadays, they reach a working height of more than 100 meter. Usually, the work platform can be accessed and exited in the area of the floor deck. Elevating work platforms function by using various mechanical means, which depend on the application and are hydraulic telescopic boom systems, movable articulated jibs, scissor constructions, or vertical masts.

There are various construction types in elevating work platforms. Elevating work platform constructions are fix-mounted on a chassis. Elevating work platforms may for example be mounted on various carrier vehicles. The work height of the elevating work platform to be erected mainly determines whether it is a 3.5 metric ton, a 7.5 metric ton, or 18 metric ton chassis, or a vehicle with 2 axles or 3 axles.

In particular, the following types of construction are available:

- truck-mounted aerial or elevating work platforms, lifts

- crawler-mounted aerial or elevating work platforms, lifts

- self-propelled telescopic work platforms, lifts

- self-propelled articulated work platforms or self-propelled boom lifts

- scissor work platforms, scissors, or scissor lifts

- trailer-mounted work platforms or trailer mounts

Elevating work platforms have various types of support depending on its intended use. Four hydraulic supports, which – depending on the model – may be extended individually, as a pair, or completely guarantee necessary stability and safety during work. Those supports are mounted solidly to the chassis. Here is an example of the most important kinds of supports for truck-mounted work platforms:

Self-propelled work platforms come mainly without supports and are even extendible at full bucket height.

The boom system is of great significance for the performance and mobility of an elevating work platform.  Depending on the type of model, it may consist of a telescopic boom for down reach, a telescopic riser boom, and a moveable jib. Hard-to-reach areas such as spaces in between trees, halls, and around pipes are easier to reach the more the boom system can be moved.

In general, one differentiates between:

How elevating or aerial work platforms are powered, depends largely on their use.  For example, self-propelled work platforms and scissor work platforms come as:

- diesel-powered

- gas-powered

- electro-powered

- battery-powered/battery-charged

- Bi-energy

The buckets mounted at the end of the booms have load capacities between 100 and 500 kilograms depending on the intended application. The buckets are made either of aluminum or plastic. Work under live electrical wires mandates dual insulation to protect against 1,000 volts.

After each movement, the baskets or buckets’ deck automatically levels off in the horizontal position. The baskets may be rotated partially depending on furnishing, power connections (230 volts), water, and air. The bucket furnished with the elevating work platform has a control console allowing control of all movements directly from the platform.

In self-propelled work platforms without support, a swivel or rotating axis is of no lesser imoprtance.

Working height – platform height

Close attention must be paid to “height” references in technical specification and “working height” must be differentiated from “platform height.” Platform height is defined by the height from the bucket floor or platform deck on which the operator is standing on to the resting place of the work platform measured from the ground, while the work platform is extended to a maximum. On the other hand, working height is defined as the position, the operator can reach with his or her arms overhead. In general, the working height is always approx. 2 meters above the stated platform height.