Telehandlers vs Boom Lifts: What Sets Them Apart?

Mediapayperlead-com December 11, 2024

Telehandlers vs Boom Lifts: What Sets Them Apart?

Meta Description: Understand the differences between boom lifts and telehandlers to choose the right equipment for your construction or maintenance tasks. Which type of zoom boom lift – articulating or telescopic – is best for indoor, outdoor, or tight work areas?

This article compares boom lifts and telehandlers, which are commonly used aerial lifting equipment. Understanding the differences between these machines is important for determining the right equipment for construction and maintenance tasks.

We will explore the key characteristics of boom lifts and telehandlers, their common applications, and factors to consider when selecting one for a job. This can help users make informed decisions based on their needs.

Key Takeaways

Telescopic boom lifts provide greater height and reach, making them well-suited for tasks that require working at high levels or across distances.
Articulating boom lifts are more maneuverable and can access tight spaces, so they work well for jobs involving obstacles or indoor areas with limited space.
Consider the intended work environment and tasks when choosing between telescopic and articulating boom lifts to select the type to maximize safety, efficiency, and productivity. Evaluating specific machine attributes and needs helps ensure the best fit.

What are Telehandlers and Boom Lifts?

Aerial lifts come in various forms and serve many functions for lifting personnel and equipment. Telehandlers and boom lifts are two common types of aerial lifts used widely in construction and maintenance work.

Defining Telehandlers

A telehandler, sometimes called a telescopic handler, is a type of boom lift with multiple articulating joints, allowing it to move horizontally and vertically. This gives telehandlers more versatility compared to standard boom lifts.

Telehandlers come in two main varieties – those with a fixed boom and those with a rotating cab and boom. The fixed boom type has a limited range of motion, while the rotating type can rotate up to 360 degrees, making it more maneuverable. Telehandlers are also available as compact, heavy lift, rough terrain, and other specialized models depending on the job requirements.

Defining Boom Lifts

Boom lifts, also known as aerial work platforms or cherry pickers, are elevated work platforms that elevate workers safely carrying workers and materials. There are different types of boom lifts, including articulating, telescopic, and atrium lifts.

Articulating boom lifts have a joint arm that can reach various angles, while telescopic boom lifts extend in a straight line. Atrium zoom boom lifts are articulating lifts suited for uneven terrain. Boom lifts are commonly used for maintenance, construction, and window cleaning where access is needed at a high height. Both indoor and outdoor models are available, some running on electric power for indoor use.

Some key things to note about telehandlers vs boom lifts and boom lifts:

Telehandlers can handle a variety of attachments for applications like lifting, moving, and placing materials. This makes them very versatile.
Boom lifts are better suited for tasks requiring access over long horizontal distances or where tight maneuvering is essential.
Choosing between a telehandler and a boom lift depends on the work environment and job scope. Compact boom lifts may be preferable for indoor spaces, while telehandlers suit rough outdoor conditions.
Safety training and certification are necessary for operating aerial lifts as work is performed at height. Proper maintenance of lifts also ensures safe working conditions.

Types of Telehandlers

Telehandlers come in different varieties to suit diverse applications. The two main types are standard fixed boom telehandlers and rotating telehandlers. Each type has its advantages depending on the tasks.

Standard Fixed Boom Telehandlers

Standard fixed boom telehandlers feature a non-rotating cab and a fixed telescopic boom. As the name suggests, the boom cannot rotate and only extends upward. This type of telehandler generally has a lower range of motion than other varieties. Due to its limited movement, it is suitable for applications that require lifting objects within a set area, like construction sites and farms.

The fixed boom provides stability for precise material placement during tasks like bricklaying and assembling formworks. It also allows easy loading and unloading of construction materials and agricultural produce into and from trucks and storage areas without needing extensive space.

Standard fixed boom telehandlers are commonly used in the construction and agricultural industries where work is performed within a defined boundary.

Rotating Telehandlers

Rotating telehandlers address the issue of the limited range of motion found in standard fixed boom varieties. The boom can also extend vertically upwards in rotating telehandlers, and the entire cab and chassis can rotate up to 360 degrees. This feature gives operators unprecedented flexibility to perform tasks in tight spaces and reach difficult areas.

The rotating telehandler remains stationary during rotation, making it safer than telescopic forklifts that move the entire machine for turns. Rotating telehandlers are suitable for applications requiring frequent repositioning and versatility.

Like loading/unloading trucks, assembling formworks around obstacles, lifting materials over barriers, and maneuvering in restricted job sites between buildings, they are suitable for the construction, landscaping, infrastructure, and utility maintenance industries where tasks must be performed around barriers.

Orange and beige articulated boom lift with extended platform on a white background

Types of Boom Lifts

Different types of boom lifts serve various job site needs. The right boom lift choice depends on the work environment and tasks. The main types are articulating boom lifts, telescopic boom lifts, and atrium lifts.

Articulating Boom Lifts

An articulating boom lift has a platform that can rotate 360 degrees at the end of a jointed arm, allowing it to access challenging areas. It uses a turntable that swivels vertically and horizontally for maximum flexibility.

This makes it well-suited to indoor spaces or other restricted areas with obstacles that require maneuvering around. Some models have zero tail swing for confined job sites and indoor applications like warehouses where space is limited. Articulating booms can extend up to 125 feet vertically and horizontally and reach out, almost equaling their height, making them a good option for tasks that need to be performed at heights.

Telescopic Boom Lifts

A telescopic boom lift functions differently, with a stationary platform on an extendable arm that stretches out in a straight line. It provides lift workers a long reach across distances rather than flexibility of movement.

An operator uses the telescopic boom by lengthening the arm horizontally before raising or lowering the platform vertically up to 185 feet on some models. This makes it suitable for outdoor uses like construction, where heights are needed without obstacles. Telescopic booms offer stability for tasks like servicing equipment on cell towers due to their rigid structure compared to articulating models.

Atrium Lifts

An atrium lift is an articulating boom lift designed for indoor spaces like atriums in large buildings. It has tracks on its chassis like excavators instead of wheels, allowing use on rough indoor surfaces. This provides mobility that articulating booms with wheels cannot match.

Atrium lifts are narrower and lighter than other options, and they can access confined areas like between building floors or under balconies. Their vertical reach of 60 feet is suited to indoor maintenance and construction tasks at heights in open or enclosed atriums, warehouses, and other similar structures.

Key Differences Between Telehandlers and Boom Lifts

Telehandlers and boom lifts are aerial work platforms that serve important purposes for various industries. Understanding the key differences between these two equipment types will help contractors, building owners, and facility managers determine the best option for their needs and work environments.

Purpose and Design

Telehandlers are designed primarily for lifting and transporting heavy objects, with customizable attachments allowing them to handle various materials. Boom lifts, on the other hand, are focused on elevating workers and equipment to complete tasks at heights. While telehandlers resemble forklifts in base design, both boom and lifts come in articulating and telescopic models to achieve different reach capabilities.

Range of Motion

Telehandlers feature rotating models that can spin 360 degrees, keeping multiple boom sections of the machine’s body stationary. They also have fixed boom options with a lower range of motion best suited to construction and agriculture. Boom lifts are available as articulating models for enhanced maneuverability around obstacles or as telescopic variants optimized for maximum vertical reach. Zero-tail-swing articulating booms minimize space requirements in tight indoor areas.

Lifting Capacity

Telehandlers are suitable for heavy-duty applications with rated capacities from 6,000 to 14,000 pounds, depending on size. Their lifting attachments facilitate tasks like positioning bricks, gravel, or lumber. Boom lifts are designed with smaller platforms that usually hold one to two workers performing tasks at height. While telehandlers specialize in material handling, boom lifts emphasize elevating personnel and lighter equipment loads.

Attachments

A telehandler’s versatility stems from customizable attachments that expand its lifting functions. Options include forks, hooks, buckets, spreaders, and work platforms. Boom lifts commonly feature spill guards, tool trays, and panel cradles to complete high-elevation jobs safely. Proper safety training is needed to operate boom lifts and attachments according to OSHA regulations.

In conclusion, telehandlers and boom lifts play important roles in construction and industrial operations, but with key differences in design focus, range of motion, lifting capacity, and available attachments. Contractors should evaluate these factors and specific job site needs to determine the best aerial work platform for each application.

Frequently Asked Questions (Telehandlers vs Boom Lifts: What Sets Them Apart?)

A telehandler is an aerial boom lift with multiple moving joints that can move horizontally and vertically. It also has customized attachments for versatility. A boom lift is an elevated work platform with workers and materials to access high places. While both are aerial lifts, a telehandler provides more mobility and the ability to handle various loads through attachments compared to a regular boom lift.

An articulating boom lift can rotate 360 degrees and has an arm with joints that allow it to bend and position the platform at various angles. A telescopic boom lift with restricted platform capacity extends and retracts through hydraulic sections in a straight line like a telescope. It provides greater horizontal reach than an articulating boom, which is better for tight spaces due to its flexible arm.

Some disadvantages of a boom lift include its limited capacity, as most models hold only one or two workers. It is also susceptible to malfunctions in extreme weather since it relies on hydraulics. Special training is required to operate a boom lift safely, which increases costs. Regular maintenance is needed to keep the hydraulic systems of the stick boom functioning properly.

A forklift is designed for lifting and transporting materials using its fork attachments. In contrast, a boom lift is an elevated work platform providing height access for workers and equipment. A boom lift’s articulating or telescopic arm allows vertical and horizontal movement, whereas a forklift moves heavy loads only by driving with the load raised on its forks. A boom lift’s platform can rotate and is safer for high work than a forklift.

No, while a telehandler is a common boom lift, not all are telehandlers. A telehandler has additional moving joints and customized attachments that provide more versatility in load handling compared to a regular boom lift. Both are aerial lifts, but a telehandler can function similarly to a forklift when equipped with fork attachments, whereas a standard boom lift is designed only for elevated access.

Telehandlers vs Boom Lifts: What Sets Them Apart?