[Usittne] Personnel Lift recommendations?

[Clyde Tyndale]

Hi Chase,


I've used both kinds.

At Falmouth Academy, we have a mast style Genie.  I don't recall the model number.  We purchased a 
used reconditioned unit at a significant price reduction from a new one.  That was several years ago 
and it has been fine.  We share it with the maintenance department.  I'd say that for us, it's a 
toss-up as to whether it's used more often for maintenance or in the theater.  We got one that will 
go higher than we need in the theater because of maint. dept requirements.  Ours has a battery so 
that it does not need to be plugged in when in use.  We can plug it in to power to recharge 
overnight.  We have it safety inspected once per year.

Don't cut it too fine on the max working height.  Make sure it goes high enough that a short person 
can reach anything needed from the bucket/platform.  Once you have one of these, you or your maint 
dept will think of other uses for it that might need some more height.

Advantages of the mast style:

Lighter weight than the scissors unit.
Will fit through a standard single width door.
We can get it into our elevator (passenger elevator)
It can be put on a pickup truck if necessary.
Lower cost.

Disadvantages:
cannot be moved when in the up position.
the outriggers can get in the way on a crowded/cluttered stage
Have to adjust the outriggers before/after moving.
Room for only 1 person in the bucket.

I've used the self-propelled scissor unit elsewhere.

Advantage:
Can move when work platform is in up position - this is a real time saver.
The work platform is bigger - 2 people possible, more gear possible
no outriggers so it can get really close to obstructions and into tighter spaces.

Disadvantage:
Costs a lot more
Much heavier - a real consideration if you ever want to put it into an elevator.
May not fit through a standard single door.
Make sure the floor you use it on can take the weight.
It took me some practice to be able to drive it well from the work platform.
A careless driver can run it into things.


Both kinds are designed to be used ONLY on a level surface.  The modern ones have all kinds of 
safety devices that will prevent you from raising the bucket/platform if it is too far from level. 
The mast styles have safety switches on the outriggers that prevent raising the bucket/platform if 
the outriggers are not in proper position.  The self-propelled scissors unit I used some years ago 
had an alarm on it (similar to a back-up alarm and just as loud and annoying) that sounded whenever 
it was traveling.

Good luck and enjoy!

Clyde Tyndale
Falmouth Academy



On 4/22/2015 8:34 PM, Rozelle III, Chase F. (Performing Arts) wrote:
> Sorry to write to you all twice, but the subject heading wasn’t right on the first one, and I’m
> really hoping to get some help on this.
>
> From: "<Rozelle III>", Administrator <rozellec at easternct.edu <mailto:rozellec at easternct.edu>>
> Reply-To: USITT New England Section Mail List <usittne at mit.edu <mailto:usittne at mit.edu>>
> Date: Wednesday, April 22, 2015 at 7:28 PM
> To: USITT New England Section Mail List <usittne at mit.edu <mailto:usittne at mit.edu>>
> Subject: Re: [Usittne] Flame Retardant Plotter Paper
>
> I’ve been asked to spec a personnel lift.  We’ll be using in a proscenium /thrust with a 21 foot
> tall proscenium and in a studio theatre with a 20 foot tall wire tension grid.  How tall am I going
> to want it to be to be useful in the proscenium/thrust theatre? Do I want a mast style lift or a
> scissors type lift.  Any opinions on this would be appreciated.  Do any of you have a favorite
> manufacturer or model?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Chase
>
>
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