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At Genie, we receive calls on a regular basis from jobsite supervisors and contractors regarding operators wanting to use homemade attachments on mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs) and/or using MEWPs to lift materials in a manner that is not consistent with the designed purpose of these type of machines. There are a lot of aspects to this issue that must be taken into consideration, but the underlying theme is that MEWPs are typically designed to lift people and their tools to overhead work locations. In some cases, the operator's manual will indicate if the MEWP can be used to lift materials. Using the machine for anything other than the activity specified in the operator's manual could result in death or serious injury.

Regarding operators placing unapproved or non-engineered material handling devices on, or hanging them off of the platform guardrails, that practice is not allowed by the ANSI A92 standards or by Genie, and for good reason. One critical detail that many people fail to take into consideration is the relatively low maximum allowable side force on aerial platforms. Booms typically have a maximum allowable side force of around 150 lb, and electric scissor lifts are typically 100-200 lb, depending upon the model. That is why overhanging loads should never be placed on a MEWP unless a manufacturer-approved attachment (or one that meets the Genie Material Handling Guidance) is used, and the provided instructions are strictly followed.

Per ANSI A92 Standards

Modification or alteration of a MEWP or the fabrication and attaching of frameworks, or the mounting of attachments for holding tools or materials onto the platform or the guardrail system, shall only be accomplished with the prior written permission of the MEWP manufacturer.

Per Genie

• Do not modify or alter a MEWP without prior written permission from the manufacturer.
• Do not place or attach fixed or overhanging loads to any part of this machine.
• Mounting attachments for holding tools or other materials onto the platform, toeboards or guard rail system can increase the weight in the platform and the surface area of the platform or the load.
• Do not use the machine as a crane. Do not place loads outside the platform perimeter.

Solutions

Genie offers many options and accessories that are designed to allow operators to do their jobs more efficiently and help provide an additional level of safety to their work environment. These are typically designed to lift relatively light loads and the operational and instructional documentation provided with each attachment must be strictly followed.

As always, the weight of the operators, tools and materials must never exceed the overall capacity of the machine.

Here’s a rundown of what material handling accessories are available for our booms and scissor lifts.

Boom Accessories

Pipe Cradle
Pipe cradles reduce the risk of injury and fatigue by providing operators with a safe and secure way to lift pipes when working from an articulating or telescopic boom. Genie^® pipe cradles with up to 200-lb capacity deliver stability and rigidity with a robust design which transfers the load away from the guard rails and onto the platform deck. The pipe cradle assembly mounts easily to the platform guardrails with U-bolts and rests on the floor of the platform when installed.

Plate Glass and Panel Cradle Package

This package allows the operator to lift panels up to 250 lb outside the existing guard rails of the boom platform. It includes two cradles with hardware, two foam cushions and a load retaining strap. The cradles can be mounted on the end of the platform or on the side, increasing productivity. The two foam cushions can also be placed in any position on the rails to protect the panel.

Scissor Accessories

Panel Carrier

The panel carrier accessory provides a convenient and safe method of securing drywall, plywood, and siding or window panels up to 160 lb to the scissor lift as they are installed at height. The panel carrier provides quick and easy attachment and removal and can handle panel sizes up to 4 ft x 12 ft and loads up to 160 lb.

The Genie scissor lift panel carrier has been tested to ANSI, as well as meets all Genie safety standards for stability and performance, and is approved for use on Genie GS™-2046 and GS-2646 scissor lift models only.

Pipe Cradle Accessory

Designed, tested and approved by Genie, pipe cradles reduce the risk of fatigue by providing a safe and secure way to lift pipes when working from a scissor lift. Genie scissor lift pipe cradles with up to 200-lb capacity deliver stability and rigidity with a robust design which transfers the load away from the guardrails and onto the platform deck. The pipe cradle assembly mounts easily to the platform guardrails with U-bolts and rests on the floor of the platform when installed.

Lift Tools™ Material Carrier

Approved for use in ANSI (United States) and CSA (Canada) markets, the Genie Lift Tools™ Material Carrier attachment is designed to accommodate a wide range of materials and higher load capacities than a standard pipe cradle attachment. It can accommodate more than one pipe, can be positioned on the scissor lift’s main platform or extension deck, can still be used with the extension deck retracted and can be installed laterally or longitudinally. The Genie Lift Tools Material Carrier attachment is approved for use on:

• Genie GS-2669 DC and RT models with a capacity up to 700 lb (317 kg)
• Genie GS-3369 DC and RT models with a capacity up to 500 lb (227 kg)
• Genie GS-4069 DC and RT models with a capacity up to 350 lb (159 kg)

High Capacity MEWPs

High capacity MEWPs are often a great solution for lifting materials.

Scissor Lifts

The highest capacity scissor lift that Genie manufactures is the Genie GS-3390 RT model with a 2,500-lb capacity and 39-ft of working height. It is designed for lifting heavy or large materials and is a good option for large jobsites. If you need to reach higher levels, the Genie GS-5390 RT model offers a 1,500-lb capacity with a 59-ft working height.

If you are looking at electric scissor lifts, the Genie Genie GS-2046 model offers a 1,200-lb capacity and 26-ft working height and the larger Genie GS-2669 model offers a 1,500-lb capacity and 32-ft working height.

Booms

The Genie S^®-60 X, S-80 X, SX™-105 XC, SX-125 XC and SX-135 XC booms all offer up to 1,000-lb capacity with automatic envelope control. At up to 660-lb capacity, these machines offer full range of motion. Above the 660-lb capacity threshold, these machines automatically restrict the range of motion,.

Please keep in mind that platform capacity assumes that the center of gravity of the load is within the platform envelope. Also, any attachments used on the machine will still have limited weight capacities as indicated in the associated manual.

This is a topic that needs to be taken into account when a job is being planned out and should be monitored throughout the duration of the job. If you have any questions or need any additional guidance, please contact Genie at 800-536-1800 or www.genielift.com.