One very noticeable effect of the continuing emphasis on improving safety for Britain's agricultural and forestry workers is the increased use of powered access, sometimes called aerial work platforms. The ease with which the equipment can be hired, its relatively simple operation - provided the operator is properly trained - and the multitude of applications where powered access equipment can significantly improve productivity have all been contributing factors.

Today, powered access is used for a host of agricultural and related applications. These include jet washing and disinfecting of outbuildings and byres, roof repairs, painting and sealing, pruning and general forestry work.

But powered access comes in many shapes and sizes, so let us take a brief look at just what is available. Nationwide is the country's largest powered access rental company, with more than 6,000 machines in its fleet and 50 depots spread across the country. The company's website, which was recently judged to be the best of its kind in Europe, is a good starting point for newcomers. It can be found at www.nationwideaccess.com.

In addition to detailing all of the machines available for hire, the site helps the uninitiated to select the most appropriate piece of equipment. However, we do not all have access to the Internet, or it may not be the most convenient option at the particular time. Nationwide overcomes this by offering a quick-response free site survey service, where an expert from the nearest depot will visit and recommend the most suitable machine.

In fact, powered access comes in three forms; truck-mounted, scissor lifts and boom lifts. As the name truck-mounted implies, these units are mounted on the back of a truck and usually come with a driver/operator. They are particularly popular for forestry work, while scissor lifts are more appropriate when vertical access is required, but where there is no need for horizontal outreach. Certainly, boom lifts are the most popular for most farming applications, as they offer both vertical height and horizontal outreach, and can - again stressing the need for proper training - be operated by agricultural workers, who tend to be particularly adept at using an assortment of vehicles and mechanical equipment.

Currently Nationwide has more than 60 different boom lift models from which to choose. These include telescopic and articulated machines, with diesel, electric and bi-powered options. Units range from a compact articulating machine with a width of just 0.81 metres, a working height of 8.1 metres and an outreach of 2.6 metres, up to an industry-leading 40-metre platform height and 24.4-metre outreach telescopic model.

Specifications vary greatly from machine to machine; one of the reasons for Nationwide offering a free site survey. For example, models are available offering an exceptional turning radius and degree of manoeuvrability, thanks to an innovative four-wheel steer feature that includes front, rear, crab and coordinated steering functions.

Two of the Nationwide machines that are particularly popular are the Z45/25 diesel-powered articulating boom and the 26MRT diesel-powered scissor lift. Both are highly versatile machines, capable of working in virtually every type and size of farm outbuilding.

Among the latest additions to the Nationwide fleet are two new diesel-powered tracked crawler boom aerial work platforms. The LEO 25h has a working height of 25 metres, while the LEO 30h increases this to 30 metres. Independently adjusting, hydraulically operated outriggers mean that either model can cope with slopes as great as 28 degrees from the horizontal and, with a load of 200kgs in the cage, the outreach of both machines is 9.7 metres; at 80kgs, this is increased to 12 metres. The machines share 180-degree platform rotation.

With such a choice of working height and outreach configurations, hire rates vary from machine to machine. However, a typical weekly hire figure for one of the smaller booms is around £275, rising to £550 for a large, top-end machine.

Returning to the question of safety and the need for operators to be fully trained, Nationwide runs a number of fast-track one to three day training courses that are recognised by the IPAF [International Powered Access Federation]. The company also offers Power Guard, a damage waiver package that provides either Gold or Platinum protection while the Nationwide equipment is on hire. Details are included on the Nationwide website.

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September 2002 Nat2.063