Platform Lifts
Platform lifts are hydraulic lifts with a flat platform that may be used to move, lift, and/or transport people or items. They are often used in conjunction with lift trucks.
One common use for a platform lift is to provide handicapped accessibility. They may be installed over staircases or on their own to transport a person with a wheelchair or other assistive device. Other platform lifts transport personnel between vertical locations that are not accessible by stairs. Some platform lifts transport items and materials; for example, dumbwaiters transport small items between floors in bars and restaurants.
Important considerations when choosing platform lifts and lift trucks are carrying capacity, width, and means of propulsion. Some may be pushed manually, as in hand trucks, or they may be powered by gasoline, propane, or electric means. Electric and manual trucks are generally used indoors, in places like warehouses. Gasoline-powered trucks, on the other hand, are used outdoors for construction and scrap yards. Propane trucks can be used for both indoor and outdoor use, as in lumberyards.