Quick answer: on a commercial solar job, an elevating work platform (EWP) is for getting people and their tools to the work. It is not the default way to lift pallets of panels onto a roof. Plan the panel lift separately (crane, materials hoist or another approved lifting method in your site plan), then choose the access machine on four checks: total platform load, the machine’s wind rating, the ground between the hardstand and the building, and how people reach the roof if the work is on it.
Access versus lifting solar panels
A scissor or boom lift has one rated load for everything on the platform: people, tools, fixings and any materials. Small quantities of rails, fixings or a few panels can ride on the platform only if the total stays inside that rating, the load sits inside the guardrails and the machine’s manual allows materials to be carried. Bulk panel delivery to roof level is a lifting task and needs its own method in the site’s plan.
Panels also catch wind. A flat panel held on a platform behaves like a sail, so carrying sheet materials is often more restricted in the manufacturer’s manual than carrying people.
Wind, platform load and roof access
- Total platform load. Add every person, tool, fixing and material. Take panel weights from the panel datasheet and compare the total with the rated load on the machine’s decal, not the brochure headline.
- Extension deck limit. Many scissor lifts have a lower limit on the extension deck than on the main platform. Our LGMG SR1018D 33ft rough terrain scissor is rated 454 kg on the platform but 140 kg on its 1.52 m extension deck (manufacturer specification).
- Wind rating. Outdoor-rated machines carry a maximum wind speed on the decal. Indoor-only machines must not be used in wind at all. Roof edges and gaps between buildings make gusts stronger than the ground reading. See EWP wind limits and weather planning.
- Getting onto the roof. Stepping off a raised platform onto a roof is not a normal EWP use. Do it only where the machine’s manual permits it and the site’s risk assessment and fall protection cover the transfer. Otherwise plan a stair, scaffold or other fixed access to the roof and use the EWP for work at the edge, the facade or the plant.
Worked load example
Two installers with tool belts, assumed at 100 kg each, use 200 kg of the SR1018D’s 454 kg rating. That leaves 254 kg for rails, fixings and materials on the main platform, and no more than 140 kg of the total on the extension deck. Use the real weights for your crew and materials; this example is only arithmetic.
Outdoor ground: rough terrain scissor lifts
Commercial solar access often starts from unsealed or uneven ground beside the building. A diesel rough terrain scissor lift has 4WD, outdoor ratings and a large platform. The SR1018D is 1.79 m wide, weighs 4,330 kg and reaches 11.7 m working height, with auto-levelling outriggers (manufacturer specification). Its weight means the ground still has to carry it: tracks or 4WD do not make soft or recently dug ground suitable. Check the route with the ground conditions guide.
If the route is uneven but firm, a tracked scissor lift may suit at lower heights. Tracked machines level themselves for set limits; they are not a fix for soft ground.
Inside the building: electric scissor lifts
Inverter rooms, cable runs and switchboards are indoor work on a slab. An electric scissor lift suits that side of the job. Our LGMG S1212E-2 40ft electric reaches 14 m working height with 320 kg on the platform (120 kg on its extension deck), is 1.19 m wide and runs on non-marking solid tyres for hard standing only. Its outdoor rating is limited, so check the decal before taking it outside.
Reaching over obstacles: boom lifts
Where the work is at a roof edge behind plant, a carport or landscaping, a boom lift can reach up and over from firm ground. Boom platforms carry less than large scissor lifts, and maximum height and maximum outreach are not available at the same time. Read the machine’s reach chart for your actual set-up position.
Duration and cost
Solar installs often run from several days to weeks, so the hire period changes the price. See the scissor lift hire cost guide for how daily, weekly and longer rates work.
FAQs
Can solar panels be carried on a scissor lift platform?
Only within the machine’s total rated load, inside the guardrails, and where the manufacturer’s manual allows materials on the platform. Wind on the panel is part of the check. Bulk lifting of panels to roof level needs a separate lifting method.
Which machine suits a commercial solar job?
It depends on the task: rough terrain scissor lifts for outdoor ground and edge work, electric scissor lifts for indoor electrical work, boom lifts to reach over obstacles. Tell us the heights, ground and loads and we will match a machine from the fleet.
Need a machine for this job? Get a hire quote and tell us the working height, ground, platform load and suburb, or call 0472 721 234.