At Horizon Platforms, we know that when you hire one of our Mobile Elevated Work Platforms (MEWPs), you’ll be considering not only the best machine for the job but also your goals as a business. So, if you’re a company that prizes sustainability in everything you do, you’ll want a powered access solution that helps to keep your carbon footprint low – and we’re more than happy to help you with that.
In this blog, we’ll unpack some of our most environmentally friendly MEWP choices, fuel types, equipment and more so that your work from height is as sustainable as possible.
What is ESG and Why is it Important?
ESG goals are the Environmental, Social and Governance goals you set for yourself as a business. These can include cutting back on carbon emissions, improving the culture of diversity and inclusion in your company or promoting sustainable economic growth.
Once these goals are set, a thought-out and data-driven strategy must be established to achieve them. This shows clients and investors that you are a responsible and conscientious business that takes accountability for the wider impact of your work.
- Sustainable Powered Access Platform Designs
In recent years, numerous MEWP brands have created innovative access platform designs to increase sustainability. These include the Peco and Ecolift.
Rather than using fuel power to lift and lower, these access platforms are operated using a handle manually rotated by an operator. This is an incredible way to reduce fossil fuel emissions and electricity use. However, it should be noted that Ecolifts and Pecolifts do not reach as high as many fuel or battery-operated scissor lifts and are mostly suited for indoor use.
Push-around platforms, in general, are also an excellent option for cutting down on fuel use. These platforms, rather than being driven from place to place, are pushed around manually and so only use fuel when lifting and lowering. However, these are only suitable for indoor use on even surfaces, such as warehousing or maintenance work.
If the work you are doing isn’t suited to these MEWP types, don’t worry. You can still reduce emissions and lessen your environmental impact with other solutions.
Want to know more about the future of MEWP designs? Take a Closer Look at Scissor Lift Technology: Advancements and Future Trends in our blog.
- Sustainable Access Platform Fuel Solutions
At Horizon Platforms, we proudly provide a range of scissor lifts and cherry pickers with different fuel types to suit your needs.
If you’re looking to move away from fossil fuels, our electric MEWPs are an excellent choice. Producing zero emissions, electric powered access platforms are perfect for companies with an ESG goal to reduce air pollution. Plus, they have a longer battery life than many diesel access platforms, meaning fewer replacements are needed, thus increasing sustainability.
However, there may be some instances where you require traditional fuel power in your MEWP work. You can still stick to your sustainability goals, though, thanks to our offering of hybrid fuel lifts. Using both oil-based fuel and electricity, hybrid scissor lifts allow you to use fuel when needed and switch back to electricity when possible, enabling you to benefit from fuel power while still cutting down on emissions.
Read our blog, Steps to Sustainability: Top Environmentally-Friendly Tips For Hiring a Cherry Picker, to learn more.
- Choose a Reputable Powered Access Platform Supplier
When you hire, buy or contract hire your MEWPs from a reputable and high-quality supplier, you know you’re getting the very best in access platform technology. Not only will these suppliers offer excellent MEWP brands, but these MEWPs will be expertly maintained and checked over before making their way to you.
The high quality of these machines and their maintenance will mean that they are long-lasting, energy efficient and robust, resulting in fewer replacement parts needed, reducing waste.
But not only that, when choosing a powered access supplier take the time to look out for commitments to quality, service and sustainability by reviewing their accreditations, company policies or sustainability benchmarking via EcoVadis, for example. That way, you will know if the platform supplier is dedicated to acting responsibly for customers, suppliers, partners and employees.
- Maintain Your Cherry Pickers and Scissor Lifts
Once you’ve hired or bought your MEWP, you can keep it efficient and, therefore, sustainable by being diligent with maintenance. This includes daily checks to keep on top of any damages or problems, helping you to stop minor issues escalating into bigger problems leading to unwanted expenditure or downtime. This should be a standard activity before each use of a machine, even if the access equipment’s LOLER is in date.
On top of this, you’ll want to keep your powered access platform well-maintained and clean to help it perform effectively and without requiring over-use of fuel or power. You should also ensure not to overexert your MEWP.
Our guide on the importance of MEWP maintenance will teach you more.
- Maintain Your Batteries
For electric access platforms, you’ll also want to ensure the batteries are well maintained, charging them overnight rather than relying on opportunity charging (charging as and when needed).
Giving your batteries regular, full charging rather than just the amount of charge needed for a certain task and keeping them at an adequate state of charge will increase their lifespan, as well as prevent them from freezing at low temperatures, reducing waste exponentially.
At Horizon Platforms, we also use Battery Regeneration Technology. This reverses battery damage, helping to prolong their lifespan. Discover more information in our blog, MEWP Battery Regeneration: Increasing Battery Life to Support Sustainability.
Hire a sustainable MEWP with Horizon Platforms today to complete your Work from Height in the most environmentally friendly way possible. You can also check out our Sustainability page for more information on how we keep eco-conscious with our work at Horizon.