Lift Table Buying Guide - How to Choose the Right Lift Table

Lift tables are one of the most common pieces of material handling equipment you’ll find in a warehouse or industrial setting. Scissor lift tables greatly increase your facility’s production rate while significantly reducing the risk of ergonomic-related injuries to your workers. For these two reasons alone, it makes excellent economic sense to buy a lift table for your business.

The only problem with lift tables is there are a lot of makes, modhttps://cherrysind.com/wp/wp-admin/tools.phpels and capacities to choose from. Not all lift tables are created equal by any measure. Choosing the right lift table might seem confusing if you’re not familiar with the best lift tables available on today’s market. That’s why we’ve prepared this guide to lift tables that’ll help you make the best decision to serve your material handling needs.

What Are Lift Tables?

In their most basic form, lift tables are work platforms capable of being raised and lowered by a mechanical means. Most lift tables use a scissor mechanism connected between the upper platform or deck and the lower base. As the scissor component extends or descends, it articulates on hinged joints or pivot pins that maintain the mechanism’s integrity. Cam rollers and bearings also support a lift table’s mechanical ability to handle designated loads.

Lift tables have many different configurations and capabilities. They also employ various power sources to safely operate the lift mechanism while the load is raised, held stationary during product transfers and then lowered back to the floor. Furthermore, quality-built lift tables have safety features designed to protect the operator and the goods they’re handling.

Common lift table applications include handling palletized freight being loaded or offloaded in a warehouse or other industrial setting. The main purpose of using a lift table is to bring the work to an operator’s ergonomic comfort zone so they won’t have to unnecessarily bend, reach or overexert themselves, which places them at risk to muscular-skeletal disorders (MSDs).

Using lift tables in your warehouse or other material handling facility will greatly reduce employee fatigue and repetitive motions that lead to MSD injuries. Muscular-skeletal disorders are the most common injury in the nearly 1.2 million people working in the American warehouse and storage sector. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 31 percent of overall warehouse and storage sector worker injuries were MSD related. Most injuries were sprains and strains that could have been prevented by using ergonomically designed equipment like lift tables.

One of the main benefits of using a lift table is being able to position the platform and its load within a worker’s comfort area. This is called the power zone. It’s the region between the knees and the shoulders where a person has the strongest control without exposing themselves to excessive reach or stoop.

Part of informing yourself about the ergonomics involved in lifting materials is educating yourself on the National Institute of Safety and Health (NIOSH) and U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) publication Ergonomic Guidelines for Manual Material Handling. This is a valuable resource in understanding ergonomic safety and worker performance that is greatly enhanced by using lift tables.

How Do Lift Tables Improve Safety?

Engineers design lift tables to help workers handle heavy loads or constant-spaced repetitive tasks that can tire or hurt them. Properly designed and correctly chosen lift tables allow warehouse or other working conditions to fit the individual worker rather than having the worker being forced to unnaturally fit the task at hand.

The material handling guide from OSHA and NIOSH talks about ergonomics as being “6-Es”. This is where workers use equipment exertion and energy to complete their tasks efficiently, effectively and effortlessly. Using lift tables in a working environment clearly checks off all the 6-Es. Lift tables also mitigate ergonomic injury risk by reducing or eliminating these five conditions contributing to MSD injuries:

Forceful exertions: Lift tables bring the load inside the worker’s power zone. The worker has no need for forceful exertions when using a lift table.
Repetitive motions: Repeated exertion and forcing a worker outside the power zone places workers in a high risk of developing muscular-skeletal issues. Lift tables reduce or remove repetitive motion.
Awkward postures: Using a lift table prevents workers from being exposed to awkward or unnatural postures. Turntable lifts are especially helpful at eliminating awkward postures.
Static postures: Staying in one posture for extended periods can also cause MSD injuries. Lift tables allow workers flexibility to freely move about their power zone.
Pressure points: Pressure or pinch points also place workers in danger of injury. Professionally engineered lift tables have design features to minimize the risks of being caught or injured in the lift mechanism.

When choosing the right lift table for your facility, it’s vital to look at the ergonomic features and benefits each lift table design offers. It’s also critical to choose a lift table designed for your particular application. Although many lift table models, makes and purposes are available, there are four main lift table types on the American market.

Lift Table Types

When choosing the right lift table for your application, one of the first things to consider is what type of table you need. You likely have particular requirements such as your material makeup, weight capacity and environmental concerns. Those are the main parameters to identify before deciding what type of lift to choose.

It’s paramount you fit the type of lift table to your working environment. It’s not practical or realistic to modify your existing conditions to a certain lift type. Here are the four main lift table types you can choose from:

Each of these four main lift table types has different applications. Each lift table also has unique benefit as well as certain features made to fit your facility. The key to buying the right lift table is understanding what makes a specific table the right choice for you. Let’s examine these lift table types in more detail.

1. Level Loader Lift Tables

Level loader lift tables let your workers handle material in comfort and safety within their power zone. These tables ergonomically position work at a height preset by the operator. They can raise, lower or alter platform positions as they see fit to suit their individual builds.

Some level loader lift tables have spring designs. This feature allows your lift table operator to specify an exact height they want the platform to remain at throughout the load or unload cycle. Because of a built-in memory feature, the lift table automatically adjusts itself as the weight increases or decreases.

Other level loader lift tables have turntable designs. Their carousel platforms revolve 360-degrees, which adds to worker ergonomic comfort and safety. Level loader selections include different power sources like electric, hydraulic, pneumatic and manual operation. Here are examples of top-selling level loader lift tables:

Palletpal 360 Spring Table Lift: The Palletpal 360 turntable lift model has a unique spring design that compensates for load adjustments. The operator presets the height to a comfortable position, and the lift automatically adjusts up or down as the load weight changes. This is a quality Southworth product with the Palletpal 360 capable of holding between 400 and 4,500 lbs. It has a 28-inch maximum table height.
P3 Pneumatic Pallet Lift Table: The P3 Pneumatic pallet lift table is a top-performing Presto product. This is a compressed air driven mechanism capable of raising up to 4,500 pounds to a maximum height of 28 inches. The P3 Pneumatic lift table has a turntable top, allowing 360-degree load access without your operator changing positions.
PPA Powered Palletpal Series: The PPA Powered Palletpal Series is a Southworth brand line of pneumatic lift tables. These lifts have airbag mechanisms that allow it to raise and lower with foot controls. The PPA lift table series accommodate pallet weights of 4,000 pounds and lift to a 33.5-inch platform height. Turntable or rotating deck tops are ergonomically made to minimize worker strain and MSD risks.
Palletpal Mechanical Lift Table: The Palletpal mechanical lift table best suited for clean room and high sanitation applications has a stainless steel construction with a stress-relieving turntable top. This is a non-powered lift table with spring design. Made by Southworth, its maximum capacity is 4,500 pounds at a lift height of 28 inches.

2. Stainless Steel Lift Tables

Stainless steel lift tables are non-corrosive designs that best suit clean environments where hygienic concerns are paramount. Typical industries using stainless steel lift tables are medical companies, pharmaceutical processors and those handling products in the food and beverage industry. Stainless steel lift tables are easy to decontaminate and keep in pristine condition.

In situations where federal regulators like the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) set sanitary standards, there is no other practical option than using stainless steel lift tables. Compliance requirements have little or no flexibility. To conform, your best choice is one of these stainless steel lift tables:

SSSC Stainless Steel Lift Cart: The SSSC stainless steel lift cart is a base-line material handler best suited for pharmaceutical, medical or food service industries. You can choose from two convenient sizes. The small version lifts 200-pound loads to 30 inches while the larger SSSC model carries 400 pounds up to 36 inches from the base. Both SSSC lift carts have hand-operated hydraulic pumps which are also stainless steel.
EZ4000 Sanitary Low Profile Lift Table: The EZ4000 low profile lift table has a sturdy T304 stainless steel frame and rectangular platform. This clean-room lift table holds 4,000 pounds at a 36-inch total height and has a 115-volt electric-hydraulic mechanism. Its elevation time from bottom to top is 30 seconds. The EZ4000 is USDA-approved for all food and pharmaceutical processes.
EZ2500 Sanitary Low Profile Lift Table: This table features a raised lip around the edge of the table and lowers to the floor for easy access with carts, hand trucks or tubs. The hydraulic lift mechanisms can support up to 2,500 pounds and raise to a height of 37 inches. Its elevation time is 20 seconds to raise and 8 seconds to lower.
SSL2-36 Stainless Steel Lift Table: The SSL2-36 lift is non-corrosive stainless steel. This makes it perfect as a rectangular platform model set in high standard industries like pharmaceutical and food supply facilities. Its platform measures 24×48 inches and has a high reach lift of 36 inches. The SSL2-36 stainless steel lift table carries up to 2,500 pounds and is a Southworth product.

3. High Level Lift Tables

For extended reach where maximum elevation is constantly in demand, your best lift table choice is a high level model. These scissor lifts have a far-reaching capacity that the other lift types can’t achieve. High level tables stretch far beyond human capabilities.

An example of where you’d want a high level lift table is in warehouses with second-floor storage. These lift tables also work well with mezzanines. These are some of the high level tables you have to consider:

LSH10-96 High Level Lift Table: The LSH10-96 high level lift table elevates loads up to 8 feet from the base or floor. This Southworth high level lift is massive and capable of a 10,000-pound raise while remaining safe to its operators. The LSH10-96 lift table works with hydraulic scissors and its elevation time is a speedy 102 seconds.
LSH5-144 High Level Lift Table: The LSH5-155 is a compact lift table with an astonishing 165-inch lift. This lift has a 72×144 inch work platform and carries a 5,000-pound load. As well, the LSH5-144 high level lift table’s elevation time is 125 seconds under a full load.
DXS30-5 High Level Lift Table: The DXS Series Electric scissor lifts are Presto brand. The DXS30-5 high level lift table is a similar model with a max lift height of 36 inches. It’s controlled by a 1/3 horsepower electric motor driving a hydraulic cylinder and can lift 500 pounds. The standard platform size is 16×24 inches but can be customized to as large as 30×36 inches.
DXS48-10 High Level Lift Table: The DSX48-10 is another Presto table in the DXS series. This table can lift up to 1,000 pounds and has a max height of 55 inches. The 48-10 is powered by a 1/2 horsepower motor. The standard platform is 24×48 inches but can be customized to 36×60 inches.

4. Floor Level Lift Tables

Floor level lift tables work at low levels handling palletized products just off the floor. These tables take pallets at floor level that are delivered by forklifts or hand trucks. Once workers load pallets onto a floor level lift table, they raise the loads a short distance to where it’s more comfortable to work.

You’ll find floor level lift tables popular in many warehouses that continually deal with products on pallets. Floor level lift tables speed up handling while making ergonomic conditions much safer for material handling specialists. These are your best choices in buying floor level lift tables:

Palletpal Floor Level Lift Tables: Floor level lift tables are a perfect warehouse solution for an aging and diverse workforce. Lift tables designed for floor level loading and then raising pallets to a short but comfortable position take bending strain away from workers who suffer from the effects of years on the floor.
RollC2.5-28 44 X 48: RollC2.5-28 floor level lift tables are roll-on and roll-off designs. They allow direct pallet loading on the floor with rolling material handling equipment like forklifts and hand trucks. This model takes 44×48 inch pallet stock in weights up to 2,500 pounds. The max height is 28 inches. The extremely narrow sides make it easy for workers to manage products held inside this floor level lift.
Sanitary Low Profile Lift Table: The Sanitary Low Profile lift table is a floor level model made for clean facilities This is a stainless steel floor lift with a 42×48 inch standard platform. The Sanitary Low Profile lift table handles 2,200 pounds and elevates the load to 35 inches above floor height.

Choosing the Right Lift Table for Your Job

Now that you have a good understanding of ergonomic factors and the four lift table types available, it’s time to choose the right lift table for your job. This requires a good grip on knowing what you need your lift for. The best step is making a list of all the reasons you need a lift table in your facility and what you want it to do.

Your lift table is a valuable addition to your material handling equipment inventory. It’s also a fairly significant investment, so you want to get it right. Here are other consideration points to help you choose the right lift table:

Capacity: You need to know how much your typical load weights are and size your lift to slightly exceed maximum expected weights.
Stroke: This is the industry term for the length of the lift’s reach. Like capacity, you want your lift table specified for a bit beyond maximum expected reach.
Size: This refers to your load platform or tabletop size. Lift tables elevating conventional pallets need a matching area whereas specialized lift sizes may be smaller.
Drive: Knowing what drive mechanism you need is critical in sourcing the right table. Common drives are manual, mechanical, electric, hydraulic, pneumatic or some combination of each.
Safety: If there’s one choice to get right, it’s selecting a lift table with suitable safety features that protect your workers and your products.

Lift Table Safety

If your workers operate professionally engineered and properly built lift tables according to the manufacturer’s guidelines, they should be inherently safe to use. However, nothing replaces specific safety rules regardless of how many safety features are built into the lift table you choose. Here are some tips and pointers about lift table safety:

Load placement: Always place the load in a position within its center of gravity.
Load capacity: Never exceed the manufacturer’s maximum capacity rating.
Table surface: Make sure the lift table platform surface has sufficient friction.
Training: Training is the key to safety and properly trained workers are safe workers.
Personal protective equipment (PPE): Provide your employees with the right PPE to do the job.
Maintenance: Follow the manufacturer’s maintenance schedule.

Benefits of Buying the Right Lift Tables

It’s tough to list all the benefits of buying the right lift tables. That’s because there are so many of them. Aside from worker ergonomic safety, which is a paramount and priority consideration, your productivity will increase and your damaged product rate will decrease. This translates into maximum material handling efficiency.

You’ll benefit from increased economics, better versatility and improved stability when raising loads to be managed in your facility. You’ll also have better morale through workers who feel their needs are recognized and appreciated. All these benefits come from partnering with the right lift table supplier.

Make Cherry’s Industrial Equipment Your Lift Table Partner

Cherry’s Industrial Equipment is your quality lift table supplier. No matter what lift table you need, Cherry’s can source it for you. We’ve been partnering with business owners like you for over 35 years to help efficiently solve material handling and warehouse challenges.

Contact Cherry’s Industrial Equipment today, and we’ll discuss what you need in a lift table that’s ideally designed for your facility. Call us at 800-350-0011. Or you can reach Cherry’s any time through our online contact form.

Lift Tables Buying Guide

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