What is a MEWP? Types, uses and how to choose the right one

If you work in construction, facilities management, arboriculture, or any industry that involves working at height, you’ll hear the term MEWP regularly. It’s the industry-standard term for the category of machines most people know as cherry pickers, scissor lifts, and spider lifts.

This guide explains what a MEWP is, the main types available, what each one is used for, and how to work out which machine is right for your application.

What does MEWP stand for?

MEWP stands for Mobile Elevating Work Platform. It’s the technical term for any machine designed to safely lift people to work at height. The term replaced the older acronym MEWP (Mobile Elevated Work Platform) following the introduction of the EN 280 and ISO 16368 standards, though both versions are still widely used interchangeably in the UK.

If someone refers to an access platform, aerial work platform (AWP), or elevated work platform (EWP), they’re talking about the same category of equipment.

What are MEWPs used for?

MEWPs are used wherever people need safe, controlled access to work at height – across a huge range of industries and applications:

• Construction – steelwork, cladding, roofing, inspection, and maintenance during build
• Facilities management – lighting, HVAC, cleaning, and building maintenance in commercial properties
• Warehousing and logistics – accessing high racking, stock picking, and warehouse infrastructure work
• Arboriculture and landscaping – tree surgery and canopy work where a compact tracked machine can access soft ground
• Utilities and telecoms – overhead line work, mast maintenance, and street furniture installation
• Events and film production – rigging, lighting, staging, and set construction
• Ecclesiastical and heritage – working inside and around historic buildings where ground pressure and access width are critical

The right MEWP depends entirely on the application – working height, ground conditions, indoor or outdoor use, access constraints, and how frequently the machine needs to move.

What are the main types of MEWP?

MEWPs are classified into different categories depending on how they move and how they deliver the platform to height. Here’s a breakdown of the main types.

Scissor lifts

Scissor lifts raise the platform vertically using a linked cross-brace mechanism – straight up, no outreach. They’re stable, have a large platform deck, and can carry multiple operators and tools simultaneously.

Electric scissor lifts are the go-to machine for indoor work – warehouses, retail, offices, and facilities – where zero emissions and quiet operation are essential. Rough terrain diesel scissor lifts handle outdoor construction sites and uneven ground.

Working heights typically range from 6m to 15m. Scissor lifts are IPAF category 3a.

Articulated boom lifts (cherry pickers)

Articulated boom lifts – the machine most people call a cherry picker – use a knuckle-jointed boom that can bend around obstacles, giving operators both vertical height and horizontal outreach. The articulation makes them versatile for working around structures, over parapet walls, and in situations where a direct vertical approach isn’t possible.

Self-propelled articulated booms are used heavily in construction, facilities maintenance, and events. Working heights range from around 10m up to 26m on larger self-propelled models. IPAF category 3b.

Telescopic boom lifts

Telescopic boom lifts extend straight out rather than articulating – giving maximum horizontal outreach for their working height. They’re the right choice for open sites where you need to reach far from the machine’s base – bridge inspection, large construction projects, and heavy industrial applications.

Rough terrain telescopic booms are built for outdoor sites and can operate on gradients that would stop a wheeled electric machine. IPAF category 3b.

Tracked spider lifts

Tracked cherry pickers – also known as spider lifts – run on rubber tracks and deploy articulating outriggers to stabilise before lifting. Their defining characteristic is their ability to access ground that wheeled machines can’t: soft turf, slopes, fragile flooring, confined indoor spaces, and narrow gateways.

A compact tracked spider lift can typically pass through a single doorway, track across a landscaped garden without marking it, and reach working heights of 13m to 40m+ depending on the model. The Hinowa range in particular is the market leader for lightweight tracked machines.

Spider lifts are IPAF category 1b.

Trailer-mounted boom lifts (towable cherry pickers)

Trailer-mounted boom lifts are towed to site behind a standard tow vehicle, deployed manually or with a small motor, and provide aerial access without the cost of a self-propelled machine. They’re practical for contractors who need to move between sites regularly and don’t want the transport logistics of a full MEWP.

Working heights range from around 10m to 20m+ for larger trailer models. IPAF category 1b.

Vertical mast lifts and push-arounds

Vertical mast lifts and push-arounds are compact, low-level platforms for indoor maintenance work – typically used as a safer alternative to ladders and podium steps at working heights up to around 8m. Electric-powered, minimal footprint, easy to manoeuvre through doorways and in occupied spaces. IPAF category 3a (self-propelled) or 1a (push-around).

MEWP IPAF categories explained

IPAF (the International Powered Access Federation) classifies MEWPs into categories based on how they move and how the platform is delivered:

• Category 1 – boom-type MEWPs where the platform moves independently of the base. Divided into 1a (push-around/static) and 1b (mobile, self-propelled or vehicle-mounted)
• Category 3 – MEWPs where the platform moves only within the base footprint (scissor lifts, mast lifts). Divided into 3a (non-boom) and 3b (boom type)

Your IPAF PAL card shows which categories you’re trained to operate. If you’re buying a machine for your team, make sure they hold the right category licence for it. APS offers IPAF training for all categories.

Do I need a licence to operate a MEWP?

There’s no legal requirement for a specific licence to operate a MEWP on a private site – but operators must be trained and competent. In practice, the IPAF PAL card is the industry-standard proof of training and is required by most principal contractors, site managers, and facilities teams before allowing anyone to operate a machine.

MEWP operators who aren’t properly trained are a risk to themselves and others – and the duty holder (employer or site manager) carries legal responsibility under both LOLER and PUWER if an untrained operator is involved in an incident.

What LOLER obligations apply to MEWPs?

All MEWPs used to lift people must be thoroughly examined every six months under LOLER 98 (the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations). This examination must be carried out by a competent person – typically an IPAF CAP-certified engineer – and a Report of Thorough Examination (the LOLER certificate) must be issued.

Every machine APS supplies is delivered with a current LOLER certificate. We also provide LOLER thorough examinations nationwide, included as standard in our fixed-price service plans.

For a full explanation of LOLER and what it requires, see our guide: What is LOLER? A plain-English guide for access platform operators.

Buying vs hiring a MEWP

If you’re using a MEWP regularly – more than a few times a month – the economics of ownership tend to stack up against hire fairly quickly. Hire costs vary widely by machine type and region, but for frequent users the cumulative cost of hire often exceeds the purchase price of a machine within two to three years.

Buying also gives you guaranteed availability, a machine spec’d to your exact application, and full control over maintenance standards. Approved used MEWPs from APS are a cost-effective entry point – inspected and refurbished by our own engineers, supplied with a LOLER certificate and 90-day warranty.

If you’re not sure whether buying or hiring makes sense for your volume of use, our team can help you work through the numbers.

How to choose the right MEWP

The main questions to answer before specifying a machine:

• Working height: Add the operator’s height and working reach to the platform height – the platform height required is typically 2-2.5m below the working height.
• Indoor or outdoor? Electric machines are for indoor/smooth surfaces. Diesel and rough terrain machines are for outdoor and uneven ground.
• Ground conditions: Soft ground, slopes, or fragile surfaces need a tracked machine. Solid concrete or tarmac opens up the full range.
• Access width: If you need to pass through a doorway or narrow gate, the machine’s travel width is critical.
• Horizontal outreach: Scissor lifts have no outreach. Articulated and telescopic booms can reach over obstacles. Spider lifts have significant outreach relative to their footprint.
• Mobility: Self-propelled machines drive under their own power. Trailer-mounted need a tow vehicle. Push-arounds are moved manually. Tracked spiders run on tracks.

If you’re working through this for the first time, call our team on 01480 891251 and describe the job. We’ve been matching customers to the right machine for 35 years – it’s usually a short conversation.