Working at height can be incredibly risky, especially in narrow places that are hard to reach. Although expensive, proper equipment is necessary.
If you don’t have the budget to invest in your access platforms, the best alternative is to rent one out. This especially goes if you need it for a singular project and you won’t need to use it on a regular basis.
Besides saving on costs, there are many other benefits of hiring access platforms.
Here we’ll go over them all, so keep on reading to learn more about the topic in question.
1. Save on time
Access equipment must go through regular servicing and maintenance in order to be compliant with the relevant industry requirements and regulations. This usually takes a lot of time and money, especially if you don’t have much experience in the industry.
No matter if you’d be outsourcing or hiring maintenance technicians for your equipment needs, you’d be spending a lot of your time and resources just to get your machines working. It’s certainly not something you want to do if you’re not dealing with at-height projects very often. It would be a waste of your precious time and money.
Hiring access platforms is a great way to „bypass“ this particular issue. Professional hire companies will do the work for you – all of their machines will be regularly serviced before they’re up for hire. You won’t have to worry about malfunctions or regulatory issues when you decide to hire your access equipment, which can speed up your daily operations in a major way. All of this lets you focus on other parts of running your business, which could gain you a competitive advantage against your competitors.
2. Improve safety
As we’ve already mentioned before, the safety of your workers should be your primary concern. Working at height is already risky as it is – using quality equipment is of the utmost importance. If you’re not very knowledgeable about access platforms, buying one for your company can be a daunting task. This is exactly where a hire company can help you – their business depends on their reputation. What that means is that they’re likely to offer the best equipment available in the industry, thus making your choice incredibly easy.
Naturally, all of this will improve the safety of your operations. Your workers will be able to access the trickiest of spots with ease, which reduces the risk of potential injuries and improves the quality of your projects at the same time.
Of course, you have to make sure to choose a reliable supplier in order to achieve all we’ve discussed above. Read up on their reviews and ratings, and don’t forget to inquire about their experience.
3. Avoid storage issues
Access platforms can be incredibly bulky and difficult to handle, especially if you don’t have a large warehouse where you can store them. It’s yet another benefit of renting the equipment instead of purchasing it. The hiring agency will handle the storage demand aspect of it – you can take the platform when you need it, and just bring it back once you no longer require it.
Even if you have enough storage at your disposal, it can always be used for something else – the more the merrier.
If you want to find out more about the process of hiring access platforms, you can do so online. As we’ve mentioned, it’s fairly straightforward: you hire an access platform, do the job you require it for and return it to the hiring company. Most companies will charge you by the hour, which only makes it more cost-effective.
Either way, if you don’t have the space for such a large piece of equipment in your warehouse, hiring an access platform can be an excellent solution to your problem.
4. Getting expert advice
Hire companies won’t just lend you the equipment: they’ll also help you choose the best type of machinery for your needs. This type of expert advice can be extremely meaningful if you’re only getting into this industry. The best part about it? You won’t have to pay extra for it! Most hire companies provide professional assistance as a part of their routine services.
As we’ve mentioned, hiring companies can give you access to the top industry experts and their professional opinions. This can be of major significance for smaller companies that are not yet experienced with working at height.
Even if you’re planning on buying a platform in the future, the advice you get from a hire company can help you make the best choice for the specific projects your business is handling. So, overall, if you require professional advice regarding your access equipment needs, renting is your best option.
5. Try it before you use it
Another advantage of hiring access platforms is that you’ll get a chance to try them out before you decide to use the service. In this way, you’ll know exactly whether the machine fits the requirements for your projects or not. This is rarely the case when you’re purchasing the equipment instead.
Besides, if you decide you need a bigger platform, making the switch would be incredibly easy. All you need is to call the agency and ask for another machine. It’s not only quicker, but it’s also much cheaper than having to purchase a new piece of equipment once your business starts growing.
So, if you’re a small business that’s only starting to develop, renting the machinery simply makes more sense than spending your entire budget buying it.
The bottom line
As you can see, hiring access platforms comes with many different benefits – it’s cost-effective and time-efficient and provides you with expert guidance on the matter. It’s a perfect solution for companies that are in development, but it can also be quite useful for experienced businesses looking to venture into new projects.
We’re not saying you should always hire your equipment instead of buying it, but in the situations we’ve covered throughout this article, it’s a superior solution.