Aerial Work Platforms
Aerial work platforms or AWPs are engineered and designed to elevate employees and their tools to a certain height in order to carry out a job. The specific unit and manufacturer and kind of equipment all varies. Before aerial work platforms were developed, all tasks requiring work at high levels needed to be done with scaffolding. Hence, the invention of aerial work platforms has kept many workers safe and increased the overall productivity of similar tasks.
The three key types of aerial work platforms are scissor lifts, boomlifts and mechanical lifts. These types of equipment are able to be operated with pneumatics, mechanically making use of a pinion and rack system or by hydraulics or with screws. These models may be self-propelled with controls located at the platform, they may be unpowered models requiring an external force to move them or be mounted to a vehicle so as to be transported.
The aerial work platform was devised by John L. Grove, an American inventor and industrialist. Nevertheless, in the year 1966, before the first unit of JLG, a company referred to as Selma Manlift launched an aerial lift unit.
John L. Grove and his wife decided to take a road trip during the year 1967. This was after selling his previous business Grove Manufacturing. They opted to stop at Hoover Dam. While the couple was there, Grove unfortunately saw 2 employees electrocuted while they were working on scaffolding. This terrible incident led John Grove to discover an untapped market for a new product which can lift employees safely in the air for them to do maintenance and construction tasks in a better way.
John bought a small metal fabrication business and formed a partnership with 2 friends, when he returned home from his vacation. The small company immediately started designing ideas for the aerial work platform. The new business was called JLG Industries Inc. They proudly launched their first aerial work platform in the year 1920 with the aid of 20 employees.