Aerial Work Platforms
Aerial work platforms or AWPs are engineered and designed to elevate employees and their gear to a particular height in order to finish a job. The particular model and manufacturer and kind of equipment all varies. Before aerial work platforms were made, all jobs needing work at high levels needed to be done with scaffolding. Hence, the invention of aerial work platforms has kept a lot of workers safe and increased the overall productivity of similar jobs.
The three main types of aerial work platforms are scissor lifts, boomlifts and mechanical lifts. These types of machinery can be operated with pneumatics, mechanically via a rack and pinion system or with screws or by hydraulics. These models may be self-propelled with controls located at the platform, they may be unpowered models which need an external force to move them or be mounted to a vehicle in order to be transported.
The aerial work platform was created by John L. Grove, an American industrialist and inventor. Nevertheless, during the year 1966, before the first model of JLG, a company referred to as Selma Manlift introduced an aerial lift model.
John L. Grove together with his wife decided to take a road trip in the year 1967. This was after selling his previous business Grove Manufacturing. They opted to make a stop at Hoover Dam. While the couple was there, Grove unfortunately saw 2 employees electrocuted while they were working on scaffolding. This tragic event led John Grove to discover an untapped market for a new product that could safely raise workers in the air for them to do construction and maintenance jobs in a better way.
Once John returned home from his trip, he bought a small metal fabrication company and formed a partnership along with 2 friends. They soon began designing ideas for the aerial work platform. The new business was named JLG Industries Inc. They proudly launched their first aerial work platform in the year 1920 with the aid of 20 workers.