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SAFETY

Safe and efficient lifting

Tips to help choose the right lift, use it correctly,
and get vehicles on the road faster.
by Gregg Wartgow, Contributing Editor
Photo from Stertil-Koni

A

vehicle lift can be one of the
most productivity-enhancing
pieces of equipment in
a shop. It can also be one of the
most dangerous, especially if the
wrong type of lift is being used or
technicians are not using it properly.
There are several styles of lifts to
choose from. Regardless of which style
is purchased, several leading manufacturers agree that the ALI Gold Label is
an essential feature to look for.
ALI is the Automotive Lift Institute.
According to its president, R.W. " Bob "
O'Gorman, one of the most important
considerations from a safety perspective
is whether or not the lift has been thirdparty tested and certified by ALI to meet
the requirements of North America's
applicable electrical and mechanical
safety standards.
" ALI recommends never buying an
uncertified lift, " O'Gorman says. " After
all, your safety is riding on it. Plus, in
most of the U.S. and Canada, local building codes require that only certified lifts
be installed. The International Building Code, which is in use or adopted
by all 50 U.S. states, requires that all
installed vehicle lifts conform with
ANSI/ALI ALCTV. "
It is also important to note that ALI
certification is a completely voluntary
program. While many lifts from many
leading manufacturers seek and attain the
ALI Gold Label, not all do. Looking for
that ALI stamp of approval is an important step in a fleet's lift-buying research.

WHAT TYPE OF LIFT DO YOU NEED?
Paul Feldman, director of marketing for

8 I Vehicle Lift Guide I March 2021

heavy duty lift manufacturer Stertil-Koni,
says another important research step is
to identify the parameters, requirements,
and limitations of the maintenance facility. Shops should also think about the
services being performed. Do technicians need access to the tires? How many
vehicles will be lifted over the course of
a day, and how heavy are those vehicles?
" There are many types of heavy duty
vehicle lifts, " says Peter Bowers, technical sales support manager at Stertil-Koni.
Arguably the most popular in a fleet
setting is the mobile column lift. Allister Collings, president of mobile column
lift manufacturer SLEC, says fleets buy
mobile lifts for two reasons. One is the
portability factor. The other is undervehicle access.
" The lift can be wheeled around the
shop and used in any work bay - even
outside should the need arise, " Collings

A shop needing to perform quick oil changes
can benefit from a lift they can drive a vehicle
on and off of easily, such as a platform lift.

says. " Then, accessibility is unobstructed
because all lifting devices are under the
tire, leaving everything else free. "
Once a user has decided to purchase a
mobile column lift, Collings says there are
two decisions that will guide the fleet in
a particular direction, provided that cost
isn't the overriding factor.
" Fleets can choose hydraulic versus
steel screw and bronze load nut, and
wired versus wireless, " Collings says,
adding that one is not necessarily better
than the other. " A hydraulic lift is faster
to raise and lower [approximately 94 seconds] which will appeal to some fleets.
The self-locking screw lift is a bit more
robust but will operate slower [approximately 150 seconds] for peace of mind. If
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