Logistics centres and high-bay warehouses: which aerial work platform for maintenance?

A defective sprinkler pipe on the top rack level, the annual stocktake at a height of 12 metres, a light fitting hanging right above the narrowest aisle. Maintenance work in a high-bay warehouse has one common problem: the racks are high, the aisles are narrow, and warehouse operations should continue as normally as possible in the meantime. Not every aerial work platform fits through these aisles – and not every one reaches high enough.

This article explains which platform suits which situation in a high-bay warehouse and what to consider during planning.

For rack maintenance, stocktaking or replacing lighting at heights of up to about 12.65 m, the mast lift is the most compact solution. Models such as the JLG Toucan or the Haulotte Star work purely vertically, without a lateral boom, and have exactly the properties a high-bay warehouse demands: a very narrow width that fits through tight aisles and normal doors, non-marking tyres that leave epoxy floors and industrial parquet undamaged, and an electric drive that works quietly and free of local emissions alongside ongoing order picking. The load capacity of around 200 kg is sufficient for tools and smaller spare parts (Mast lifts from Luibl Rental).

If this height is not sufficient, the high-rack scissor lift comes into play. This special class is built specifically for modern logistics centres in which standard machines are either too wide or too low, and covers working heights from 18.50 m to 33.00 m. It is suitable for narrow aisles and matched to common aisle widths in high-bay warehouses, while load capacities of 500 to 1,000 kg also allow larger maintenance and conversion work. The top model in the Luibl rental fleet is the Holland Lift HL330_E14_4WDS with a working height of 33 m (High-rack scissor lifts from Luibl Rental).

Working height is the first and most important filter: up to around 12 m, a mast lift is usually sufficient; for the top levels of modern high-bay systems above 18 m, the high-rack scissor lift is the right choice. Both machine types are designed for narrow aisles, but the exact aisle width ultimately decides the specific model – so a look at the actual width in the warehouse is worth more than an estimate based on rack height alone. It is also important whether the machine has to travel at extended height: certain high-rack scissor lifts can do this, which saves considerable time when stocktaking across several rack compartments, and this should be stated in the enquiry. The floor covering – industrial parquet, epoxy or sensitive coatings – requires non-marking tyres, which are standard on both machine types in the Luibl rental fleet. And because warehouse operations usually continue as normal during maintenance, an electric drive is almost always a given: quiet, odourless, with no exhaust fumes in the enclosed hall.

In everyday use, both platform types are mainly used for the annual stocktake on the upper rack levels, for sprinkler installation and maintenance under the hall ceiling, for replacing lighting above aisles and rows of racks, for repairing damaged rack bays after impacts by forklifts, for laying cables and lines along the hall ceiling, and for converting and extending rack systems during ongoing operations.

To make sure the chosen machine actually fits on the day of use, more than just the rack height should be known in advance. The exact aisle width decides whether the model fits through at all, while ceiling height and obstacles such as sprinkler pipes, ventilation ducts or cable trays often reduce the usable working height more than initially assumed. The floor covering should be stated in the enquiry so that the right tyres are supplied straight away, and because maintenance work during regular order picking usually requires an aisle closure, it pays to agree a clear time window. If the machine runs over several shifts, battery charging times must also be planned.

Because forklift and pedestrian traffic are almost always moving in parallel in a high-bay warehouse, the aisle concerned must be cordoned off during the job so that no one crosses paths. On the platform itself, personal fall protection equipment is used in line with Government Regulation No. 147/2013 Coll. (work at height), and every operator must have written confirmation of verified expertise issued by a certified inspection technician (Section 17(3) Decree No. 508/2009 Coll.) before first use. The inspection and test certificate is available with every machine from the Luibl rental fleet on handover anyway.

It starts with the enquiry stating rack height, aisle width, floor covering and the planned time window. This is followed by a suitable quote including transport, supplemented if necessary by a consultation on the aisle width based on photos or plans. Delivery is by low-loader from our own fleet, with the operator briefing directly in the warehouse. During the maintenance or stocktaking work, technical support is available for questions, and at the end the machine is collected on the agreed date – with a credit for early return.

Whether a compact mast lift for rack maintenance up to 12 m or a high-rack scissor lift for the top levels up to 33 m – what matters is the exact combination of height, aisle width and floor covering. Luibl Rental advises you on the right machine before the wrong platform blocks the aisle.

➜ Send a no-obligation enquiry now – we will find the right platform for your warehouse.

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