Aerial Work Platforms
Aerial work platforms or AWPs are engineered and designed to elevate workers and their tools to a particular height in order to carry out a job. The particular unit and manufacturer and kind of equipment all varies. Before aerial work platforms were made, all jobs which need work at high levels needed to be carried out with scaffolding. Therefore, the invention of aerial work platforms has increased the overall productivity of similar tasks and kept many workers safe.
The three key kinds of aerial work platforms are boomlifts, mechanical lifts and scissorlifts. These types of machinery could be operated with pneumatics, mechanically making use of a rack and pinion system or with screws or by hydraulics. These models may be self-propelled with controls at the platform, they may be unpowered models which require an external force to move them or be mounted to a vehicle in order to be transported.
John L. Grove was an American industrialist and inventor who is widely credited to devising the aerial work platform. Nonetheless, in the year 1966, before the very first model of JLG, a company called Selma Manlift launched an aerial lift unit.
John L. Grove together with his wife decided to take a road trip during the year 1967. This was after selling his previous company Grove Manufacturing. They opted to stop at Hoover Dam. While the couple was there, Grove unfortunately saw 2 workers electrocuted while they were working on scaffolding. This tragic incident led John Grove to discover an untapped market for a new product which can raise workers safely in the air for them to perform maintenance and construction jobs in a better way.
Once John returned home from his vacation, he purchased a small metal fabrication company and formed a partnership together with 2 friends. They immediately started designing ideas for the aerial work platform. The new business was named JLG Industries Inc. They proudly released their very first aerial work platform in the year 1920 with the aid of 20 employees.