- Location
- Ampthill, Bedfordshire
- Main postcode district
- MK45
- Nearby (straight line)
- Kempston (6 miles), Bedford (8 miles) and Dunstable (10 miles)
- Survey and quote
- Free, with a fixed written quote
A scissor lift table, often called a dock lift, is a powered platform raised and lowered by a hydraulic scissor mechanism to move goods between two levels. At a loading bay it lifts pallets and pallet trucks from ground level to the height of a trailer bed, making it a practical alternative to a raised dock where forming one is not possible.
Where does this fit at a dock in Ampthill?
Sites in Ampthill replacing an ageing dock lift should look at its LOLER examination history, as repeated defects can signal that replacement is due. Businesses in Ampthill receiving both vans and articulated trailers through one doorway can use a lift table to serve every bed height from the same opening.
Each lift table enquiry from Ampthill is surveyed and quoted in the same way as any other UK site, with groundworks for a pit priced separately.
We do not give a fixed price without seeing the site. A free survey in Ampthill lets us check the details that affect the job, and the written quote that follows is a fixed price for the agreed scope. We plan the work around your operation, arrange out-of-hours access if you need it and manage specialist installation engineers throughout. Handover includes testing, a demonstration and the paperwork you need for your records.
Should a dock lift be pit-mounted or surface-mounted?
A pit-mounted dock lift is best where pallet trucks need to roll straight on at ground level, while a surface-mounted lift suits sites where digging a pit is impractical or the lift may move later. Both raise goods to trailer height; the difference is how you get on at the bottom.
- Pit-mounted: the lift sits in a concrete pit so the platform is flush with the yard when lowered. Pallet trucks drive straight on. The pit needs drainage, and forming it is a structural job that may need building control approval.
- Surface-mounted: the lift stands on the existing floor and a short ramp leads on to the platform at its lowest height. No excavation, quicker to install and easier to relocate, but the ramp takes space and can be harder work with heavy loads.
Ground conditions, drainage, available space and the weight of your typical load usually decide it. We set out both options at survey where either would work.
What inspections does a scissor lift table need under LOLER?
A scissor lift table is lifting equipment, so it needs a thorough examination under the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER) at least every 12 months. If it lifts people, such as an operator riding with a pallet truck, the interval is every 6 months, unless a competent person draws up a written examination scheme instead. Which applies depends on the equipment and how it is used; your insurer or competent person will confirm.
In Northern Ireland the equivalent is LOLER (Northern Ireland) 1999, and the regulator is HSENI rather than HSE.
Thorough examination is separate from routine maintenance. The lift is also work equipment under PUWER, so it must be maintained in a safe condition between examinations.
We specify lift tables to BS EN 1570-1:2024, the current safety standard for lifting tables, and explain the examination regime at handover. Planned loading bay servicing can be arranged to fit around the examination dates.
The same published guide range applies across England; access, out-of-hours working and site conditions are confirmed at the free survey.
What we look at on site
- Traffic routes for vehicles and separation of pedestrians
- Asbestos register and any other site hazard information
- Age and condition of the equipment already in place
- Temperature requirements for chilled, frozen or ambient goods
- Lighting inside trailers and at the dock face
- Escape routes and pedestrian doors close to the bay
Options to discuss
Safety bellows and skirts
A flexible enclosure around the scissor mechanism that keeps hands, feet and debris out of shear and crush points, and helps keep the mechanism clean.
Guard rails and gates
Fixed rails and gated sides around the platform, arranged to suit the goods and how operators and pallet trucks move on and off the lift.
Planning, building control and safety law in England
Sites in Ampthill fall under the rules for England. Structural changes such as forming a new opening or a dock leveller pit may need Building Regulations approval, and external structures such as loading houses, canopies or new dock approaches can need planning permission from the local planning authority. We check what applies at survey and build any approvals into the plan.
Questions about scissor lift tables in Ampthill
Do you remove and dispose of the old equipment?
Yes, where it is part of the scope. When we replace doors, levellers, shelters or seals at a site in Ampthill, removal and disposal of the old equipment can be included and is itemised in the quote, so it is clear what is covered. If anything should be kept, such as a frame or motor that is still serviceable, we agree that at survey.
Can you work outside our normal operating hours in Ampthill?
Yes, by arrangement. Evening, night and weekend working can be planned so the installation causes as little disruption as possible to your loading schedule. Out-of-hours work can affect the price, so mention it at the survey and we will include it in the written quote. The agreed times are confirmed in the programme before the job starts.
Which building and safety rules apply to a site in Ampthill?
It depends on which UK nation the site is in. England and Wales use Building Regulations approval, Scotland uses building warrants and Northern Ireland uses building control approval from the council. Workplace safety is regulated by HSE in Great Britain and HSENI in Northern Ireland, and energy rules differ between nations. For your site in Ampthill, we check what applies at survey and design to it.
Can people ride on a dock lift?
Some lift tables are designed to carry an operator with the load, and others are for goods only. If the lift carries people, LOLER thorough examinations are typically needed every 6 months rather than every 12, unless a written examination scheme sets a different interval. Your insurer or competent person will confirm.
Can a forklift drive on to a scissor lift table?
Only if the lift has been designed and rated for forklift traffic. Most loading bay lift tables are built for pallet trucks, and a forklift's weight and wheel loads need a much heavier platform and mechanism. Tell us how you load at survey so the lift is specified correctly.
Scissor lift tables near Ampthill
Looking beyond Ampthill? Our pages for Kempston (6 miles), Bedford (8 miles) and Dunstable (10 miles) describe the same loading bay services and how to get in touch.
Other loading bay services in Ampthill
Full guide to scissor lift tables · Everything we do in Ampthill
Whether it is a new bay or a fault on an existing one, call us or request a quote for your site in Ampthill.