Scissor lift tables in Reading

Location: Reading, Berkshire
Main postcode districts: RG1, RG6 and RG30
Nearby (straight line): Lower Earley (3 miles), Wokingham (7 miles) and Crowthorne (10 miles)
Survey and quote: Free, with a fixed written quote

Scissor lift tables, in short

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.

What should sites in Reading consider?

Older industrial buildings in Reading built with ground-level doors only can use a scissor lift table to load trailers without excavating the yard. Sites in Reading replacing an ageing dock lift should look at its LOLER examination history, as repeated defects can signal that replacement is due.

Town-centre and retail sites around Reading with little yard space often choose a dock lift because a recessed approach ramp would take up too much room.

It starts with a free site survey in Reading, where we measure the openings, check the dock and talk through how the bay is used. You then receive a fixed written quote. Once you accept, we manage the job: specialist installation engineers carry out the work under our management, planned around your deliveries, and out-of-hours working can be arranged. At handover we test everything with you and leave the documentation.

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.

Guide price, Reading

£9,500–£28,000 per lift, ex VAT

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

Gaps around trailers where heated or chilled air escapes
How drivers are prevented from pulling away too early
Working hours, shift patterns and windows for out-of-hours work
Control positions, isolators and any existing interlocks
How often each door cycles during a typical shift
Wheel guide positions and yard markings for reversing vehicles

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.

Bridge plate

A hinged plate on the platform end that rests on the trailer bed during loading, bridging the gap so pallet trucks can cross smoothly between lift and trailer.

What do the rules in England mean for the work?

Sites in Reading 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 Reading

Is the site survey in Reading free?

Yes. For new installations, replacements, upgrades, conversions and complete bays, the site survey and written quote are free and come with no obligation. The survey lets us measure the openings, check the dock and structure, and understand how the bay is used, so the quote reflects your site. Repair and servicing visits are different: they are chargeable, with the price agreed before anyone attends.

Can you work alongside our main contractor on a new build in Reading?

Yes. For new warehouses and fit-outs, we can supply and install the dock package as part of a wider project, working to the main contractor's programme, site rules and permits. We will need drawings, dock levels and the programme, and we coordinate pit details, power supplies and door openings with the relevant trades before installation begins.

Is VAT included in your guide prices for scissor lift tables?

No. Our customers are businesses, so guide prices exclude VAT, which is added at the standard rate. The same guide range applies in Berkshire as everywhere else: for scissor lift tables, it is £9,500 to £28,000 per lift, excluding VAT. It covers supply and fit for a typical installation. Your fixed written quote after the free survey shows the net price, the VAT and exactly what is included.

Does a scissor lift table need a pit?

No, a scissor lift table does not always need a pit. Surface-mounted lifts stand on the existing floor with a short ramp at the bottom. A pit lets the platform sit flush with the yard so pallet trucks roll straight on, which suits frequent or heavy loading. We recommend one or the other at survey.

What capacity of dock lift do I need?

A dock lift needs a capacity above the heaviest combined load it will carry, including the goods, the pallet truck and an operator if they ride on it. Loading bay lifts are typically rated somewhere between 2,000 and 6,000 kg. We work out the right rating from your loads at survey.

Scissor lift tables near Reading

Businesses outside Reading may find their nearest town in this list: Lower Earley (3 miles), Wokingham (7 miles) and Crowthorne (10 miles). Each page covers doors, docks, repairs and servicing.