- Location
- Billingham, County Durham
- Main postcode district
- TS23
- Nearby (straight line)
- Stockton-on-Tees (2 miles), Middlesbrough (2 miles) and Thornaby-on-Tees (4 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 Billingham?
Businesses in Billingham receiving both vans and articulated trailers through one doorway can use a lift table to serve every bed height from the same opening. Split-level buildings near Billingham sometimes use scissor lift tables internally to move pallets between floor levels without relying on forklifts and ramps.
Where ground conditions in Billingham make a deep recessed dock costly, a pit-mounted or surface-mounted lift table can be the more practical option.
Our part of the job in Billingham is to survey, quote and manage; the fitting itself is done by specialist installation engineers working under our management. The survey and the written quote are free. Once the fixed price is accepted, we agree dates that work around your deliveries and shifts, including out-of-hours working where needed. Every installation is tested before handover, and you receive the documentation for each item fitted.
What safety features should a loading bay lift table have?
A loading bay lift table should protect people from the scissor mechanism, stop if anything is trapped under the platform, and stop people or loads falling from the edges. Lift tables are specified to BS EN 1570-1:2024, and common features include:
- Toe guards: trip bars or sensitive edges around the platform underside that stop the lift descending on contact.
- Safety bellows or skirts: a flexible enclosure that keeps hands, feet and debris out of shear and crush points.
- Guard rails and gates: on open sides, sized to how people and pallet trucks move on and off.
- Bridge plate: a hinged plate that rests on the trailer bed to bridge the gap.
- Hold-to-run controls: the lift only moves while the button is held, with a stop button within reach.
- Hydraulic protection: valves that stop the platform dropping if a hose fails.
- Maintenance props: supports that hold the platform up safely during servicing.
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.
Survey checklist for your dock
- Clear opening width and height for each door
- Control positions, isolators and any existing interlocks
- Scope to convert ground-level doors into docks or add lift tables
- Forklift and pallet truck loads crossing the leveller platform
- Headroom above the opening and which track type will suit it
- Age and condition of the equipment already in place
Options to discuss
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.
Pit-mounted dock lift
Set in a concrete pit so the platform lowers flush with the yard, letting pallet trucks drive straight on. The best choice for frequent, heavy loading at a fixed door.
Which rules apply in England?
Lift tables and dock lifts in Billingham may fall under LOLER, with thorough examination at least every 12 months, or every 6 months where people are lifted. It depends on the equipment and how it is used, and your insurer or competent person will confirm. Dock levellers are usually treated as work equipment under PUWER. We check what applies at survey.
Questions about scissor lift tables in Billingham
Can you work alongside our main contractor on a new build in Billingham?
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.
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 Billingham, 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.
How long does installation take at a site in Billingham?
It depends on the equipment, the number of bays, the condition of the dock and whether any building or electrical work is needed. We agree a programme with you after the survey, setting out which bays are out of use and when. Larger jobs are usually phased so that part of the dock stays open, and out-of-hours working can be arranged.
How often does a lift table need servicing?
A lift table needs routine maintenance as well as its LOLER thorough examinations. Many sites combine the two so the lift is serviced shortly before each examination. The right maintenance frequency depends on how heavily the lift is used, and we agree it with you at handover.
Can a scissor lift table be installed outdoors?
Yes, scissor lift tables are often installed outdoors at the loading door. Outdoor lifts need a drained pit or a suitable base, weather-resistant finishes and controls, and sometimes a canopy over the loading area. A canopy is an external structure that may need planning permission, which we check at survey.
Scissor lift tables near Billingham
Businesses outside Billingham may find their nearest town in this list: Stockton-on-Tees (2 miles), Middlesbrough (2 miles) and Thornaby-on-Tees (4 miles). Each page covers doors, docks, repairs and servicing.
Other loading bay services in Billingham
Full guide to scissor lift tables · Everything we do in Billingham
Send a few photos of the dock and a short description of the problem, and we will come back to you about your Billingham site.