- Location
- Middleton, Greater Manchester
- Main postcode district
- M24
- Nearby (straight line)
- Chadderton (2 miles), Oldham (3 miles) and Prestwich (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.
What should sites in Middleton consider?
Town-centre and retail sites around Middleton with little yard space often choose a dock lift because a recessed approach ramp would take up too much room. Older industrial buildings in Middleton built with ground-level doors only can use a scissor lift table to load trailers without excavating the yard.
Food, drink and pharmaceutical sites around Middleton that need clean, controlled loading points may prefer a lift table with bellows enclosing the scissor mechanism.
Step one is a survey at your site in Middleton, which costs nothing and carries no obligation. Step two is a written quote with a fixed price and a clear scope. Step three is installation, scheduled around your operation and carried out by specialist installation engineers working under our management, including evenings or weekends if agreed. Step four is handover, when the equipment is tested in front of you and the paperwork is passed over.
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.
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.
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
- Wheel guide positions and yard markings for reversing vehicles
- Drainage on recessed or sloping dock approaches
- Traffic routes for vehicles and separation of pedestrians
- Control positions, isolators and any existing interlocks
- Yard gradient and the slope of the approach to the dock
- Gaps around trailers where heated or chilled air escapes
Options to discuss
Surface-mounted lift table
Stands on the existing floor with a short ramp on to the platform at its lowest height. No excavation, a quicker install and easier to relocate later.
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.
Which rules apply in England?
Sites in Middleton 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 Middleton
What warranty comes with new loading bay equipment?
New equipment comes with the manufacturer's warranty, which varies by product. Our workmanship terms are set out in writing in the quote for your Middleton site, so you can see what is covered before you commit. Check the warranty terms for any servicing conditions, and we can quote for planned maintenance once the installation is complete.
Is the site survey in Middleton 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.
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 Middleton, 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.
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 Middleton
Sites close to Middleton get the same service, including those in Chadderton (2 miles), Oldham (3 miles) and Prestwich (4 miles), with every job run the same way.
Other loading bay services in Middleton
Full guide to scissor lift tables · Everything we do in Middleton
Speak to us about your Middleton loading bay. We will ask the right questions, then set out the next step clearly.