- Location
- Caernarfon, Gwynedd
- Main postcode district
- LL55
- Nearby (straight line)
- Llangefni (8 miles), Bangor (9 miles) and Holyhead (19 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 Caernarfon consider?
Town-centre and retail sites around Caernarfon with little yard space often choose a dock lift because a recessed approach ramp would take up too much room. Sites in Caernarfon replacing an ageing dock lift should look at its LOLER examination history, as repeated defects can signal that replacement is due.
Food, drink and pharmaceutical sites around Caernarfon that need clean, controlled loading points may prefer a lift table with bellows enclosing the scissor mechanism.
We do not give a fixed price without seeing the site. A free survey in Caernarfon 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.
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.
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.
The same published guide range applies across Wales; access, out-of-hours working and site conditions are confirmed at the free survey.
What do we check at the survey?
- Drainage on recessed or sloping dock approaches
- Traffic routes for vehicles and separation of pedestrians
- Scope to convert ground-level doors into docks or add lift tables
- Gaps around trailers where heated or chilled air escapes
- Control positions, isolators and any existing interlocks
- Forklift and pallet truck loads crossing the leveller platform
Options to discuss
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.
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.
Planning, building control and safety law in Wales
Equipment fitted in Wales may carry the UKCA or the CE mark. For each door, leveller or shelter installed in Caernarfon, we hand over the documentation that comes with it. Permissions are never assumed either way: whether planning permission or Building Regulations approval is needed, we check what applies at survey and tell you before dates are agreed.
Questions about scissor lift tables in Caernarfon
Will you deal with building control and planning for a project in Caernarfon?
We check at survey whether the work is likely to need approval. Forming a new opening or dock pit may need Building Regulations approval, a building warrant or building control approval, depending on the nation, and external structures such as loading houses can need planning permission. Where approval is needed, we explain what is involved, work with your designer or agent, and build it into the programme.
How long does installation take at a site in Caernarfon?
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.
Which building and safety rules apply to a site in Caernarfon?
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 Caernarfon, we check what applies at survey and design to it.
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.
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.
Scissor lift tables near Caernarfon
Distances are measured from Caernarfon. Nearby towns we cover include Llangefni (8 miles), Bangor (9 miles) and Holyhead (19 miles), and other towns in the area are covered too.
Other loading bay services in Caernarfon
Full guide to scissor lift tables · Everything we do in Caernarfon
Have photos of the door, leveller or shelter? Send them with your enquiry and we can give a clearer answer for your Caernarfon site.