- Location
- Keynsham, Somerset
- Main postcode district
- BS31
- Nearby (straight line)
- Kingswood (3 miles), Mangotsfield (5 miles) and Bristol (5 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 Keynsham?
Each lift table enquiry from Keynsham is surveyed and quoted in the same way as any other UK site, with groundworks for a pit priced separately. Older industrial buildings in Keynsham 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 Keynsham that need clean, controlled loading points may prefer a lift table with bellows enclosing the scissor mechanism.
For scissor lift tables in Keynsham, we begin with a free site survey and a fixed written quote, so you know the scope and cost before committing. We take responsibility for managing the job, and specialist installation engineers carry it out under our supervision. Bays are taken out of use in a planned sequence so the rest of the dock keeps working, and evening or weekend work can be arranged. Each item is tested at handover and the documentation is left with you.
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
- Wind exposure at the dock, which affects door and shelter choice
- Clear opening width and height for each door
- Power supply at each bay, including three-phase availability
- Traffic routes for vehicles and separation of pedestrians
- Condition of any existing leveller pit, kerb angles and pit drainage
- 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.
Regulations and approvals in England
Powered doors and dock equipment installed in England may carry the UKCA or the CE mark, and doors are covered by the product standard BS EN 13241. We hand over the relevant documentation for each item fitted in Keynsham. Planning and Building Regulations questions are never assumed either way: we check what applies at survey, so you know before work is booked.
Questions about scissor lift tables in Keynsham
Will you deal with building control and planning for a project in Keynsham?
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.
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 Somerset 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.
What details do you need from us to quote for scissor lift tables?
To get started, send the site address in Keynsham, the number of bays or openings, approximate sizes, and photos of the dock from inside and outside. Tell us what vehicles you load, what goods you handle and any temperature requirements. Drawings help on new builds. We then arrange the free survey and confirm the details before the written quote is issued.
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 Keynsham
The same survey, quote and repair service is available in towns around Keynsham, such as Kingswood (3 miles), Mangotsfield (5 miles) and Bristol (5 miles).
Other loading bay services in Keynsham
Full guide to scissor lift tables · Everything we do in Keynsham
For a written price on loading bay work in Keynsham, request a quote and include photos of the bay if you can.