- Location
- Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear
- Main postcode district
- NE1
- Nearby (straight line)
- Gateshead (1 mile), Gosforth (2 miles) and Felling (2 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 Newcastle upon Tyne?
Older industrial buildings in Newcastle upon Tyne built with ground-level doors only can use a scissor lift table to load trailers without excavating the yard. Sites in Newcastle upon Tyne 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 Newcastle upon Tyne with little yard space often choose a dock lift because a recessed approach ramp would take up too much room.
Before anything is ordered, we visit your site in Newcastle upon Tyne for a free survey and then send a written quote with a fixed price. From that point we manage the installation, coordinating delivery, access and any other trades. Fitting is done by specialist installation engineers engaged and managed by us, at times that suit your operation, including out of hours where agreed. You get a tested installation, a demonstration for your team and the manufacturer documentation.
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.
What we look at on site
- Escape routes and pedestrian doors close to the bay
- Temperature requirements for chilled, frozen or ambient goods
- Lighting inside trailers and at the dock face
- Condition of any existing leveller pit, kerb angles and pit drainage
- Whether planning, building control or a building warrant may be needed
- 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.
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.
What do the rules in England mean for the work?
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 Newcastle upon Tyne. 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 Newcastle upon Tyne
Is the site survey in Newcastle upon Tyne 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.
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 Newcastle upon Tyne 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.
How do you price scissor lift tables for a site in Newcastle upon Tyne?
Guide budgets for supply and fit are £9,500 to £28,000 per lift, excluding VAT. The figure moves with size, insulation, the operator, electrics, access, any pit or groundworks and out-of-hours working. Where levellers are involved, the guide assumes an existing, sound pit. After the free survey you receive a fixed written quote, and that is the price for the agreed scope.
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 people ride on a dock lift?
Some lift tables are designed to carry an operator with the load, and others are for goods only. If the lift carries people, LOLER thorough examinations are typically needed every 6 months rather than every 12, unless a written examination scheme sets a different interval. Your insurer or competent person will confirm.
Scissor lift tables near Newcastle upon Tyne
The same survey, quote and repair service is available in towns around Newcastle upon Tyne, such as Gateshead (1 mile), Gosforth (2 miles) and Felling (2 miles).
Other loading bay services in Newcastle upon Tyne
Full guide to scissor lift tables · Everything we do in Newcastle upon Tyne
Ready to talk about a loading bay in Newcastle upon Tyne? Call us, or send the details through the quote form.