TAIL LIFTS
Tail lifts are designed to be fitted to the body or chassis mounted on a vehicle. The vast majority are mounted to commercial vehicles although some are mounted to pick up trucks and ambulances. Those designed to carry goods and an operator are designed to meet the Supply of Machinery Safety Regulations 1992 and the draft standard PREN1756 part 1. Those designed to carry passengers are covered by part 2, of this document. Tail lifts fall into different categories although the basic purpose is the same. Tail lifts which have a platform which stows in the vertical position behind the body of the vehicle, can be either cantilever or column type. In the main Cantilever lifts, have a platform which is opened, closed, raised and lowered using the hydraulic system provided. These are mounted to the chassis of the vehicle, large platforms can be provided and they can be used as a levelling aid between the dock and the vehicle body. Common applications for Cantilever lifts are:
Column Lifts have the platform of the lift raised and lowered using the hydraulic system, but the platform is generally opened and closed using manual assistance. These are mounted to the body of the vehicle; they can be raised vertically as well as horizontally. Common applications for Column lifts are:
Lifts, which stow under the vehicle body, are generally known as: Tuckaway, up & under, slideway & Zoom; these are normally fitted to the chassis of the vehicle. These fall into two categories. Those which are hydraulically stowed and those which are manually stowed. Tuckaway and up & under normally have double folding platforms which are folded manually, before being raised and stowed. This type of lift is particularly useful where the lift is only required for occasional use. It is simple to operate. Slideaway and Zoom lifts normally have a single fold to the platform and are stowed hydraulically. This type of lift is suitable for refrigerated bodies, as its installation does not affect the body construction. Pig lifts and 2 tier lifts. These are normally mounted to the body of the vehicle and are designed to lift to at least 2 deck heights. The Pig lift is used for the transportation of animals, where double deck trailers are utilised. The 2 tier lift is a variation on the above and is used for transportation of specialist equipment such as racing cars. Passenger lifts. These lifts have been designed to specifically lift persons often in a wheel chair. They are normally mounted to small vehicles and have to meet different criteria for design than commercial lifts. Secretary
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