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Frequently asked
EWP hire FAQs
Machine choice, training and licensing, safety checks, hire periods, delivery and cost — the questions we get asked before every hire.
If what you need isn't here, call us on 0800 447 3669 and we'll point you at the right machine.
What is an EWP?
An EWP — Elevated Work Platform — is a machine that lifts people, tools and materials to work at height. They are used in construction, building maintenance, electrical work, painting, signage, warehousing, industrial sites, tree work and facilities maintenance. Common types include scissor lifts, boom lifts, knuckle booms, cherry pickers, vertical masts, trailer-mounted lifts and truck-mounted lifts.
What is the difference between a scissor lift and a boom lift?
A scissor lift goes straight up and down. It suits work directly above the machine — warehouses, concrete slabs, indoor fit-outs.
A boom lift gives you height and outreach. Use one when you need to reach over an obstacle, around an awkward corner, or work somewhere the machine physically cannot park underneath.
How do I know what size EWP I need?
It comes down to working height, whether you need horizontal outreach, indoor or outdoor use, ground conditions, machine width and weight limits, how many people are going up, and what they are taking with them.
Photos of the site, the height you need to reach, and any access restrictions make this a two-minute conversation instead of a guess.
Do I need training to operate an EWP in New Zealand?
Yes. Operators must be competent on the type of machine they are using. In practice that means completing recognised EWP operator training and being familiar with the specific machine in front of you.
Training covers site checks, machine controls, emergency lowering, fall protection, operating hazards and pre-start inspections.
Do I need a licence to operate an EWP?
There is no single EWP licence covering every situation — but operators must be trained and competent for the class of machine they are using. Some machines and sites also require additional qualifications, site inductions or unit standards.
Check what your site, your employer and the machine type require before you hire.
What EWP training does Total Access run?
Operator training on the machines you'll actually be using — scissor lifts, boom lifts, trailer-mounted units and vertical masts. Suitable for new operators, refreshers for existing ones, businesses onboarding staff, and contractors who need a ticket to get onto a site.
What safety checks should be done before using an EWP?
A pre-start inspection, every time. Tyres or wheels, brakes and steering, emergency stop, platform and ground controls, guardrails and gates, hydraulic leaks or visible damage, battery or fuel, alarms and lights, ground conditions, overhead hazards, and the machine's current inspection status.
If it looks damaged, unsafe, overloaded or wrong for the site — don't use it.
Do I need to wear a harness in an EWP?
It depends on the machine, the manufacturer's instructions, the site rules and the task. As a general rule, boom-type EWPs require fall restraint equipment attached to a certified anchor point. Scissor lifts may not always require a harness — but a risk assessment, the manufacturer's guidance and the site's requirements come first, every time.
Total Access recommends always wearing a harness.
Can I use an EWP near powerlines?
Working near powerlines is high risk and must be carefully planned. Safe approach distances, site controls and specialist advice may all be required before any work starts.
Always identify overhead services before operating an EWP. Never assume powerlines are insulated or safe to approach.
Can an EWP be used on uneven ground?
Some can, some absolutely cannot. Machines built for flat, hard surfaces are not rough terrain machines, and using one on a slope or soft ground is how people get hurt.
Tell us whether you're on concrete, asphalt, gravel, grass, dirt, a slope or broken ground, and we'll match the machine to it.
Can EWPs be used indoors?
Yes — electric scissor lifts, vertical masts and compact machines are built for it. They're the standard choice for warehouses, factories, shopping centres, offices and schools.
Things to check first: floor loading, machine width, turning space, doorway access, working height, ventilation, and whether you need non-marking tyres.
Can EWPs be used outdoors?
Yes, and most of our fleet lives outdoors — construction, building maintenance, roofing, signage, lighting and industrial work.
Outdoors adds wind, weather, slopes, traffic, pedestrians and overhead hazards like powerlines to the list. The machine has to be rated for outdoor use and operated inside the manufacturer's limits.
How much does it cost to hire an EWP?
It depends on the machine, the working height, how long you need it, where it's going and what else you need with it. A small electric scissor lift for an indoor job costs a good deal less than a large diesel boom for outdoor construction.
Send us the machine, the site, the dates and the job, and you'll get a real number rather than a range.
Can I hire an EWP for one day?
Yes. Hire runs from a single day through to long-term project hire, subject to what's available at your nearest branch.
Do you offer long-term hire?
Yes — for construction projects, maintenance contracts, industrial shutdowns, warehouse work and anything else that needs a machine on site for weeks or months rather than days.
Can you deliver to site?
Yes, delivery and collection both. When you book, give us the site address, access details, delivery window, a contact on site, and anything that will catch a truck out — narrow driveways, low clearances, loading zones, traffic management.
What should I tell you when booking?
Site address. Working height. Whether you need outreach. Indoor or outdoor. Ground surface and slope. Access restrictions. How many people on the platform. What they're lifting. Start date and rough duration. Any site-specific safety requirements.
Photos of the work area are worth more than any of the above.
Can you help me choose the right machine?
That's most of what we do. Getting the machine right is the difference between a job that runs and a job that stops — and hiring too much machine costs money, while hiring too little costs a day.
Do you do more than EWP hire?
Yes — heights services and rope access, material handling, lighting towers, fuel tanks, operator training, and scaffolding through our sister company.
Why Total Access?
The biggest and newest access fleet in the country, five branches from Auckland to Christchurch, machines serviced by CBIP technicians — and we train the operators ourselves, so the advice you get comes from people who run these machines.
How do I book?
Build an order list on the site and send it through, call us on 0800 447 3669, or email info@totalaccess.co.nz. Include the site, the height, the dates and any access restrictions and we'll come straight back to you.
Still not sure what you need?
Tell us the height and the ground conditions. We'll tell you what fits — and what won't.