Aerial Work Platforms
AWP or aerial work platforms are designed and engineered to raise workers and their tools to a particular height in order to do a task. The particular unit and manufacturer and kind of machine all varies. Before aerial work platforms were made, all tasks requiring work at high levels needed to be done with scaffolding. Therefore, the invention of aerial work platforms has increased the overall productivity of similar tasks and kept a lot of workers safe.
There are 3 key kinds of aerial work platforms. They are boomlifts, mechanical lifts and scissorlifts. These machinery are able to be operated with pneumatics, mechanically using a rack and pinion system or with screws or by hydraulics. These models may be self-propelled with controls located at the platform, they may be unpowered models that require an external force to move them or be mounted to a vehicle so as to be transported.
The aerial work platform was devised by John L. Grove, an American inventor and industrialist. However, during 1966, before JLG's very first model, a company called Selma Manlift introduced an aerial lift unit.
John L. Grove together with his wife decided to take a road trip during the year 1967. This was after selling his previous business Grove Manufacturing. They decided to stop at Hoover Dam. While the couple was there, Grove unfortunately witnessed 2 employees electrocuted while they were working on scaffolding. This terrible incident led John Grove to discover an untapped market for a new product that could safely lift workers in the air for them to perform construction and maintenance tasks in a better way.
John bought a small metal fabrication business and formed a partnership along with 2 friends, when he returned home from his vacation. The small business immediately started designing ideas for the aerial work platform. The new company was named JLG Industries Inc. They proudly launched their very first aerial work platform during 1970 with the aid of 20 workers.