Scissor Lift Tables

A scissor lift table brings the load to working height instead of making the operator bend to it — the quickest ergonomic win in most assembly, packing and machine-feeding areas. The GPC VULCAN scissor lift tables here comply with EN 1570:2011, the safety standard for scissor lifting tables, and are manufactured by GPC Industries Ltd (UK). This page covers the mobile scissor lift trolley we stock, how it compares with the static lift tables and pallet level loaders in our lifters & loaders range, and what to check before you order.

The VULCAN mobile scissor lift trolley

The double scissor lift trolley (model MLTD100Y) combines a 1,000 kg capacity with the extra travel of a double scissor mechanism, so one unit covers both low pick-up and raised working positions. It is raised by pump-action foot pedal — keeping both hands free to steady the load — and lowered under control by foot pedal. As a mobile scissor lift table it runs on two fixed and two swivel braked castors with wheel guards, so it doubles as a transport trolley: load at one station, wheel to the next, lift to height and lock the brakes. The price is shown inc. VAT on the product page.

Two things the listing does not publish, and which we will not guess at: the platform dimensions and the raised and lowered platform heights. If either matters to your application — it usually does for machine feeding, where the raised height has to meet the bed of the machine — ask before ordering and we will confirm with the manufacturer.

Mobile scissor lift table or static lift table?

The single most useful distinction in this category is whether the table moves. A mobile scissor lift trolley is a manual, foot-pumped unit on castors: it suits loads that travel between workstations, batch work where the table is repositioned several times a day, and sites with no convenient mains socket. A static lift table is bolted down and mains-powered, and it earns its place where the same lift is repeated all shift at one station — pallet building, machine loading, a fixed packing line.

The static lift tables in our range give a fair picture of what the powered option adds. From the listing: they comply with BS EN 1570 and BS EN 60204-1, run a 0.75 kW mains motor with a remote power pack, lift at 42 mm/sec with load for an 18-second full lift, and travel from a lowered platform height of 82 mm to a raised height of 760 mm at 1,000 kg. A 2,000 kg version is also listed. The PSL82U variant has a U-shaped platform with a 1,050 × 585 mm cut-out so a hand pallet truck can drive a pallet straight over it. Those figures are for the static tables, not the mobile trolley — the mobile unit's own heights are not published, as noted above.

Lift table, pallet level loader or Palletdisc?

If the job is specifically loading or unloading pallets by hand, a scissor lift table is not always the right instrument. Our pallet level loaders are self-levelling pallet positioners: as boxes are added the platform sinks and as they are removed it rises, keeping the top layer at working height with no power and no operator input. The standard unit (PLL1211) and the version with a bellows skirt enclosing the mechanism (PLL1312) are both listed. The same collection also lists the VULCAN Palletdisc (10-day lead time per the listing); its listing publishes no further specification, so ask before ordering.

For lifting a load rather than a whole pallet — a drum, a roll, a coil — look at the heavy-duty drum lifter (500 mm and 800 mm lift heights) or the VULCAN mini lifters, which have a removable platform over adjustable forks and are covered in the lifters & loaders collection.

Choosing a scissor lift table

• Capacity — rate the table for your heaviest regular load, not the average; 1,000 kg covers most palletised and boxed work. Remember the rating is for a load centred on the platform — an off-centre or overhanging load reduces what the table can safely take.
• Lift height and range — a double scissor design gives more height range than a single scissor of the same platform size. Match the raised height to the bed of the machine or the bench you are feeding; match the lowered height to how the load arrives (a pallet truck needs clearance under it, or a U-platform).
• Mobile or static — braked castors suit loads that move between stations; for fixed workstation feeding or pallet loading, choose a static table and see the pallet level loaders for spring-only positioning.
• Raise and lower control — foot-pedal pumping keeps both hands on the load. The double scissor trolley here also lowers by foot pedal, so the descent is controlled rather than dumped.
• Floor and route — a 1,000 kg load on four castors concentrates weight on a small footprint. Check ramps, thresholds and any raised floor before you commit to a mobile unit; a static table avoids the problem entirely.
• Standard — look for EN 1570 on the listing. It is the harmonised standard for lifting tables and the reference point for the PUWER inspection regime below.

Compliance, inspection and delivery

Scissor lift tables are work equipment under PUWER 1998, so build them into your inspection schedule, keep the mechanism clear of debris and make sure operators know the foot-pedal lower is the only way to bring the platform down. Where a table is used to lift people it falls under LOLER as well — the trolley here is a goods table and should not be used as a work platform; see our access platforms and steps for equipment rated for that.

The VULCAN range is manufactured by GPC Industries Ltd in the UK. The scissor lift trolley listing does not state a lead time — ask when ordering. We supply new equipment only: no hire, no used or refurbished tables, and no installation service, though a mobile scissor lift trolley needs none.

For a fuller walkthrough of types, capacities and safety points read our guide to choosing a scissor lift table, or compare hand pallet trucks and stackers if the job is really a lifting-and-moving task rather than a working-at-height one. If you are setting up a packing line, our packing bench buying guide covers how a lift table or level loader fits alongside the bench.