One of the most important tools for construction and maintenance operations is the boom lift. These critical and versatile machines help crews reach new heights and tight spaces, and they come in a variety of forms, such as articulating and telescoping lifts. However, some areas may remain inaccessible to a simple boom, making an additional jib necessary to complete the job.
What is a jib on a boom lift, and how can it help your team complete the job? Let’s cover the essentials of a boom lift to figure out how a jib can be useful.
A boom lift is a type of aerial lift that uses a long, extending arm to help reach hard-to-access places, such as ceilings, high windows, rafters, and treetops. The prominent arm of the lift is known as the boom, and it’s what gives the machine its name.
Boom lifts are used for many different types of work, from construction and demolition to tree work and even painting. While most of these machines are independent vehicles that can move and operate under their own power, there are also towable boom lifts that are often used for smaller jobs or when hauling a larger lift isn’t necessary or feasible. There are two main types of boom lifts—articulated and telescoping—each of which has its own special applications.
The first notable category of boom lifts is the articulated boom lift. These are named after the long, segmented arm that grants operators a high degree of precision when maneuvering the boom.
Many articulated boom lifts have two or three segments that allow them to easily reach over and around obstacles. The cherry pickers used by technicians working on telephone and power lines are perhaps the most recognizable type of articulated boom lift, but they’re used for other jobs, too.
These aerial lifts are ideal for working in confined areas and are easy to use indoors as well as outside. They can traverse uneven terrain, and they will generally be able to extend up to 150 feet.
Rather than using multiple arm segments to achieve height and reach, telescoping boom lifts employ just a single arm. Unlike the arm of an articulated lift, however, a telescoping boom lift’s arm is extendable and retractable. The arm always remains straight and cannot bend conveniently over obstacles or reach over one side of an obstacle and lower on the other side.
The strength of a telescoping boom lift is that it has the best horizontal reach of all the types of lifts. A telescoping arm can be safely extended up to 210 feet horizontally. That said, these lifts often require more space than other versions.
Most people probably recognize the word jib from the saying “the cut of your jib.” This phrase actually references a jib in a nautical sense, but the two terms are related.
Instead of referring to a sail, “jib” in the context of aerial lifts refers to a small arm attached to the boom that allows for a little bit of extra reach while working. Using a jib can extend your boom lift’s effective range, which makes extra tight spaces easier to reach and gives the lift a bit more utility.
This extra functionality does come at a price, though. Once you equip a boom lift with a jib, the amount of weight the operating platform can safely hold is dramatically reduced.
This means that a jib is not appropriate for jobs that require an aerial lift to be moving great amounts of material. Instead, it should be used when the platform is only carrying the operator and a small amount of gear. Overloading the platform while using a jib could damage the boom and potentially lead to serious injury for the operator.
When your business needs equipment to handle the toughest jobs, count on Aerial Titans to have a wide selection of new and used machinery, including boom lifts. We’ve been supplying equipment across North America for over a decade and are authorized dealers for some of the best brands in the business. Learn more about the equipment we offer and our competitive financing options, then find out how our sales team can connect your team with the right heavy-duty equipment.
