Aerial Work Platforms
AWP or aerial work platforms are designed and engineered to elevate workers and their tools to a certain height in order to do a task. The particular unit and manufacturer and type of equipment all varies. Before aerial work platforms were made, all tasks needing work at high levels had to be carried out with scaffolding. Hence, the invention of aerial work platforms has kept numerous workers safe and increased the overall productivity of similar tasks.
There are 3 key kinds of aerial work platforms. They are mechanical lifts, scissorlifts and boomlifts. These machines are able to be operated with pneumatics, mechanically making use of a pinion and rack system or by hydraulics or with screws. These models may be self-propelled with controls at the platform, they may be unpowered units requiring an external force to move them or be mounted to a vehicle in order to be transported.
John L. Grove was an American inventor and industrialist who is widely credited to creating the aerial work platform. Nonetheless, in 1966, before the very first unit of JLG, a company referred to as Selma Manlift introduced an aerial lift unit.
John L. Grove together with his wife decided to take a road trip in 1967. This was after selling his previous company Grove Manufacturing. They opted to make a stop at Hoover Dam. While the couple was there, Grove unfortunately saw 2 workers electrocuted while they were working on scaffolding. This tragic event led John Grove to discover an untapped market for a new product which could safely raise workers in the air for them to perform maintenance and construction tasks in a better way.
John bought a small metal fabrication company and formed a partnership together with 2 friends, when he returned home from his vacation. The small company immediately started designing ideas for the aerial work platform. The new business was called JLG Industries Inc. They proudly released their first aerial work platform during the year 1920 with the aid of 20 workers.