Every EWP has a maximum wind speed set by the manufacturer, stamped on the machine’s data plate and listed in the manual. For outdoor-rated machines the common figure is 12.5 m/s (roughly 45 km/h), measured at the platform — and wind is always stronger up there than at ground level. That limit isn’t a suggestion: above it, a raised platform acts like a sail, and side loads the machine was never designed for start working on the stabilising system. If you don’t know your machine’s limit, don’t elevate until you’ve read the plate.
Most electric slab scissors — the machines on our scissor lift hire page — are rated for indoor use only, which means a wind rating of zero. Not “a little bit is fine”: zero. A gust arriving mid-task on an elevated slab scissor is exactly the scenario the rating exists to prevent. If the work is outdoors, hire an outdoor-rated machine — a diesel RT scissor or a boom — and stay under its plated limit.
| Conditions | Indoor electric slab scissor | Outdoor-rated RT / boom |
|---|---|---|
| Any outdoor wind | No — zero wind rating | OK below the plated limit (typically 12.5 m/s) |
| Wind above the plated limit | No | Stop — lower the platform |
| Rain | No — controls and slip risk | Usually workable — judge visibility and slip |
| Lightning in the area | Stop | Stop — you’re the tallest thing around |
Electric machines and rain don’t mix: control boxes and chargers aren’t built for a soaking, and a wet platform on a wet slab is a slip hazard top and bottom. Diesel RT machines are built for weather and handle rain much better, but heavy rain still kills visibility and softens the ground an RT relies on. And lightning is non-negotiable — an elevated EWP is a lightning rod with people on it. Ground the platform and wait it out.
Check the Bureau of Meteorology (bom.gov.au) forecast each morning for wind speed and gusts — gusts matter more than the average. On site, the operator and the person in control of the workplace share the call: the operator must stay inside the machine’s limits, and the site must plan work so nobody is pressured to push through weather. This guide is general information, not a compliance document — verify your obligations against current WorkSafe Victoria guidance and the machine’s manual before you rely on any number here.
Weather delays are also worth pricing in — see the hire cost guide and rates when planning the job.
It’s on the data plate on the chassis and in the operator’s manual in the weatherproof box on the platform. If you hire from us and can’t find it, call 1300 806 577 and we’ll tell you on the spot.
Moving a stowed machine is generally lower risk than elevating, but flying debris and site conditions still apply. The wind limit specifically governs elevated work — when in doubt, park it.
The site (person in control of the workplace) and the operator both carry duties — whoever spots the limit being reached calls it, and nobody overrules a stop. Verify specifics with WorkSafe Victoria guidance.
Hire days generally run whether the weather cooperates or not, which is one reason to watch the forecast before you book. If a job gets washed out, call us — we’re practical about it.
Tell us the site and we’ll match you with a machine rated for the conditions — quotes in 60 minutes, and any breakdown swapped out within 24 hours.
Call 1300 806 577