Manchester’s rapid growth has brought with it an increasing volume of commercial construction, maintenance, and facilities work carried out at height.
From city-centre retail refurbishments to the building of industrial units and logistics hubs, demand for cherry picker hire in Manchester from Horizon Platforms continues to rise as businesses look to guarantee safe access methods for their teams.
The city’s development pipeline shows no sign of slowing. As organisations expand, modernise premises, and invest in infrastructure, working at height is becoming unavoidable across sectors such as retail, manufacturing, warehousing, commercial property, and public services. This has made powered access equipment an essential operational tool.
But while using powered access equipment is common, it has not removed risk altogether. According to the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE), falls from height remain the leading cause of fatal workplace accidents in Great Britain, with construction consistently accounting for a significant proportion of these deaths. In many cases, incidents can be prevented through effective planning and proper management of work at height.
This highlights a crucial point for businesses: simply hiring a cherry picker or scissor lift does not automatically make a task safe. Risk management must be built into the planning stage, with clear procedures, competent operators, and suitable equipment for the task at hand.
Manchester presents a unique challenge in this regard. Tight urban footprints, mixed ground conditions, overhead power lines, live public environments and commercially important deadlines all add layers of risk.
In these conditions, poor planning or incorrect equipment selection can quickly undermine safety. Overreaching, working outside load limits, or using machines unsuited to the task are all common contributors to near-misses and enforcement action.
Urban sites often involve restricted access, traffic management considerations, and multiple contractors working simultaneously. These factors increase the likelihood of incidents if coordination and planning are inadequate. Selecting compact machines, tracked platforms, or electric units for indoor environments can significantly reduce hazards when properly assessed.
Industry guidance has shifted accordingly. Best practice places emphasis on early-stage risk assessment, matching the right machine to the job, and ensuring operators and supervisors understand both the equipment and the environment they are working in. Regular inspection and maintenance of machinery, and clear site communication are also central to reducing risk when working at height.
Embedding these practices into project workflows can improve both safety and efficiency. Structured method statements, toolbox talks, and documented equipment inspections help ensure everyone understands their responsibilities and the limitations of the equipment being used.
This has changed how Manchester businesses approach access hire. Rather than treating it as a transactional purchase, many now look for partners who can support decision-making and compliance, not just deliver machinery. Reliability, technical advice, and expert-led training, for operators and site managers alike, have become just as important as availability and rates.
Businesses increasingly recognise that investing in competent suppliers can reduce total project costs by preventing delays, accidents, and enforcement action. A proactive approach to access planning also supports stronger relationships with insurers and regulators.
Scissor lift and cherry picker providers that understand work-at-height conditions and regulatory expectations are extremely valued. Companies such as Horizon Platforms have responded by focusing on safer systems of work, supporting clients with equipment selection, accredited training, and proactive and tailored access platform solutions. This approach helps businesses reduce disruption while demonstrating a clear commitment to workforce safety.
By integrating safety guidance and technical expertise into the hire process, providers can help businesses improve compliance while maintaining productivity. This is particularly important in Manchester’s competitive commercial environment, where downtime and incidents can have significant financial and reputational consequences.
Working at height will always be risky. However, in a city as fast-moving and complex as Manchester, those risks can be managed effectively when businesses prioritise planning, competence, and the right support. The organisations setting the standard are those that recognise access safety as a core part of how work is planned and completed, not just a compliance checkbox.
