JLG is a global expert in mobile elevated work platforms. This month it launched the LiftPod, a transformative alternative to ladders and podium steps, which is set to become a staple for retail environments where working at height – and doing so ergonomically, safely and efficiently – is required. Here, Richard Puglia, JLG sales and business development director EMEAI explains why it could be time to embrace the transformation
Henry Ford is famously quoted as saying: ‘If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.’
The motor car pioneer had an unshakable belief in innovation, and its power to make people’s lives better. And his words still inspire those of us who work in industrial design and engineering, to find ideas that are genuinely new and transformative, with the power to bring greater levels of performance, safety and convenience to people’s lives.
This autumn, JLG has launched a new device that we believe will do just that for indoor public facing businesses – and in particular for store and shopping centre operators – where working at height is part of daily life.
As experts in access equipment of 55 years standing, we have witnessed the huge health and safety improvements brought by innovation to those working at height in industrial and construction environments – some of them credited to the JLG engineering team.
But what about indoor environments, and reducing risk for the thousands of people who maintain supermarket, store and shopping centre spaces, and for whom working at heights below four metres is part of their role?
The retail environment is busy and fast-paced. Maintenance and seasonal display programmes must be managed with speed and efficiency – from fixing lighting and updating signage to hanging festive decorations and promotional materials. Often ladders are the only solution for these types of jobs.
The first foldable step ladder was a revolution back in 1862. Today, it’s a staple of retail life, tucked away in the store maintenance cupboard to be hauled out, climbed and balanced upon for the essential job of keeping shop floors and aisles smart, safe, clean and well-lit for staff and customers.
Alternatively, industrial scale platforms that require power, space and a trained team to operate are deployed, disrupting customers and daily operations, or requiring teams to save tasks till after hours when shoppers have gone home.
The commercial world has operated like this for decades.
But we live in a different world today. Where people matter more and employers are serious about their health and safety responsibilities. Addressing the risks of staff falls, injuries and strains due to poor positioning is an urgent priority. As is tackling the financial implications of delaying jobs, disrupting operations and powering and maintaining bulky equipment.
That’s why JLG is extremely proud of LiftPod.
LiftPod is a true alternative to ladders and podiums; a device so innovative that we needed to create a new category to define it – the Quick Fold Lift. It’s compact, uniquely foldable, lightweight, intuitive and easy to use – featuring a patented self-powered lifting mechanism, built to the highest engineering spec by JLG’s expert engineers. It’s also beautifully and ergonomically designed.
It’s the result of listening to customers in the retail world, and understanding their need for greater efficiency, staff safety and wellbeing and sustainability when it comes to maintenance.
It’s an on-site asset built for modern commercial, retail and hospitality environments, based on a collaboration with award-winning specialist design agency DCA, and a shared mission to create something better, easier to use, smarter and more efficient. It puts people at the core of business operations (not to mention its good looks which are an aesthetic match for even the most stylish store, mall or supermarket).
If your outlet hasn’t changed the way it works at height below four meters for years, now is the time for a rethink – and a consideration of the three tangible benefits the Quick Fold Lift can help bring to your business:
- Increased staff safety and wellbeing: according to the UK’s No Falls Foundation, falls from height remain the leading cause of workplace fatalities and injuries in the UK, accounting for an alarming 30% of all deaths in 2022/2023 (RIDDOR – Kind of accident statistic in Great Britain, 2023). The LiftPod is designed to help reduce the risk of falls, strains and injury when working at height, thanks to its ingenious ergonomic design, which is backed by science and robust research. Designed for safety, comfort and real-world usability, it helps build confidence amongst staff in their daily roles and brings peace of mind for employers with the knowledge that risk can be reduced.
- Cost and resource efficiencies: designed to be rolled in and out of retail spaces with minimum effort, the LiftPod supports a company’s bottom line through enhanced performance, productivity and efficiency when it comes to maintenance jobs. It’s accessible and can be used independently by team members for every-day tasks with minimum training. It results in minimal downtime and disruption to the working day, allowing users in soft facilities maintenance to operate in busy customer-facing environments. It is designed with no scheduled maintenance, apart from pre-operating checks and other requirements as explained in the operating and safety manual. LiftPod can aid in reducing the cost of staff absences due to strain or injury by reducing the need to climb, descend and bend.
- More sustainable: built using patented, durable technology, LiftPod is more sustainable and compliant with the environmental standards and regulations of modern businesses. It’s accessible 24 hours a day and has no charging or power requirements, helping businesses reduce energy use and meet industry environmental targets.
