If you know that your next job will be working at heights, and you want to hire the right machine, this EWP hire guide is for you. You’ve visited the site, you know the height you’re going to be working at and you know that a truck-mounted EWP is what you need.
PTH operates a specialist fleet of EWPs from 16m to 54m working height, available for wet hire and dry hire across Brisbane and South East Queensland, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. While most EWP hire companies will give you a list of models and let you choose one, it’s important to us that we guide you to the perfect machine for your job.
This guide outlines the four variables that determine machine selection:
- working height
- horizontal outreach
- ground conditions
- site access
It then maps them to the specific units in the PTH fleet, so you can have an idea of what we can offer you. Our team is here to answer any questions you have, so please hit us up if you need to.
Working Height and the Buffer Required
Platform Height vs Working Height
The first number you think about is the height of the job and what EWP will reach it. That makes sense – let’s take a moment to differentiate between working height and platform height:
Platform height is the distance from the platform to the ground. Working height adds a couple of metres for the operator’s reach from the platform. This is pretty handy because the working height gives you a baked-in buffer of a couple of metres. More on why a buffer is important…
The Height Buffer
Having a machine that can comfortably reach and go even higher than your elevated job is important for peace of mind and safety. Businesses looking to hire an EWP often underestimate the buffer. This can be problematic when you are greeted by conditions like these on site:
- Uneven or sloping ground
- When you load the EWP the outriggers could settle down which drops the chassis
- Human error led to the job height being wrong by a couple of metres.
If your EWP can’t reach the job then you’re going to lose out on considerable work time. If it only just reaches the job, you’re compromising the safety of your crew. Applying a height buffer when you book your EWP solves those problems.
What the PTH fleet covers
The PTH fleet spans from the PTH201 Socage T320 at 20m through to the PTH541 at 54m working height.
For the bulk of commercial painting, facade work, signage installation and other jobs across Brisbane’s suburban areas, the 28m to 35m range covers it. The PTH281 Cela DT 28 and the PTH351 Socage 35TJ are both popular options that sit in that range. Between them, they handle a large share of SEQ commercial work and are popular requests from Performance Tower Hire customers.
Horizontal Outreach
This specification can cause a big problem if it hasn’t been taken into account. If your job is located any distance away from where the base of the EWP sits, then outreach is going to be an important metric to get right.
You need to determine where the truck will be relative to the job. If you’re in a tight suburban setting, the truck will be on the street kerb. You might be working on a building facade that’s ten metres away – the machine you hire needs the horizontal outreach to cover that gap.
Jobs where Outreach is Critical
Let’s take a look at the kinds of jobs where outreach is going to play a big part in the EWP you hire:
- Tree loppers who need to position the truck well clear of the branch drop zone
- Electrical and telco contractors who need to reach over existing infrastructure
- Painters working on buildings sitting back far from the street
- Signage crews working above canopies or awnings the truck can’t go under so they need to reach over.
In these examples, the horizontal reach will be a crucial EWP feature to look at.
PTH351 and PTH541: Our Outreach Leaders
The PTH351 Socage 35TJ delivers 24m of horizontal outreach on a 4×4 chassis. You can read more about what this looks like on job sites in this Socage 35TJ reach article. This reach is one of the reasons this is one of our most booked machines at Performance Tower Hire.
Our largest machine, the PTH541, pairs 54m of working height with 39m of side reach. That’s next-level range, putting it into a different category from the majority of EWPs for hire in Brisbane.
Ground and Terrain Conditions
The questions to ask before hiring article flags site ground conditions as a key consideration.
There’s a lot of variation in the SEQ terrain, even within a single work site. Brisbane suburban streets in areas like Paddington can be very sloped, while acreages out in Logan or Greenbank can be very rough or softened by heavy rainfalls.
When you’re dealing with rugged terrain, the chassis of your EWP becomes important.
4×4 Chassis Units for Tough Terrain
The PTH301 ACM300 runs on a Mercedes Benz 4×4 chassis and reaches 30m working height. It is consistently booked for energy and telcowork across SEQ because its drivetrain handles site conditions that would stop a standard 4×2.
The PTH351 Socage 35TJ adds off-road capability to its substantial outreach figures, running on an Iveco T-Way 4×4 chassis.
A Serious EWP…
At the heavy end of the fleet, the PTH541 is built on an IVECO Astra 8×8 with 450HP. For major infrastructure work, powerline corridors, and large-scale construction sites where ground conditions are variable and loads are significant, the 8×8 chassis can be pivotal to your hiring decision.
Site Access
Site access determines which machine is going to be able to access your working at heights job. This variable can cause last-minute problems on hire jobs that are avoidable with a bit of upfront checking.
Before you book, confirm the following for your site:
- Gate width and overhead clearance on the approach route
- Turning circle once the truck is on site
- Underground services and any load limits
- Overhead obstructions such as powerlines and tree canopy
The common EWP site access issues article covers the full list of what to check and why each one matters.
PTH281: Tight-Access Specialist
The PTH281 Cela DT 28 is purpose-built for exactly the kind of restricted access that stops other machines. Mounted on an Isuzu 4×2, it reaches 28m working height and can elevate up to three persons. Its outrigger spread is 3.8m x 3.8m, which is a manageable footprint for narrow roadside positions, suburban driveways, and compact worksites.
The full Cela DT 28 spotlight covers its specifications and typical applications in detail.
PTH391: Spider Lift Option
For sites where a truck-mounted unit cannot enter at all, the PTH391 Palazzani TSJ39 spider lift comes into its own. It runs on rubber tracks, carries a minimal ground pressure footprint, and can be transported separately and then walked into tight spaces.
Gated courtyards, load-sensitive flooring and confined urban sites – the spider lift can handle them. It’s 39m of working height make it a genuine solution for when you need high reach but have limited access.
Wet Hire or Dry Hire
Once you know which machine fits the job, the hire arrangement often follows naturally. The two decisions are linked.
If you are taking a smaller unit like the PTH201 and your operator holds a current WP High Risk Work Licence (issued through WorkSafe Queensland), dry hire works. It’s a clean, efficient arrangement for contractors with licensed operators on the books and regular ongoing work.
Please note that all Performance Tower Hire machines have a boom over 11m, so the WP licence is required for the entire fleet on dry hire without exception.
As machine size and complexity increase, the case for wet hire strengthens. The PTH541 is a 54m, 8×8 machine with a 600kg basket capacity. Most hirers do not have an operator with the experience and current certification to run it efficiently and safely. Wet hire on a machine at this end of the fleet is wise for compliance and practicality reasons.
The M31A Qualification
The M31A qualification is for personnel working around high-voltage energy installations. All PTH operators are M31A-qualified and can provide approved spotter services where powerlines are a hazard on site.
This qualification is often the decider in wet hire arrangements, particularly for arborists working adjacent to powerline infrastructure or electrical contractors on distribution network jobs.
The full breakdown of wet and dry hire arrangements, including cost factors and when each one makes sense, is in the wet hire vs dry hire guide. The services overview covers how PTH structures both options.
PTH Fleet by Job Type
Every job is different and machine selection always comes down to the specifics. That said, most jobs fall into recognisable patterns. Use this as a starting point, then confirm with the Performance Tower Hire team at the quote stage.
Tight suburban access, tree lopping or painting, up to 28m: PTH281 Cela DT 28. Compact footprint, 3-person basket, suited to narrow residential and commercial sites.
Mixed terrain, energy, telco or arboricultural work to 30m: PTH301 ACM300. 4×4 Mercedes Benz chassis, strong working envelope, consistently booked for powerline-adjacent and rural SEQ jobs.
Multi-storey facade, signage, or arboricultural work where outreach is the priority: PTH351 Socage 35TJ. 35m working height, 29m horizontal outreach on a 4×4 chassis.
Confined or gated sites, load-sensitive ground, tracked access required: 43m PTH431 Palazzani XTJ43 Spider lift on rubber tracks
Major infrastructure, extreme height, significant outreach, or where the site demands serious machinery: PTH541. 54m working height, 39m side reach, 8×8 chassis.
Full specifications for all units are on the our trucks page.
Licensing and Compliance
What Queensland law requires
All machines in the PTH fleet have a boom over 11m. Under Queensland’s Work Health and Safety legislation, any operator running a boom-type EWP with a boom over 11m must hold a current WP High Risk Work Licence. That licence is obtained by completing a unit of competency and applying through WorkSafe Queensland.
If your operator does not hold that licence, dry hire is not an option. That’s when our team can help out with wet hire. Performance Tower Hire operators are fully licensed, M31A-qualified, and familiar with every unit in the fleet.
Performance Tower Hire Fleet Maintenance
All PTH machines are serviced and log-booked in accordance with AS 2550, the Australian Standard governing the safe use and inspection of elevating work platforms. Safe Work Australia’s EWP guidance sets out the broader WHS framework that applies to working at heights in Queensland. Both are worth understanding before the machine arrives on site.
We prioritise maintenance and oversight on our machines – it’s important to us that when you hire an EWP, it doesn’t let you down on the job. You can be assured of regularly maintained machines that you can put your full trust in.
Questions About the EWP Hire Guide?
We’re here for you. Sometimes the job does not fit neatly into a category, and that is exactly what the conversation at the quote stage is for.
Our team has been matching machines to jobs across Brisbane and SEQ since 2015. Describe the job (height needed, site conditions, access constraints, timeline) and we will tell you which unit fits.
We’re based in Geebung in North Brisbane, with companies from all across SEQ using our EWP wet and dry hire services. We’d love to help you out, so give us a buzz on 1300 784 473 or get a quote here. Chat soon!
