A Warehouse Lift Is Not A Data Center Lift

When you’re evaluating a switch lift for your data center there are two aspects to consider – one is about suitability for use in data centers and the other relates to code or policy violations. Sure, you can buy a general purpose warehouse lift very cheaply and in doing so you’ll be trying to jam a square peg into a round hole.

Here’s Why:

Most are poorly designed, not robust and hard to maneuverable in tight aisles. They lack adequate safety features that prevent them from toppling over or dropping your equipment. None of them have a means of extending the load into the rack. It’s like using a screwdriver to chisel wood; looks similar, lower price, easy to get purchase approval – but the result is an epic fail.

The other concern is for lift systems that use hydraulic fluid or oil in the mechanisms. Sooner or later they leak. Not a question of “if” but “when”. A couple drops on the floor are worse than invisible banana peels. Someone is sure to slip and fall. Unlike cartoons – not funny. Oil driven systems are probably a violation of your data center policies which are in place for a good reason – to protect people and equipment.

If you truly have a tight budget you might consider buying a demonstrator model or a rental unit to save money. For gosh sakes, whatever you do, get a proper data center lift tool to protect your people and equipment. Nuff said.