Working at Height in the UAE Understanding Access Platforms and Their Uses
                     WORKING AT HEIGHT IN THE 
UAE: UNDERSTANDING 
ACCESS PLATFORMS AND 
THEIR USES  
                                    Introduction
Working at height is routine across the UAE, from high-rise maintenance to warehouse 
racking and site finishing. Ladders don't suit every task, so teams turn to powered access 
platforms, and sometimes to a forklift cage work platform for short, occasional jobs. 
The wrong choice affects both safety and schedule, so it helps to know what each option 
is built for.
Common Types of 
Access Platforms in the 
UAE  
Mobile elevated work platforms (MEWPs) come in several 
designs, each suited to a different kind of job:
• Scissor lifts: a stable, wide deck for several workers or 
heavy tools, common in construction finishing and 
facility maintenance
• Boom lifts: telescopic and articulating arms that reach 
around obstacles when straight-up access isn't 
possible
• Electric platforms: quieter, with no exhaust emissions, 
which suits indoor work in warehouses and factories
• Vertical personnel lifts and push-around platforms: 
compact options for lighter tasks in tight spaces
Using a Forklift as a Work 
Platform  
Some jobs are short and occasional, and a purpose-built platform isn't 
practical. A forklift man basket is sometimes used in those cases, 
but the UK Health and Safety Executive treats it as an exception 
rather than the standard. Guidance from the UK and Canada points to 
the same precautions:
• Secure attachment: the platform must be firmly fixed to the forks, 
with the tilt function locked off
• Level ground: the truck should stand on a firm, flat surface
• Guardrails and fall protection: the platform needs guardrails plus a 
travel restraint or fall-arrest system
• No travelling: the truck should not move while the platform is 
raised or anyone is on it
• Trained operator: anyone handling lifting equipment for people 
needs proper training
Dubai Municipality's MEWP guideline is written for purpose-built 
platforms, so confirm the requirements for forklift-mounted ones with 
the relevant local authority before use.
Working at Height Rules in 
Dubai and Abu Dhabi  
Dubai Municipality's technical guideline sets out what employers are expected to do:
• Question the task first: consider whether the work can be done safely at ground level before 
choosing equipment
• Plan in writing: a competent person carries out the risk assessment, and the safe system of work is 
written down
• Fall protection: boom-type platforms call for a full-body harness with a short lanyard. Abu Dhabi 
inspectors also check for guardrails and harnesses secured to anchor points.
• Training and inspection: operator training to an international standard, repeated at least every two 
years, and MEWP inspections every six months by an EIAC-accredited third party
Buying or Renting Access 
Equipment  
The right platform depends on the task, the working height, ground conditions, and whether the job is 
indoors or outdoors. Renting often suits short-term or seasonal work, while owning tends to pay off 
when access needs are frequent. When comparing construction equipment for sale in Dubai, ask 
what comes with the machine. Dubai Municipality's guideline expects suppliers to provide conformity 
documentation and CE marking, and to demonstrate the equipment on site to a trained operator, 
though that demonstration doesn't replace formal training. Spare parts availability matters just as 
much for keeping a platform in service, and stockists like Modena Machinery, who supply both 
equipment and parts, are a practical place to start that conversation.
THANK
You