Accessman Group

Accessman Group NZ's leading supplier of Scissorlifts, Knucklebooms & Cherry Pickers ... Since 1994 These principles remain today with our continued growth across all regions.

The fundamental basis of the Accessman Brand is that of a company based on integrity, product reliability and service second to none – a true kiwi success story. My vision as Group General Manager extends to a number of core focuses for the near future. The addition of mobile scaffolding to our product range, to increase the level of EWP training options available across New Zealand (given our foc

us on Health & Safety), further development of our franchise system and to provide long term employment opportunities for our staff – commonly referred to as "The A Team". Our ability to not only maintain our presence but strengthen it, comes with the knowledge that timing is everything. The foresight to meet the market and diversify when required, provides clients the reassurance that Accessman will always deliver. “Success is about creating benefit for all & enjoying the process”. Lena Harrington, Group General Manager

03/06/2026

The best site conversations don't happen on site.

We caught up with the Goleman Group recently - bacon on, eggs going, coffee flowing - before the tools came out for the day.

After 30+ years in the access industry, one thing continues to prove itself: the strongest working relationships are built in the moments between the work, not just during it.

To the Goleman Group crew, appreciate you having us. Have a cracker of a day out there.

📞 0800 243 844

Dave’s had a big first 6 months at Accessman. Coming into a new industry is never easy, but he’s leaned into it - gettin...
01/06/2026

Dave’s had a big first 6 months at Accessman. Coming into a new industry is never easy, but he’s leaned into it - getting out in front of customers early, listening, and turning that into real outcomes for both them and us.

He’s already delivered some strong wins off the back of that approach and is a great example of what happens when we lead with visibility and a customer-first mindset.

If you’ve dealt with Dave, you’ll know he brings good energy and always looks to solve problems - which makes him easy to work with and trusted on site.

That’s before he even gets into a yarn about the footy, combat sports, or his latest spearfishing or hunting trip! Keep an eye out for him on the road or around site!

Running a compliant EWP site isn't complicated but it does require the right things to be in place before a machine leav...
28/05/2026

Running a compliant EWP site isn't complicated but it does require the right things to be in place before a machine leaves the ground. If you're a site supervisor, this is your practical baseline.

🔸 Operator credentials - Every operator must hold a current, recognised EWP certification, IPAF PAL Licence or NZQA Silvercard, for the machine category they're operating. Verify before they touch the controls, not after.

🔸 Pre-operational checks - A documented pre-start inspection is required before every shift and every new operator. Controls, safety systems, tyres, fluids, and structure. If it fails the check, it doesn't go up.

🔸 Hazard assessment - Identify overhead obstructions, ground conditions, traffic, wind exposure, and bystander risk before positioning any machine. Conditions change throughout the day - reassess when they do.

🔸 Exclusion zones - Establish and communicate ground level exclusion zones beneath and around every operating EWP. Bystander strikes are preventable.

🔸 Rescue planning - You are legally required to have a documented EWP rescue plan on site. It must be specific to the machine and the environment - not a generic template pulled from a folder. Test it before you need it.

🔸 Weather monitoring - Assign responsibility for monitoring wind speed and conditions throughout the shift. Operators should not be making that call alone.

If any of these aren't in place on your site, they need to be before the next lift.

📞 0800 243 844

Winter changes the risk profile of every elevated work platform on your site. If your protocols haven't changed with it,...
25/05/2026

Winter changes the risk profile of every elevated work platform on your site. If your protocols haven't changed with it, they're not fit for purpose.

Here's what your team should be accounting for heading into the colder months:

🔸 Wind speed - EWPs have rated wind limits for a reason. Gusts that feel manageable at ground level are amplified at height. Check manufacturer limits before every lift and pull operators down when conditions shift. Don't wait for it to feel dangerous.

🔸 Wet and icy surfaces - Outriggers, tyres, and stabilisers all behave differently on saturated or frozen ground. Conduct ground assessments before positioning any machine. What looked solid yesterday may not be today.

🔸 Reduced visibility - Shorter days and low winter light affect depth perception and spatial awareness at height. Schedule elevated work during peak daylight hours where possible and ensure operators have clear sight lines before they move.

🔸 Cold affected equipment - Batteries lose efficiency in the cold. Hydraulic systems take longer to respond. Build pre start warm up time into your morning programme and don't skip the pre-operational check because you're running behind.

🔸 Operator fatigue - Cold weather is physically draining. Shorter rotations and regular ground breaks aren't a productivity loss, they're a risk control.

Conditions change fast on a New Zealand winter site. Your access protocols should be built for that.

📞 0800 243 844

22/05/2026

Scaffolding takes half a day to set up. A scissor lift is ready to go in minutes.

For work at height on flat ground, nothing is more practical. You've got a stable platform underfoot, adjustable height to reach what a ladder can't, and you move the machine yourself between tasks - no waiting on someone else to shift it, no stopping the job to reconfigure.

That's fewer interruptions, better output and a safer working environment than balancing on a ladder or waiting on a scaffolding crew.

If your site has height work on flat ground, a scissor lift should be your first cal, not your last resort.

📞 0800 243 844

Not every access problem looks like a standard boom lift job. Some sites are too tight, too sensitive or too uneven for ...
20/05/2026

Not every access problem looks like a standard boom lift job. Some sites are too tight, too sensitive or too uneven for conventional machines to get close and that's exactly where a spider boom earns its place.

Spider booms are compact, track-mounted, and built to go where other EWPs can't. If you haven't specified one before, here's when they belong on your project:

🔹 Tight access - Narrow corridors, congested sites, and restricted entries that rule out a conventional boom. Spider booms can fit through standard doorways and manoeuvre in spaces other machines simply won't reach.

🔹 Sensitive surfaces - Tracks spread the load and protect floors, landscaping, and finished surfaces that wheels would damage. The right choice for heritage buildings, fit-outs, and any site where surface protection is non-negotiable.

🔹 Uneven or sloped ground - Outriggers stabilise independently, which means spider booms can set up safely on terrain that would make a wheeled machine unsafe or unusable.

🔹 Reach over obstacles - Their articulating arms can work up and over barriers, structures, and obstructions that a straight boom can't clear.

If you're not sure whether a spider boom is the right call for your site, get in touch with our team.

📞 0800 243 844

Indoor access looks straightforward until something goes wrong. Fit out and interior teams often treat machine selection...
14/05/2026

Indoor access looks straightforward until something goes wrong. Fit out and interior teams often treat machine selection as an afterthought and that's where the problems start.

Before any EWP goes inside, these are the considerations your site needs to have covered:

🔸 Floor load limits - Not every floor can handle the weight of a standard scissor lift or boom. Understand the rated floor load capacity before you specify a machine and confirm it with your structural engineer if there's any doubt. Getting this wrong risks catastrophic structural damage.

🔸 Overhead clearances - Ceiling height, beams, services, and sprinkler systems all affect what machine will fit and how it can be operated safely. Measure before you hire, not after the machine arrives.

🔸 Fume-free requirements - Diesel and LPG machines have no place indoors. Electric EWPs are the only appropriate choice for enclosed environments. If your supplier isn't asking about ventilation and emissions upfront, that's a problem.

🔸 Surface protection - Finished floors, tiles, and sensitive surfaces need machines with non-marking tyres and appropriate outrigger pads. Damage to a completed fit out is expensive and avoidable.

Accessman's team will ask the right questions before anything is confirmed. The right machine for an indoor site isn't always the most obvious one but it's always the one that keeps your project on track.

📞 0800 243 844

If your crew is working alongside overseas contractors or on a project with international operators, their credentials n...
12/05/2026

If your crew is working alongside overseas contractors or on a project with international operators, their credentials need to hold up beyond New Zealand's borders.

That's where the PAL Licence changes the conversation.

IPAF certification is recognised in over 90 countries. For global operators and multinational project teams, it's not an unfamiliar document they need to verify - it's the standard they already work to. Smoother inductions, fewer hold ups at the site gate, and operators who can get to work without their credentials being questioned.

Every delay at induction is time off the programme. Every credential query is a conversation your site supervisor shouldn't be having.

Accessman is New Zealand's exclusive IPAF training provider, with five training centres nationwide. Whether you're upskilling one operator or putting a full crew through certification, we'll get them site ready and credentialled to a standard that travels.

📞 022 361 0088
✉️ [email protected]

09/05/2026

A scissor lift goes up. A knuckle boom goes up, over and around.

When there's a structure in the way, an awkward angle to hit, or a space that a vertical approach simply can't reach - that's where a knuckle boom earns its place on site. The articulating arm bends at multiple points, letting operators position precisely where the job is, not just above it.

If you've ever had a crew waste time problem solving access on site, this is the machine that removes that conversation entirely.

Right machine, right access, right first time.

📞 0800 243 844

Most EWP incidents don't start at height. They start at ground level - with a ground assessment that didn't happen or wa...
07/05/2026

Most EWP incidents don't start at height. They start at ground level - with a ground assessment that didn't happen or wasn't thorough enough.

Here's what every operator and site supervisor needs to be checking before any machine is deployed:

🔸 Soft or unstable ground - Ground that looks solid can behave differently under the concentrated load of an EWP and its outriggers. Recent rain, fill material, and disturbed ground all reduce bearing capacity. If there's any doubt, get it assessed before the machine goes up.

🔸 Gradients and slopes - Every EWP has a maximum rated slope for safe operation. Exceeding it affects stability in ways that aren't always visible until it's too late. Measure gradients, don't estimate them.

🔸 Underground services - Voids, drains, and service trenches can collapse under load without warning. Know what's below the surface before you position any machine. Check plans and use a locator where there's uncertainty.

🔸 Compaction and surface type - Gravel, asphalt, pavers, and compacted earth all have different load-bearing characteristics. Outrigger pads must be sized and positioned to distribute load appropriately for the surface.

Ground assessment isn't a formality. It's the foundation every safe lift is built on.

📞 0800 243 844

Address

2 Alloy Street
Christchurch

Telephone

+64800243844

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