Three Good Reasons To Factor Access Equipment Into Your BIM Planning

When working with BIM, core building materials often take centre stage. However, fenestration, cladding, roofing and sanitaryware aren't the only installations worth bringing into the fold to strengthen planning and delivery. Project teams can also model Niftylift's access equipment into their BIM plans to enhance collaboration, cut costs, improve planning accuracy, and ensure more controlled site conditions.

Having celebrated its 40th anniversary this year, Niftylift is a leading name in mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs), with models built with precision engineering and user protection in mind. What began in a shed at the bottom of a garden in the ‘80s has since evolved into a globally recognised company, with its self-propelled, track-driven, and trailer- and vehicle-mounted units used on some of the world’s largest developments.

Building on its humble beginnings, Niftylift’s systems continue to meet the pace of modern construction, offering some of the lightest designs in the market, as well as compact profiles, hybrid and all-electric power options, 360º rotation, and rough terrain capabilities.

Niftylift’s BIM-Enabled Access Equipment

As construction continues to embrace digital flows, coordinating planning across all elements is of utmost importance. With this shift, projects become highly efficient, more sustainable and, critically, safer. BIM adoption has accelerated throughout the sector for this very reason. And as the industry moves towards its most advanced milestone yet, BIM Level 3, modelling MEWPs will play a progressively larger role.

By incorporating powered access platforms into BIM models, specifiers and project teams can lower the likelihood of errors, develop safer access strategies, and avoid costly delays that arise from mismatched or unsuitable plant. To support this, Niftylift has collaborated with Bimstore, making its full range of products available as BIM Objects for seamless integration into current digital processes. Below we look at three key reasons why you should incorporate Niftylift access equipment into your BIM planning.

Access

On site, dimensions matter. If your machinery can’t physically reach areas where they need to work, it piles on overheads for all. Crews scrambling for workaround solutions that may not even be viable, postponed jobs and logistical bottlenecks that ripple through a build’s schedule all drain resources and disrupt timelines.

By dropping Niftylift’s BIM-ready models into your virtual environment, you can check clearance through doorways, assess navigation around existing building works, and ultimately confirm operational reach for tasks like window cleaning, façade installation and high-level mechanical and electrical fitting – far ahead of the site tangibly taking shape.

Safety

According to The Telegraph, almost one person loses their life on a construction site every week in the UK. That figure is a sobering reminder of the need to create safer conditions for all tradespeople, particularly when working at height.

At Niftylift, operator protection informs every product innovation. Features like SiOPS® (Sustained Involuntary Operation Prevention System) halt machine movement when unintentional control is detected, while ClipOn (Harness Attachment Detection) provides visual and audible cues to prompt harness use.

But safety starts long before steel-toed boots hit the ground.

With BIM-supported powered access platforms, possible hazards can be identified upfront. Risk-mitigated routes can be defined to help prevent falls or entrapment, safe working zones can be set out in advance, and potential clashes between plant and structures can be spotted well ahead of time, ensuring a safer, more predictable worksite for everyone.

Sequencing

Today’s construction sites are a complex mix of cranes, hoarding, scaffolding, and access platforms. Making sure elements are in place at the right time calls for a tightly coordinated operation.

Using BIM-compatible MEWPs not only helps visualise the entire process but establishes how equipment will interact with the site as works progress, too. By using models to plan placement, you cut down on long-winded admin, eliminate guesswork, limit site visits and boost communication for all parties involved.

Smarter Builds With BIM-Supported Access Equipment

Early engagement is the cornerstone of a smoothly managed build programme. By pre-empting access, safety, and sequencing with Niftylift’s BIM Objects, sites will perform like well-oiled machines.

This also enables you to connect with teams at the outset and secure contracts based on how effectively Niftylift fleets align with a scheme. That way, you can better anticipate demand for specific platforms tailored to your development’s exact needs.

With Niftylift’s BIM-integrated fleet, you can streamline planning, reduce risk and lock in optimal equipment from day one. Click here to learn more about integrating Niftylift equipment into your BIM planning.

This article featured in the Summer '25 edition of BIMCRUNCH. Enjoy the full magazine here. To explore further or to download BIM objects from Niftylift, simply join Bimstore for free access to their products and accompanying literature. For additional insights, visit their manufacturer profile on Bimstore, their company website or socials.