Hoists & Elevators
Powered vertical transport systems that move material and personnel up and down a building under construction — from simple material hoists to fully enclosed personnel hoists rated to ANSI safety standards. Find hoist and elevator vendors near you through Scaffold Exchange.
What Are Construction Hoists & Elevators?
Definition: Construction hoists and elevators are powered vertical transport systems that move materials, personnel, or both up and down a tower or mast alongside a building under construction. They are governed under OSHA 29 CFR 1926.552, "Material hoists, personnel hoists, and elevators," which covers material hoists used solely for moving supplies, personnel hoists rated to carry workers, and temporary or permanent elevators used during construction. Each category carries distinct construction, enclosure, and safety device requirements based on whether it is rated to carry people.
Material hoists are designed exclusively for moving construction materials, tools, and equipment between levels and are not rated or permitted to carry personnel. Personnel hoists, by contrast, are engineered and constructed to a much higher safety standard — specifically, OSHA requires personnel hoists to meet the specifications of ANSI A10.4-1963, "Safety Requirements for Workmen's Hoists," covering materials, construction, safety devices, assembly, and structural integrity, with additional engineering oversight required for specialized applications such as bridge tower construction.
Where a hoist tower is not fully enclosed, OSHA requires the hoist platform or car itself to be totally enclosed — or "caged" — on all sides for the full height between the floor and the overhead protective covering, using ¾-inch mesh No. 14 U.S. gauge wire or equivalent, with required gates for loading and unloading at each landing. Rated load capacity, recommended operating speed, and special hazard warnings must be posted directly on the car or platform at all times. Through Scaffold Exchange, you can find vendors across the U.S. who carry construction hoists and elevators and compare their inventory, rental rates, and availability in your area.
Common Types of Hoists & Elevators
Construction hoists and elevators range from simple material-only systems to fully enclosed personnel hoists engineered to carry workers safely throughout a multi-story project.
Material Hoists
Powered platforms or cages used exclusively to move construction materials, tools, and equipment between levels. Not rated or permitted to carry personnel under any circumstances.
Personnel Hoists
Hoists rated and constructed to carry workers, built to ANSI A10.4-1963 specifications covering materials, construction, safety devices, assembly, and structural integrity — a substantially higher standard than material-only hoists.
Bridge Tower Personnel Hoists
Personnel hoists used in bridge tower construction require approval by a registered professional engineer and must be erected under the supervision of a qualified engineer competent in this specific field.
Cantilever-Type Personnel Hoists
A distinct category of personnel hoist that is specifically exempted from the ANSI A10.4-1963 construction requirements that apply to standard personnel hoists, due to its different structural design.
Permanent Building Elevators
Permanent elevators under the care and custody of the employer, used by employees for construction-related work, must comply with the same OSHA construction requirements that apply to temporary hoists during the project.
Hoist Tower Enclosures
Where the hoist tower structure itself is not enclosed, the platform or car must be totally caged on all sides with ¾-inch mesh No. 14 gauge wire or equivalent, including loading and unloading gates at each level.
Key Components of a Construction Hoist System
Every hoist system combines structural, mechanical, and safety components, with personnel-rated systems carrying significantly more stringent requirements than material-only equipment.
Hoist Tower or Mast
The vertical structure the car or platform travels along, typically erected alongside the building under construction and tied back to the structure at intervals specified by the manufacturer or engineer.
Car or Platform
The load-carrying compartment that travels up and down the tower. Must display posted rated load capacity, operating speed, and special hazard warnings at all times.
Cage / Mesh Enclosure
Required when the hoist tower itself is unenclosed — ¾-inch mesh, No. 14 U.S. gauge wire or equivalent, enclosing the car on all sides for the full height between the floor and the overhead protective cover.
Hoisting Ropes
The wire ropes that raise and lower the car. Removed from service at six randomly distributed broken wires in one rope lay, three broken wires in one strand in one rope lay, or evidence of significant abrasion, flattening, or heat or electrical damage.
Landing Gates
Required gates at each loading and unloading point along the hoist tower enclosure, controlling access to the car and preventing falls into the open hoistway when the car is not present at that level.
Posted Capacity & Warnings
Rated load capacities, recommended operating speeds, and special hazard warnings or instructions must be posted directly on the car and platform, per OSHA's information-posting requirements.
Common Applications & Job Site Uses
Hoists and elevators are essential vertical transport on virtually every mid-rise and high-rise construction project, moving both materials and workers efficiently throughout the build.
High-rise and mid-rise commercial construction
Material transport to upper floors during build-out
Personnel transport for large crews on multi-story projects
Bridge tower and infrastructure construction access
Residential and condominium tower construction
Industrial plant construction requiring frequent vertical material moves
Temporary use of permanent building elevators during finish-out
Demolition projects requiring controlled vertical access
Hoists & Elevators vs. Other Vertical Access Equipment
Hoists and elevators move materials and people vertically along a fixed path, distinct from the climbing access platforms and scaffold systems elsewhere on a job site.
Powered vertical transport
- Fixed tower or mast with a traveling car or platform
- Personnel hoists require ANSI A10.4-1963 compliance
- Material hoists never rated for passengers
- Governed by OSHA 29 CFR 1926.552
Powered scaffold with full-platform travel
- Full-width work platform travels the mast
- Used for facade access work, not transport between floors
- Classified as a supported scaffold, not a hoist
- Governed by OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart L
Independent winch-raised towers
- Manually winched platform for masonry work
- Not a transport system between building levels
- No enclosed car or mesh cage required
- Built for trade productivity, not vertical transit
Ground-supported prefabricated system
- Static structure — no powered vertical movement
- Access is via built-in or attached ladders
- Most affordable and widely available
- Best for shorter-duration, lower-height projects
Find Hoist & Elevator Vendors Near You
Use the Scaffold Exchange map to search by location, filter by equipment type, and connect directly with local suppliers who carry material hoists, personnel hoists, and construction elevators.
OSHA Compliance & Safety Standards
Material hoists, personnel hoists, and elevators used on U.S. construction job sites are governed by OSHA 29 CFR 1926.552. Employers must comply with the manufacturer's specifications and limitations for all hoists and elevators; where manufacturer specifications are unavailable, equipment limitations must be determined by a professional engineer competent in the field. Personnel hoists must additionally meet ANSI A10.4-1963 construction requirements, with cantilever-type personnel hoists specifically exempted from that provision. Personnel hoists used in bridge tower construction require approval by a registered professional engineer.
- Manufacturer's specifications and limitations followed for all hoist and elevator operation
- Personnel hoists meet ANSI A10.4-1963 materials, construction, and safety device requirements
- Bridge tower personnel hoists approved by a registered professional engineer
- Unenclosed hoist towers fitted with a fully caged car — ¾" mesh, No. 14 gauge wire or equivalent
- Loading and unloading gates installed at each landing
- Rated load capacity, operating speed, and hazard warnings posted on the car and platform
- Hoisting ropes removed from service at 6 broken wires in one lay (3 in one strand)
- Hoisting ropes removed for heat damage or electrical contact damage
1926.552
Subpart N — Material Hoists, Personnel Hoists & Elevators
OSHA Interpretations & Rulings →