A boom lift goes by many names – cherry picker, man lift, elevated work platform, basket crane – but what is it, exactly? A boom lift is essentially a type of aerial work platform used by personnel to reach high places. A basic boom lift consists of a platform, or bucket, with a long, jointed crane run by a hydraulic lift system and attached to a grounded base. Sometimes a boom lift is mounted on a truck or van, while the bucket is designed to safely house a person, who must be able to perform work at high elevations.

There are several different kinds of aerial lifts, yet the boom lift works especially for hard to reach areas that are also considered dangerous. There are also boom lifts specialized for different situations. For example, an aerial lift is often used by ski lodges to transport skiers up and down the ski slope.

A boom lift can be used in several different professions in every day life. Firefighters, for example, may depend on boom lifts on the back of fire trucks instead of ladders. Other professions a boom lift is commonly used for includes window cleaning, construction, foresting, mining, electrical and cable repair, and even painting. In the film industry, boom lifts are used to suspend large lights over the soundstage and are known as condors.