Stock pickers classed as MEWPs in New Zealand

In New Zealand, stock pickers (sometimes called cherry pickers or boom lifts) are classified as MEWPs (Mobile Elevating Work Platforms) because they fit the formal definition used in safety standards and regulations.

An MEWP is any machine that, lifts people to perform work at height, has a platform or bucket for workers, and can be moved or repositioned while elevated or before lifting. Stock pickers clearly meet all three criteria.

Why stock pickers fall under MEWPs in New Zealand and Australia.

Stock pickers are grouped as MEWPs in NZ and AUS because:

1. They elevate workers

   
   

   Their primary purpose is to safely raise a person to access high areas (e.g. warehouse racking, ceilings).

2. They have a work platform

   
   

   The operator stands in a guarded platform (not just lifting goods).

3. They are mobile machines

   Even if movement is limited, they are still considered mobile equipment.

NZ regulatory context

In New Zealand, MEWPs are covered under:

• The Health and Safety at Work Act 2015

• Guidance from WorkSafe New Zealand

• Standards like AS/NZS 2550.10

These frameworks don’t separate “stock pickers” as a different legal category—they are simply treated as a type of MEWP (often a vertical lift MEWP).

Practical implication

Because stock pickers are MEWPs in NZ:

• Operators must be trained and (often) certified 

• Equipment must be inspected and maintained to MEWP standards

• Employers must follow working-at-height safety procedures 

• Harness use may be required depending on the type

In short

Stock pickers are classified as MEWPs in New Zealand because they are mobile machines designed to lift people safely to height, which is exactly what the MEWP category covers—no separate classification needed.