Disclosed is an apparatus, system, and method for sensing the current supplied to a motorized hoist for raising a maintenance platform and providing an estimate of the operating status of the motor, for example, as stopped, starting, stalled or operating as expected. In various embodiments, measures of voltage and current may be used to determine the operating condition of the hoist and to estimate the magnitude of the applied load. Unintended modes of operation can then be determined so that the conditions can be indicated to the operator and protective measures taken.