A conveyor lift table for a conveyor system comprises a conveyor including a frame and a plurality of rollers for supporting a load thereon and a lift mechanism connected to one end to said frame and configured to move the conveyor with a load supported thereon from an uppermost position to a lowermost position. A guard assembly is provided that includes plurality of U-shaped panel sections, each of the panel sections defining a successively larger perimeter. The panel section having the smallest perimeter is attached to the conveyor frame. Each panel section is connected to the next larger perimeter panel section by a plurality of slide members so that the guard assembly is configured to telescopically completely enclose the lift mechanism on three sides as it moves between its uppermost and lowermost positions.