Aerial Lifts & Scissor Lifts
An aerial lift is any vehicle-mounted device used to elevate personnel, including:
• Extendable boom platforms,
• Aerial ladders,
• Articulating (jointed) boom platforms,
• Vertical towers, and
• Any combination of the above.
Aerial lifts have replaced ladders and scaffolding on many job sites due to their mobility and flexibility. They may be made of metal, fiberglass reinforced plastic, or other materials. They may be powered or manually operated, and are considered to be aerial lifts whether or not they can rotate around a primarily vertical axis. Many workers are injured or killed on aerial lifts each year.
Hazards Associated with Aerial Lifts
The following hazards, among others, can lead to personal injury or death:
• Fall from elevated level,
• Objects falling from lifts,
• Tip-overs,
• Ejections from the lift platform,
• Structural failures (collapses),
• Electric shock (electrocutions),
• Entanglement hazards,
• Contact with objects, and
• Contact with ceilings and other overhead objects.
Aerial Lift & Scissor Lift Training
Only trained and authorized persons are allowed to operate an aerial lift. Training should include:
• Explanations of electrical, fall, and falling object hazards;
• Procedures for dealing with hazards;
• Recognizing and avoiding unsafe conditions in the work setting;
• Instructions for correct operation of the lift (including maximum intended load and load capacity);
• Demonstrations of the skills and knowledge needed to operate an aerial lift before operating it on the job;
• When and how to perform inspections; and
• Manufacturer’s requirements.
