Aerial Manlift Hazards
Aerial man lifts are personnel lifts like boom lifts, articulated boom lifts and scissor lifts which utilize an articulated boom or a series of linked, folding supports. These equipment allows workers to get up high into previously inaccessible places. In certain ways, these machinery have made construction much easier and safer, however, the overall safety that comes with the unparalleled mobility of aerial manlifts has implemented a new list of hazards that can inadvertently result in serious injury or even death to drivers who are unaware.
Falls
Usually, falls could happen when workers are unable to wear a safety harness or are unable to correctly secure the lift platform. Falls could occur when somebody on the platform acts wrongly and participates in an activity like climbing the guard rails to gain added height. Moreover, mishaps can be caused if the operator on the ground causes the machine to move in an unexpected motion prior to the employee being properly secured.
Numerous workers also fall because the base of their machinery is accidentally struck by some other heavy object. In this situation, the force of the blow below becomes amplified by the length of the lift, thus causing the employee to be abruptly catapulted off of the platform. Clearly this hazardous action has catastrophic results.
Tip-Overs
Boom lifts are susceptible to tipping over. Tip overs are more common in articulated boom lifts, but can take place in any kind of lift. Because boom lifts could move both vertically and horizontally, they are capable of changing the machinery's overall center of gravity. Thus, if the lift is over loaded or parked on a slope of some kind, totally extending the boom when it is in the wrong position could result in a tip-over situation.