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Today, we’re going to talk about aerial lift safety. You may know this type of equipment by commonly used names such as “cherry pickers” or “snorkel lifts.” Various types of equipment include aerial lifts, and they are often mounted on trucks. Aerial lifts are used in various industries such as utilities, construction, and tree service. Because aerial lifts can be hazardous, they are regulated by OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. If you work in aerial lifts or near them on the ground, you need to understand the hazards, the basic regulatory requirements, and the safety work practices that must be followed to prevent accidents and injuries. One of the primary hazards of working in aerial lifts is falling out of the lift. If you work in a lift, you must be sure fall protection devices such as personal fall arrest systems are used and guardrails are maintained in good working order. Another serious hazard is tipping over the vehicle carrying the lift. Tip-over can occur if the lift is overloaded or if the vehicle is not properly stabilized before use. You need to know about load limits and how to maintain stability of the vehicle to prevent tip-over. Overhead power lines are another very dangerous hazard for workers in aerial lifts. Contact with power lines could result in electrocution. Unless you are trained to work on high-voltage electrical equipment, always stay well clear of power lines. And then there is the hazard of falling objects for those working on the ground near aerial lifts. Depending on the work being performed by the employee in the lift, tools, materials, tree branches, or other heavy objects could fall on workers on the ground and cause injuries—particularly head injuries, which is why workers on the ground should always wear head protection.
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