Is This the Right Way to Use an Aerial Lift?

What’s wrong with this picture?

Look closely and you’ll notice that the rear left wheel of this cherry picker is elevated leaving the 2 workers on the platform supported by an unstable triangle of 3 wheels. Yikes!

The Moral: Ensuring that all the wheels of an aerial lift are on a solid, level base before the boom is raised is crucial to prevent falls, not to mention citations for violating the OSHA Vehicle-Mounted Elevating and Rotating Mobile Platforms standard (Sec. 1910.67).

Safe Use of Aerial Lifts

What’s at Stake

3 Reasons to Pay Attention

  1. Falling from an aerial lift can result in death or serious injury
  2. Such falls often take place because the aerial lift tips-over
  3. If you know how to use an aerial lift safely, it’s much less likely to tip over

3 Kinds of Aerial Lifts

Aerial lifts are mobile devices that use cables to elevate workers in a cabin, car, gondola or open chair above the ground so they can work in high places. Common types:

1. Cherry Pickers:

2. Bucket Trucks:

3. Aerial Ladders:

8 Aerial Lift Do’s & Dont’s

There are 8 things to do/not do when using an aerial lift:

  • DO ensure all wheels of the aerial lift are positioned on a firm, level and uniform baseā€”don’t be like the workers in the photo above
  • DON’T go over the boom and basket load limits set by the manufacturer
  • DO test the controls and inspect the aerial lift before using it each day
  • DON’T override the aerial lift’s hydraulic, mechanical or electrical safety devices
  • DO keep a distance of at least 10 feet away from the nearest overhead power line
  • DON’T use an aerial lift as a crane or device to lift materials
  • DO wear a hardhat, fall protection and other required PPE when working from an aerial lift
  • DON’T belt off to an adjacent pole, structure or equipment when working from an aerial lift