Aerial Manlift Hazards
Aerial man lifts are personnel lifts like scissor lifts, boom lifts, and articulated booms lifts which use an articulated boom or a series of linked, folding supports. These machines allows workers to get up high into previously inaccessible places. In some ways, these types of machinery have made construction a lot easier and safer, however, the overall safety that comes with the unparalleled mobility of aerial manlifts has applied a new list of hazards which could accidentally result in serious injury or even death to operators who are unaware.
Falls
Usually, falls can take place when employees are unable to correctly secure the lift platform or are unable to wear a safety harness. Falls can happen when a worker on the platform acts inappropriately and partakes in an activity like climbing the guard rails to gain added height. Also, accidents could be caused if the ground-based operator causes the machinery to move in an unexpected motion before the worker being properly secured.
Numerous workers also fall because the base of their machinery is accidentally struck by some other heavy thing. In this situation, the force of the blow below becomes amplified by the lift's length, hence causing the worker to be suddenly catapulted off of the platform. Obviously this hazardous action has catastrophic outcome.
Tip-Overs
Sadly, boom lifts are easily prone to tipping over. Tip-overs could occur in any kind of lift, but are more common in articulated boom lifts. As boom lifts could move both horizontally and vertically, they are capable of changing the overall center of gravity of the machinery. Therefore, if the lift is over loaded or parked on an incline of some kind, completely extending the boom when it is in the wrong position could cause the equipment to tip over.