Aerial Manlift Hazards
Aerial man lifts are personnel lifts such as articulated boom lifts, scissor lifts and boom lifts which use an articulated boom or a series of linked, folding supports. These machines enables workers to get up high into previously inaccessible places. In certain ways, these machines have made construction a lot easier and safer, however, the general safety which comes with the unparalleled mobility of aerial manlifts has applied a new list of dangers which could accidentally result in serious injury or even death to drivers who are unaware.
Falls
Falls from a man lift normally occurs when employees fail to or are unable to wear a safety harness or cannot secure the harness to the lift. Falls could occur when a worker on the platform acts inappropriately and participates in an activity like for instance climbing the guard rails in order to gain additional height. In addition, mishaps could be caused if the ground-based operator causes the machinery to move in an unexpected motion before the worker being correctly secured.
At times workers can fall when the lift's base is struck inadvertently by a heavy object. In this situation, the force of the blow below becomes amplified by the lift's length, thus causing the worker to be abruptly catapulted off of the platform. Obviously this dangerous action has catastrophic outcome.
Tip-Overs
Boom lifts are prone to tipping over. Tip overs are more frequent in articulated boom lifts, but can happen in any type of lift. Because boom lifts could move both horizontally and vertically, they can change the equipment's overall center of gravity. Therefore, if the lift is parked on an incline of some type or over loaded, extending the boom completely when it is in the wrong position could cause the machine to tip over.