Aerial Manlift Dangers
Aerial man lifts are personnel lifts such as scissor lifts, boom lifts, and articulated booms lifts which utilize an articulated boom or a series of linked, folding supports. These equipment enables workers to get up high into previously inaccessible places. In some ways, these machinery have made construction much safer and easier, however, the general safety that comes with the unparalleled mobility of aerial manlifts has applied a new list of dangers which can inadvertently result in serious injury or even death to operators who are unaware.
Falls
Typically, falls can take place when workers are unable to correctly secure the lift platform or are unable to wear a safety harness. Falls can happen when someone on the platform acts unsuitably and participates in an activity such as climbing the guard rails to gain added height. Additionally, mishaps can be caused if the operator on the ground causes the machinery to move in an unexpected motion prior to the employee being properly secured.
A lot of workers also fall because the base of their equipment is accidentally struck by some other heavy object. In this situation, the force of the blow below becomes amplified by the lift's length, hence causing the employee to be suddenly catapulted off of the platform. Obviously this hazardous action has terrible results.
Tip-Overs
Boom lifts are susceptible to tipping over. Tip overs are more common in articulated boom lifts, but could happen in any type of lift. As boom lifts could move both vertically and horizontally, they can change the machine's overall center of gravity. Therefore, if the lift is parked on an incline of some kind or over loaded, totally extending the boom when it is in the wrong position could lead to a tip-over situation.