Aerial Manlift Hazards
Aerial manlifts are machines which utilize either a series of folding, linked supports, like an articulated boom lift or a scissor lift or a boom lift. These industrial types of machinery allow employees to access hard-to-reach areas. In certain ways, these equipment have made construction much easier and safer, however, the overall safety that comes with the unparalleled mobility of aerial manlifts has applied a new list of hazards that can inadvertently cause 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 could take place when a worker on the platform acts unsuitably and participates in an activity such as climbing the guard rails to gain added height. Also, mishaps can be caused if the ground-based operator causes the equipment to move in an unexpected motion prior to the worker being properly secured.
Many employees also fall because the base of their machine is inadvertently struck by some other heavy thing. During this situation, the force of the blow below becomes amplified by the lift's length, hence causing the employee to be abruptly catapulted off of the platform. Obviously this dangerous action has catastrophic outcome.
Tip-Overs
Unfortunately, boom lifts are easily susceptible to tipping over. Tip-overs could happen in any kind of lift, but are more common in articulated boom lifts. As boom lifts can move both vertically and horizontally, they can change the machine's overall center of gravity. Therefore, if the lift is parked on a slope of some kind or over loaded, completely extending the boom when it is in the wrong position could lead to a tip-over situation.