Aerial Manlift Dangers
Aerial man lifts are personnel lifts like scissor lifts, boom lifts, and articulated booms lifts that use an articulated boom or a series of linked, folding supports. These machines allows workers to get up high into previously inaccessible places. In certain ways, these machines have made construction a lot safer and easier, however, the overall safety which comes with the unparalleled mobility of aerial manlifts has implemented a new list of dangers that could accidentally result in serious injury or even death to drivers who are unaware.
Falls
Normally, falls could take place when employees are unable to wear a safety harness or are unable to correctly secure the lift platform. Falls could happen when somebody on the platform acts inappropriately and partakes in an activity such as climbing the guard rails to gain extra height. As well, accidents could be caused if the ground-based operator causes the machine to move in an unexpected motion before the worker being properly secured.
Sometimes employees can fall when the lift's base is struck inadvertently by a heavy thing. During this situation, the force of the blow below becomes amplified by the lift's length, thus causing the employee to be suddenly catapulted off of the platform. Obviously this hazardous action has terrible outcome.
Tip-Overs
Boom lifts are susceptible to tipping over. Tip overs are more common in articulated boom lifts, but could occur in any kind of lift. Because boom lifts are able to move both horizontally and vertically, they are capable of changing the machinery's overall center of gravity. Therefore, if the lift is over loaded or parked on a slope of some kind, totally extending the boom when it is in the wrong position could lead to a tip-over situation.