Accidents using scissor lifts and aerial work platforms occur often. In order to combat incidents involving aerial work platforms, particularly fatal scissor lift mishaps. This widely disseminated notice offers useful advice on stability, maintenance, and other concerns that may lead to scissor lift mishaps.
The safety program at your organization might benefit from learning about the most frequent incidents and how to prevent them. Your personnel are better equipped to prevent the most frequent scissor lift accidents and aerial lift dangers thanks to our training and certification. It’s crucial to provide your staff with the appropriate training so they can use your machinery safely and avoid becoming a statistic for aerial lift accidents. It’s crucial to provide your staff with the appropriate training so they can use your machinery safely and avoid becoming a statistic for aerial lift accidents.
Common Aerial Lift Accidents
Let’s examine some typical reasons for the most frequent scissor lift mishaps, along with some data that highlight how crucial having safety training that is fully OSHA compliant is. OSHA estimates that 300 to 400 employees are hurt each year while using an aerial lift or scissor lift. Additionally, employees who are operating MEWPs, AWPs, scissor lifts, and similar equipment die from scissor accidents on average 20 to 25 times a year.
- Tip-Overs
Tipping over might occur if your scissor lift or aerial lift isn’t correctly balanced or loaded. A few scissor lift fatalities in the US each year are directly related to this frequent aerial lift disaster. Tip-overs can happen with scissor lifts, but they happen more frequently with aerial lifts since they are typically utilized outside. The main factor in scissor lift accidents, even inside, is tip-overs. Make sure the aerial lift ground is solid and always refer to your operator manual for the right loading procedures. Doing so will assist avoid the circumstances and factors that ultimately result in scissor lift accident statistics.
- Faulty equipment
Accidents using scissor lifts can be caused by anything from broken pneumatics to frayed cables to insufficient safety restraints. A rigorous maintenance program allows for the early detection of defective equipment. To prevent accidents or fatalities due to defective equipment, aerial lifts must undergo routine, rigorous inspections. Start your maintenance schedule right now; it’s simply one element of a successful overall safety strategy.
- Trapped on a Lift
Accidents using scissor lifts and aerial work platforms can occur due to careless operation, pinning the operator between the lift and other nearby items. It is necessary to consider risks like trees, bridges, walls, and the sky.
- Falls
This is the most frequent reason for fatalities with aerial lifts and scissor lifts. Falls might sometimes result in serious injuries. Operator negligence, carelessness, and the improper use of safety restraints all contribute to falls. When operating on AWPs, OSHA advises using safety harnesses, and of course your operators should always keep inside the safety guardrails.
- Disregarding Operational Instructions
We refer to the combination of the manufacturer’s documentation for the aerial lift and the safety advice made by your company as “operating guidelines.” All operators need to have a thorough grasp of their surroundings and equipment to prevent aerial lift mishaps. Your personnel are more likely to follow these significant rules if they have received the appropriate hands-on training and certification!
- Unsteady Ground Conditions
The best way to prevent aerial lift and scissor lift accidents is literally from the ground up. Any aerial work platform, including cherry pickers, telescopic boom lifts, and scissor lifts, needs a strong, sturdy basis to work on. Make sure your staff only uses aerial lifts and MEWPs on flat, level surfaces when performing outside work. Hazards such as mud, water, inclination, and others must be avoided at all costs.
- Energy lines
Be mindful of any overhead electrical cables. When personnel or equipment come into touch with live electrical lines, electrocutions and major accidents happen. Make sure there are no hazardous electrical lines in the overall aerial lift work zone before beginning. An additional level of training and instruction is advised if your employment necessitates placing personnel in close proximity to electrical lines. Always keep in mind that risks, no matter how little they may appear at first, can nonetheless result in accidents, injuries, or even fatalities.
It’s simpler than you would think to avoid the most prevalent AWP and scissor lift risks. With the aid of OSHA-compliant training, your personnel will be equipped with the latest information, tools, and resources. To prevent scissor lift accidents and aerial lift accidents at work, make sure you get the appropriate safety training.
