Aerial Manlift Hazards
Aerial man lifts are personnel lifts like articulated boom lifts, scissor lifts and boom lifts that use an articulated boom or a series of folding, linked supports. These machinery enables employees to get up high into previously inaccessible areas. In some ways, these equipment have made construction a lot safer and easier, although, the general safety which comes with the unparalleled mobility of aerial manlifts has applied a new list of hazards which could accidentally lead to serious injury or even death to unaware operators.
Falls
Falls from a man lift often occurs when employees cannot secure the harness to the lift or fail to or are unable to wear a safety harness. Falls can happen when somebody on the platform acts unsuitably and takes part in an activity such as climbing the guard rails in order to gain extra height. Additionally, mishaps can be caused if the operator on the ground causes the equipment to move in an unexpected motion before the employee being properly secured.
At times employees could 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, therefore causing the worker to be suddenly catapulted off of the platform. Clearly this dangerous action has catastrophic results.
Tip-Overs
Unfortunately, boom lifts are easily susceptible to tipping over. Tip-overs could occur in any type of lift, but are more common in articulated boom lifts. As boom lifts can move both vertically and horizontally, they are capable of changing the overall center of gravity of the machinery. Thus, if the lift is over loaded or parked on an incline of some kind, extending the boom to full length when it is in the wrong position can lead to a tip-over situation.