Aerial Manlift Hazards
Aerial manlifts are machinery that utilize either a series of linked, folding supports, like a scissor lift or a boom lift or an articulated boom lift. These industrial types of equipment enable employees to get in touch with hard-to-reach places. In some ways, these types of machinery have made construction much easier and safer, however, the general 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 unaware drivers.
Falls
Normally, falls can happen when workers are unable to correctly secure the lift platform or are unable to wear a safety harness. Falls could occur when someone on the platform acts inappropriately and takes part in an activity like for example climbing the guard rails in order to gain additional height. Also, mishaps could be caused if the operator on the ground causes the machine to move in an unexpected motion prior to the employee being properly secured.
Lots of workers also fall because the base of their equipment is inadvertently struck by some other heavy object. In 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. Clearly this dangerous action has catastrophic outcome.
Tip-Overs
Sadly, boom lifts are easily susceptible to tipping over. Tip-overs could happen in any type of lift, but are more common in articulated boom lifts. Because boom lifts could move both vertically and horizontally, they could change the overall center of gravity of the equipment. Hence, if the lift is parked on an incline of some type or over loaded, extending the boom to full length when it is in the wrong position can cause the equipment to tip over.