Aerial Manlift Hazards
Aerial manlifts are machinery which utilize either a series of folding, linked supports, such as a boom lift or an articulated boom lift or a scissor lift. These industrial types of machinery enable workers to get in touch with hard-to-reach places. In some ways, these machines have made construction a lot safer and easier, although, the overall safety which comes with the unparalleled mobility of aerial manlifts has applied a new list of dangers that can inadvertently cause serious injury or even death to unaware drivers.
Falls
Usually, falls can occur 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 unsuitably and takes part in an activity like climbing the guard rails to be able to gain additional height. As well, accidents can be caused if the ground-based operator causes the equipment to move in an unexpected motion before the worker being correctly secured.
Sometimes workers can fall when the lift's base is struck inadvertently by a heavy thing. In this situation, the force of the blow below becomes amplified by the lift's length, therefore causing the employee to be abruptly catapulted off of the platform. Clearly this hazardous action has terrible results.
Tip-Overs
Boom lifts are susceptible to tipping over. Tip overs are more frequent in articulated boom lifts, but could happen in any kind of lift. Because boom lifts are able to move both horizontally and vertically, they are capable of changing the overall center of gravity of the equipment. Hence, if the lift is parked on an incline of some sort or over loaded, extending the boom completely when it is in the wrong position could result in a tip-over situation.