Aerial Manlift Dangers
Aerial manlifts are machines which utilize either a series of folding, linked supports, like an articulated boom lift or a scissor lift or a boom lift. These industrial types of machinery allow employees to access hard-to-reach places. In some ways, these types of machinery have made construction much easier and safer, however, the general 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 operators.
Falls
Falls from a man lift normally occurs when workers fail to or are unable to wear a safety harness or cannot secure the harness to the lift. Falls can happen when a worker on the platform acts wrongly and partakes in an activity such as climbing the guard rails to gain extra height. Moreover, accidents could be caused if the ground-based operator causes the machine to move in an unexpected motion before the employee being correctly secured.
Numerous workers also fall because the base of their machine is accidentally struck by some other heavy object. During this situation, the force of the blow below becomes amplified by the length of the lift, hence causing the worker to be abruptly catapulted off of the platform. Clearly this hazardous action has catastrophic results.
Tip-Overs
Boom lifts are prone to tipping over. Tip overs are more common in articulated boom lifts, but could take place in any type of lift. Since boom lifts are able to move both vertically and horizontally, they can change the equipment's overall center of gravity. Therefore, if the lift is parked on a slope of some sort or over loaded, extending the boom to full length when it is in the wrong position could result in a tip-over situation.