Aerial Manlift Dangers
Aerial manlifts are machinery which utilize either a series of linked, folding supports, such as a scissor lift or a boom lift or an articulated boom lift. These industrial pieces of machinery allow employees to get in touch with hard-to-reach places. In some ways, these kinds of machinery have made construction a lot easier and safer, however, the overall safety which comes with the unparalleled mobility of aerial manlifts has applied a new list of hazards that could accidentally result in severe injury or even death to drivers who are unaware.
Falls
Falls from a man lift normally happens when workers cannot secure the harness to the lift or fail to or are unable to wear a safety harness. Falls can occur when a worker on the platform acts unsuitably and participates in an activity like climbing the guard rails to gain extra height. In addition, mishaps could be caused if the operator on the ground causes the machine to move in an unexpected motion before the employee being correctly secured.
At times workers could fall when the lift's base is struck accidentally by a heavy thing. During 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. Obviously this hazardous action has catastrophic results.
Tip-Overs
Boom lifts are prone to tipping over. Tip overs are more frequent in articulated boom lifts, but could take place in any type of lift. Since boom lifts are able to move both horizontally and vertically, they are capable of changing the overall center of gravity of the machine. Therefore, if the lift is over loaded or parked on a slope of some sort, completely extending the boom when it is in the wrong position can cause the equipment to tip over.