Basic Essential Safety Tips for Aerial Lifts

Aerial and boom lifts are great construction tools, but if they’re not operated properly, they can be deadly. Since they’re used to access high job sites, the fall risk is significant. Chances are, if you use aerial lifts at your construction company, you already have safety regulations in place—in that case, consider this your refresher course on boom or aerial lift safety tips in Texas.

Read on to learn the most essential safety rules for you and your workers:

• Get the right training and certification: Make sure that any employee authorized to operate the lift has been appropriately trained and certified. Not only is this a smart safety standard, but it will protect you and your company from liability.
• Inspect the vehicle before each use: Like any piece of equipment, your boom or aerial lift needs to be inspected each time you use it. This includes fluid levels, batteries, wheels, tires, horns, alarms, hydraulic systems and more.
• Look for work area hazards: When you’re working with aerial lifts, hazards are everywhere. When working indoors, make sure that the ceiling is high enough and that the floor is stable. Outdoors, look for flaws in the ground, wires and cables or other safety hazards, and clear them as necessary.
• Always wear your harness: Fall risks are high when you’re working with boom or aerial lifts. Always wear your safety harness to avoid injury.
• Never sit, reach or lean over the bucket: Don’t sit on or lean against the guardrails. They’re designed to keep you from falling, rather than to serve as a comfort feature.
• Use brakes and outriggers whenever possible: Naturally, you should use your brakes before you raise the aerial or boom lift—but if you can, try to also use outriggers or wheel chocks to fully stabilize your equipment.
• Never override safety features: Even if it seems expeditious, never manually override your equipment’s safety features. There’s no deadline worth injury or fatality.
• Always be careful around power lines: Power lines are a significant safety hazard, whether they’re part of your work site or what your workers are repairing or installing. Always be cognizant of where they are, and avoid them as much as possible.
• Keep scissor lifts away from other equipment: Scissor lifts can easily tip over if they’re bumped by other equipment. Never allow other vehicles around your scissor lifts when in operation.
• Clear everyone away from the base of a boom lift: Clear everyone away from the boom lift’s base and surrounding areas before operating. They are a tipping hazard.
• Don’t use boom lifts to carry overweight objects: Boom lifts are specifically designed to carry people and tools—not for hauling supplies or other overweight objects. Resist the urge to repurpose your boom lift.

If you follow these aerial and boom lift safety rules in Texas, your workers will be healthy, safe and happy.

V-Bar Equipment Company is your forklift specialist in Texas. For more information about our products and services, get in touch with us today.

Categorised in: Heavy Equipment Safety

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