Aerial Manlift Dangers
Aerial manlifts are machinery which utilize either a series of linked, folding supports, like an articulated boom lift or a scissor lift or a boom lift. These industrial types of machine enable employees to get in touch with hard-to-reach places. In some ways, these equipment have made construction a lot easier and safer, although, the overall safety that comes with the unparalleled mobility of aerial manlifts has applied a new list of hazards which can inadvertently result in serious injury or even death to unaware operators.
Falls
Falls from a man lift often happens when employees cannot secure the harness to the lift or fail to or are unable to wear a safety harness. Falls could take place when a worker on the platform acts unsuitably and partakes in an activity like for instance climbing the guard rails to gain additional height. In addition, mishaps could be caused if the ground-based operator causes the equipment to move in an unexpected motion prior to the employee being properly secured.
Many employees also fall because the base of their machine is inadvertently struck by some other heavy object. During this situation, the force of the blow below becomes amplified by the length of the lift, thus 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 frequent in articulated boom lifts, but could take place in any type of lift. As boom lifts can move both horizontally and vertically, they can change the machine's overall center of gravity. Therefore, if the lift is over loaded or parked on a slope of some kind, totally extending the boom when it is in the wrong position can result in a tip-over situation.