Aerial Manlift Dangers
Aerial manlifts are machinery which utilize either a series of folding, linked supports, like a scissor lift or a boom lift or an articulated boom lift. These industrial pieces of machine allow employees to get in touch with hard-to-reach areas. In some ways, these kinds of machines have made construction much easier and safer, however, the general safety that comes with the unparalleled mobility of aerial manlifts has applied a new list of hazards which can inadvertently cause severe injury or even death to drivers who are unaware.
Falls
Falls from a man lift usually occurs when employees fail to or are unable to wear a safety harness or cannot secure the harness to the lift. Falls could take place when someone on the platform acts unsuitably and participates in an activity such as climbing the guard rails to be able to gain added height. As well, accidents can be caused if the ground-based operator causes the machinery to move in an unexpected motion before the employee being properly secured.
Many employees also fall because the base of their equipment is inadvertently struck by some other heavy thing. In this situation, the force of the blow below becomes amplified by the lift's length, thus causing the worker to be abruptly catapulted off of the platform. Obviously this dangerous action has terrible outcome.
Tip-Overs
Boom lifts are prone to tipping over. Tip overs are more common in articulated boom lifts, but could happen in any kind of lift. Because boom lifts are able to move both vertically and horizontally, they are capable of changing the equipment's overall center of gravity. Therefore, if the lift is parked on an incline of some kind or over loaded, totally extending the boom when it is in the wrong position could lead to a tip-over situation.