Aerial Lifts

Aerial lift trucks can accommodate many tasks involving high and tricky reaching spaces. Often utilized to execute routine maintenance in structures with tall ceilings, trim tree branches, elevate heavy shelving units or mend phone cables. A ladder could also be used for many of the aforementioned projects, although aerial hoists offer more safety and strength when correctly used.

There are several models of aerial lifts existing on the market depending on what the task needed involves. Painters sometimes use scissor aerial lifts for instance, which are categorized as mobile scaffolding, handy in painting trim and reaching the 2nd story and higher on buildings. The scissor aerial hoists use criss-cross braces to stretch and enlarge upwards. There is a platform attached to the top of the braces that rises simultaneously as the criss-cross braces raise.

Bucket trucks and cherry pickers are another type of aerial lift. They possess a bucket platform on top of a long arm. As this arm unfolds, the attached platform rises. Platform lifts use a pronged arm that rises upwards as the lever is moved. Boom hoists have a hydraulic arm which extends outward and elevates the platform. All of these aerial platform lifts have need of special training to operate.

Through the Occupational Safety & Health Association, also labeled OSHA, training programs are offered to help make certain the workforce satisfy occupational values for safety, machine operation, inspection and repair and machine load capacities. Workforce receive certification upon completion of the classes and only OSHA licensed workers should drive aerial lifts. The Occupational Safety & Health Organization has formed guidelines to maintain safety and prevent injury when using aerial platform lifts. Common sense rules such as not utilizing this machine to give rides and making sure all tires on aerial lift trucks are braced in order to prevent machine tipping are observed within the guidelines.

Sadly, figures reveal that greater than 20 aerial lift operators die each year when operating and almost ten percent of those are commercial painters. The majority of these incidents were caused by inappropriate tie bracing, hence several of these might have been prevented. Operators should make sure that all wheels are locked and braces as a critical safety precaution to stop the machine from toppling over.

Marking the encompassing area with observable markers need to be used to protect would-be passers-by so they do not come near the lift. In addition, markings should be set at about 10 feet of clearance amid any electric lines and the aerial lift. Lift operators must at all times be well harnessed to the lift while up in the air.

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