Aerial Manlift Dangers
Aerial manlifts are machinery which utilize either a series of folding, linked supports, such as a boom lift or an articulated boom lift or a scissor lift. These industrial kinds of machine enable employees to get in touch with hard-to-reach places. In certain ways, these machinery 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 that can accidentally lead to serious injury or even death to drivers who are unaware.
Falls
Normally, falls can occur when employees are unable to correctly secure the lift platform or are unable to wear a safety harness. Falls could take place when someone on the platform acts wrongly and takes part in an activity like for instance climbing the guard rails to be able to gain extra height. Moreover, accidents could be caused if the ground-based operator causes the machine to move in an unexpected motion prior to the employee being properly secured.
Sometimes employees may fall when the lift's base is struck inadvertently by a heavy thing. In this situation, the force of the blow below becomes amplified by the lift's length, therefore causing the employee to be abruptly catapulted off of the platform. Obviously this hazardous action has terrible results.
Tip-Overs
Unfortunately, boom lifts are easily prone to tipping over. Tip-overs can take place in any type of lift, but are more common in articulated boom lifts. Because boom lifts can move both horizontally and vertically, they are capable of changing the overall center of gravity of the machinery. Thus, if the lift is parked on a slope of some kind or over loaded, extending the boom completely when it is in the wrong position could cause the equipment to tip over.