Despite increased awareness and emphasis on safety in our nation, the amount of workers dying from falling from a height of six feet or more has actually been on the rise. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has found a large percentage of fatalities are due to unsafe practices of the operators themselves.
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We cannot overstate the importance of safety training, especially scissor lift safety. Continue reading for a list of helpful scissor lift safety do's and don'ts. While our scissor lift safety list is helpful, you should never expect this list to replace the depth or scope of customized scissor lift safety training for your employees.
It's important to recognize the most common mistakes scissor lift operators make that can lead to injuries and deaths. The scissor lift safety don'ts are listed below:
The gates of the lift basket must be closed at all times. The gates should only be opened at the fully lowered position to allow the operator on or off.
Scaffolds and lifts are designed to reach specific heights, and loose additional heighteners are extraordinarily unsafe. Never use ladders or step stools inside the basket.
Operators can fall when improperly balanced. Climbing onto the guardrails or leaning too far over them increases risk of a fall.
While many lifts have rubber wheels, it's still never a good idea to come into contact with a live electric current.
Operating a lift at any height in poor weather outdoors is never recommended. Similarly, any situation of low visibility inside or out is not safe for scissor lift operation.
Scissor lifts require special training for operation as well as for safety. If your employees do not have current or sufficient safety training, you're placing them at greater risk of encountering injury or even death.
There are, of course, things that should always be done before and during scissor lift operation to increase scissor lift safety. These are the do's:
Make sure the machine itself is in proper working condition as a part of your daily workplace safety checklist. The lift should be strong and stable without any imbalances or distortions. The basket should be in a condition sufficient to stay safely and work above the operator's head, guard rails should be secure, and so on.
Operate on a flat level only. Uneven surfaces are extremely dangerous. Make sure the working area is clear of obstacles, and that no other employees are working in the area. Note: additional safety from a spotter on the ground to assist is ideal, but aside from that, no one should be working on anything else in the same area at the same time.
If an employee is going to work outside the guardrails for any reason, then full body harness, fall supports, and the necessary personal protective equipment must be used. The safety rope or strap should be attached at a stationary anchorage point.
Keep in mind, going outside the guardrails dramatically increases risk of a fall, and even with a safety harness to stop a fall, severe injury can still occur.
Don't let the operator move around while lifted in the air. Even if a short move is necessary, the operator should lower the basket before moving.
Always make sure to use a safety chain for tools properly stored inside of the basket ' fully within the guardrails. Anything that falls from up high can injure a worker on the ground. Don't let anything fall.
Safe operation is primarily the responsibility of the operator. However, if the operator is not adequately trained in general safety or the specifics of the particular lift, then the employer may also assume some responsibility. It's best to avoid injuries, deaths, legal issues by only allowing fully trained and responsible employees to operate a scissor lift.
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When it comes to protecting your workforce, the experts at Premier Safety Partners offer the premier training solutions. Even though no approach can completely erase the possibility of scissor lift accidents, a trained and aware workforce is exponentially less likely to make mistakes that results in accidents.
Contact Premier Safety Partners to learn more about fully-customizable scissor lift training solutions.
According to an article published by the Laborer's Health and Safety fund, scissor lifts and other aerial lifts are one of the most common reasons for workplace injuries.
Like any business owner or manager, you want to keep your workers safe and avoid taking huge financial hits from worker's compensation payouts. That's why, to keep everything functioning smoothly and safely within your manufacturing and industrial company, you need to understand scissor lift safety.
Read on to learn five invaluable tips.
We know it can be frustrating to have to break up your work or production flow in order to inspect your equipment. However, it's one of the most important safety steps you can take. Make sure you routinely test your guardrails, inspect the workplace environment, and test your workers' knowledge of safety regulations.
There are countless horror stories out there about workers who have been crushed to death by machinery or who have been electrocuted. Don't let your employees become the next newspaper headline.
Instead, make sure your employees know how to position their lifts correctly. This means the lift needs to be a minimum of twelve feet from any power lines. You should also eliminate any overhead wires. (To be safe, nothing should be hanging over the lift.) Also, make sure you put down ground guides so that everyone is aware of where the lift is in their work environment.
If your lift falls over, you and your workers are in serious trouble. Keep it stable by keeping the lift a good distance away from other equipment. Make sure the ground you place your lift on is solid too. That means you'll need to check for any holes in the floor.
Finally, familiarize yourself with the manufacturer instructions, and always obey the limits on both weight and height set by the manufacturer.
Preventing worker falls is a huge part of scissor lift safety. This means you'll need to install guardrails to protect the scissor lift operators. Although body harnesses aren't required, they may be a good idea. Also, instruct your workers to stand on the platform only and to never balance on the guardrails.
Of course, the most important thing you can do in order to prevent accidents is to properly train your employees. This means you'll need to conduct ongoing training, and perhaps even unannounced spot checks to make sure everything is as it should be.
When you train your operators, make sure you discuss:
basics of handling
the scissor liftThis will help you to avoid accidents.
Of course, the first step in scissor lift safety is to invest in high-quality equipment. Buying inferior equipment can increase the likelihood of equipment-related accidents. As such, your lift should be manufactured by an experienced company that can customize your equipment to your specific needs.
That's where we come in. For more on our line of high-quality scissor lift tables, click here. Also, spend some time on our website to learn more about how we can help you get the right equipment for the job.
Contact us to discuss your requirements of Tracked Scissor Lifts. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.