Aerial Manlift Dangers
Aerial manlifts are equipments 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 machinery allow employees to get in touch with hard-to-reach areas. In certain ways, these kinds of machines have made construction much safer and easier, although, the overall safety that comes with the unparalleled mobility of aerial manlifts has implemented a new list of hazards which can accidentally result in serious injury or even death to drivers who are unaware.
Falls
Falls from a man lift normally happens when employees fail to or are unable to wear a safety harness or cannot secure the harness to the lift. Falls can take place when someone on the platform acts wrongly and partakes in an activity like climbing the guard rails in order to gain extra height. In addition, accidents can be caused if the operator on the ground causes the machinery to move in an unexpected motion prior to the employee being properly secured.
Sometimes employees could fall when the base of the lift is struck inadvertently by a heavy thing. In this situation, the force of the blow below becomes amplified by the lift's length, thus causing the employee to be abruptly catapulted off of the platform. Obviously this hazardous action has catastrophic outcome.
Tip-Overs
Unfortunately, boom lifts are easily susceptible to tipping over. Tip-overs can happen in any kind of lift, but are more common in articulated boom lifts. Because boom lifts could move both horizontally and vertically, they could change the machinery's overall center of gravity. Therefore, if the lift is parked on a slope of some type or over loaded, totally extending the boom when it is in the wrong position can cause the machinery to tip over.