Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Aerial Lift Safety

Aerial Lift Safety is a critical aspect of construction work, especially when using vehicle-mounted aerial devices and lifts. These devices, excluding firefighting equipment, must be designed and constructed in conformance with the American National Standard for “Vehicle-Mounted Elevating and Rotating Work Platforms,” ANSI A92.2. Proper safety measures ensure that aerial lifts, including extendible boom platforms, aerial ladders, articulating boom platforms, and vertical towers, are operated safely on jobsites above ground.

To ensure the highest safety standards, aerial lifts may be made of various materials such as metal, wood, fiberglass-reinforced plastic (FRP), or others. They can be powered or manually operated, but regardless of their operation, they must adhere to strict safety regulations.

Moreover, OSHA regulations stipulate that aerial equipment may be “field modified” for uses other than those intended by the manufacturer. However, any such modification must be certified in writing by the manufacturer or an equivalent entity to comply with all applicable provisions of ANSI A92.2, ensuring the equipment’s safety is maintained.

Specific OSHA Aerial Lift Safety Regulations

29CFR1910.67(c): Ladder Trucks and Tower Trucks
Before moving a truck for highway travel, secure the aerial ladders in the lower traveling position. You can use a locking device above the truck cab, a manually operated device at the base of the ladder, or other equally effective means, such as cradles combined with positive-acting linear actuators.

Electrical Tests
Electrical tests ensure compliance with ANSI A92.2, Section 5. However, manufacturers may approve equivalent DC voltage tests to replace the AC voltage test specified.

Bursting Safety Factor
All critical hydraulic and pneumatic components must meet the standards in ANSI A92.2, Section 4.9. Critical components are those whose failure would result in a free fall or free rotation of the boom. Non-critical components must still maintain a bursting safety factor of at least 2:1.

Welding Standards
All welding must conform to applicable Automotive Welding Society (AWS) Standards:

• AWS B3.0: Standard Qualification Procedure
• AWS D8.4: Recommended Practices for Automotive Welding Design
• AWS D10.9: Standard Qualification of Welding Procedures and Welders for Piping and Tubing
• AWS D2.0: Specifications for Welding Highway and Railway Bridges

OSHA Boom Lift Safety Requirements

Although OSHA does not require certification for boom lift operators, it does require proper training for workers who operate aerial lifts. This training must cover all aspects of Aerial Lift Safety. These include understanding electrical and fall risks, hazard precautions, load capacity and restrictions, manufacturer requirements, and a final skills demonstration in the operation of the boom lift.

Extendible and Articulating Boom Platforms

29CFR1910.67(c): Lift Controls and Operation
To ensure Aerial Lift Safety, test lift controls daily to confirm safe working conditions. Only trained personnel should operate aerial lifts.

• Fall Protection: Employees must stand firmly on the floor of the basket. They should not sit or climb on the edge of the basket, nor should they use planks, ladders, or other devices to reach work positions. Each person in the lift basket must use fall protection, with lanyards attached to the boom or basket.
• Load Limits: Never exceed the load limits of the boom and basket.
• Stability: Set the brakes and position outriggers on pads or a solid surface. Wheel chocks are required before using the lift on an incline.
• Movement Restrictions: Do not move an aerial lift truck when the boom is elevated in a working position with anyone in the basket unless using specialized equipment.
• Control Systems: Articulating and extendible boom platforms designed as personnel carriers must have both platform (upper) and lower controls. The upper controls should be within easy reach of the operator, while lower controls should allow overriding upper controls. Both sets of controls must be plainly marked to indicate their functions.
• Prohibitions: Employees should not wear climbers while working from an aerial lift. Additionally, do not alter the insulated portion of an aerial lift in any way that reduces its insulating value.

Before moving an aerial lift for travel, inspect the boom to confirm it is properly cradled and ensure the outriggers are in the stowed position.

Coming Up Next

In Part 2, we’ll explore OSHA scissor lift harness requirements, aerial lift inspection requirements, and more. Stay tuned!