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ACCESS IN ACTION • NOVEMBER 2014
ACCESS in ACTION
In response to industry demand Terex
AWP is providing the following safety tips
for operating aerial lift equipment.
“Fatalities caused by falls from elevation
continue to be a leading cause of death
for construction workers. Those deaths
could have been preventable,” Mitch Ely,
National Operations Manager, for Genie in
Australia said.
The following operating
tips are critical steps
a Mobile Elevating
Work Platform (MEWP)
operator can take to
reduce the likelihood of
a potentially deadly fall
from height.
1. Make sure you have
received proper
training (both general
training and hands-
on practical training)
as well as familiarisation on the MEWP
you will be using. Thoroughly read the
operator’s manual and safety signs
on the machine and understand the
function and location of all safety
devices and controls before operation.
2. Always read, understand and obey
employer’s safety rules and worksite
regulations, as well as all applicable
local, governmental or site regulations
that apply to MEWP operation before
operating.
3. Always perform a pre-operation
inspection and function tests on the
MEWP before each shift. A level sensor,
alarm or any other safety device cannot
do its job if it has been disabled or
has malfunctioned. If the machine
fails any of these tests, make sure it is
immediately tagged and removed from
service until it can be repaired by a
qualified service technician.
4. Always perform a workplace risk
assessment prior to moving the MEWP
to the jobsite. Look for drop-offs and
holes, slopes, slippery or unstable
surfaces, overhead obstacles, power
lines and any other hazards. Then
consciously think about and
avoid those hazards through
all phases of machine
operation. A full list of
hazards can be found in the
operator’s manual.
5. Always wear the proper
fall protection when
operating a telescopic
or articulating boom. A
properly fitted full body
harness and appropriate
lanyard is an absolute
requirement. Most operators
do not understand the potential for
being catapulted from the platform of
a boom. The slightest jar at the base of
the machine can equate into a sudden
and powerful whiplash at the platform
that may have the potential to toss
the operator into the air. If this were
to happen, wearing the proper fall
protection may reduce the chances of
serious injury or even death.
6. Never sit, stand or climb on the
platform guardrails for any reason.
The guardrails on a MEWP provide
fall protection only if the operator
maintains a firm footing on the platform
floor. If an operator is required to reach
an overhead work area that is too small
for the platform guardrails to allow
access to, the use of a manufacturer-
approved device specifically designed
to provide additional access to confined
spaces is recommended.
7. Never exit an elevated boom or scissor
lift platform while elevated unless you
have been properly trained to do so,
maintain 100% tie-off at all times and
follow guidance in accordance with
AS2550.10 for the correct positioning of
the machine.
8. Never climb down from the platform
when it is raised. Whenever possible,
keep a cell phone or two-way radio
with you while you are in the platform.
Rescue plans should at a minimum
include steps to ensure other personnel
are aware you are operating the
MEWP and they have been trained and
familiarised to operate the machine
from the ground controls.
9. Always keep the platform floor clear of
debris. Scrap materials, buckets, large
tool boxes and other items can cause
a serious tripping hazard. You should
remove any item from the platform
that is not absolutely necessary.
Utilise special manufacturer-approved
attachments such as fluorescent
tube caddies or panel cradles (where
applicable) to lift large or bulky items.
10. Always lower the platform entry
mid-rail or close the entry gate before
operating the MEWP. The entry mid-
rail or gate is an integral part of the
platform guardrail. Never tape or prop
the entry open and never use a MEWP
if the gate does not properly latch.
Editor’s Note: The EWPA provides
guidelines for safe operating procedures
and safety and risk management
awareness on its web page and advises
all end-users to review these guidelines
regularly.
Visit:
www.ewpa.com.auTECH
Talk
10 safety tips for operating aerial lifts
IPAF has published some important
safety facts relating to electrocution at
heights which were the major cause
of EWP operator fatalities in the US in
2012. In 2013 all seven reported cases of
electrocution at heights globally occurred
in the USA which is home to 54% of
the world’s rental fleet. These fatalities
involved mainly boom type EWPs both
self-propelled and truck mounted.
IPAF Electrocution at heights prevention
Electrocutions happen due to:
• Operator or the boom inadvertently
coming too close or touching overhead
power lines.
• Lack of awareness of the proximity of
overhead power lines.
• Complacency or lack of awareness of the
voltage running through the lines.
• Moving the boom in the wrong direction
when close to overhead power lines.
• Operating the boom erratically and not
stopping when and where expected.
IPAF reminds us electrocutions are
preventable through proper planning and
risk assessment of working at heights
including thorough operator training and
familiarisation with the EWP.
Visit: ipaf.org.au
Most operators
do not
understand
the potential
for being
catapulted from
the platform of
a boom...