OSHA Aerial Lifts: FACT SHEET
The OSHA Aerial Lifts: FACT SHEET explains the risks of aerial lifts that are vehicle-mounted devices used to elevate personnel. Use this fact sheet to inform your workers.
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04/26/2021
OSHA Aerial Lifts: FACT SHEET
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The OSHA Aerial Lifts: FACT SHEET explains the risks of aerial lifts that are vehicle-mounted devices used to elevate personnel. Use this fact sheet to inform your workers.
An aerial lift is any vehicle-mounted device used to elevate personnel, including:
Extendable boom platforms
Aerial ladders
Articulating (jointed) boom platforms
Vertical towers
Any combination of the above
Aerial lifts have replaced ladders and scaffolding on many job sites due to their mobility and flexibility. They may be made of metal, fiberglass reinforced plastic, or other materials.
They may be powered or manually operated, and are considered to be aerial lifts whether or not they can rotate around a primarily vertical axis.
Many workers are injured or killed on aerial lifts each year.
OSHA provides the following information to help employers and workers recognize and avoid safety hazards they may encounter when they use aerial lifts.
The following hazards, among others, can lead to personal injury or death:
Fall from elevated level
Objects falling from lifts
Tip-overs
Ejections from the lift platform
Structural failures (collapses)
Electric shock (electrocutions)
Entanglement hazards
Contact with objects
Contact with ceilings and other overhead objects
Only trained and authorized persons are allowed to operate an aerial lift. Training should include:
Explanations of electrical, fall, and falling object hazards
Procedures for dealing with hazards
Recognizing and avoiding unsafe conditions in the work setting
Instructions for correct operation of the lift (including maximum intended load and load capacity)
Demonstrations of the skills and knowledge needed to operate an aerial lift before operating it on the job
Demonstrations of the skills and knowledge needed to operate an aerial lift before operating it on the job
Manufacturer’s requirements
Workers should be retrained if any of the following conditions occur:
An accident occurs during aerial lift use
Workplace hazards involving an aerial lift are discovered
A different type of aerial lift is used
Employers are also required to retrain workers who they observe operating an aerial lift improperly.
What to Do Before Operating an Aerial Lift
Prior to each work shift, conduct a pre-start inspection to verify that the equipment and all its components are in safe operating condition. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations and include a check of:
Proper fluid levels (oil, hydraulic, fuel and coolant)
Leaks of fluids
Wheels and tires
Battery and charger
Lower-level controls
Horn, gauges, lights and backup alarms
Steering and brakes
Operating and emergency controls
Personal protective devices
Hydraulic, air, pneumatic, fuel and electrical systems
Fiberglass and other insulating components
Missing or unreadable placards, warnings, or operational, instructional and control markings
Cable and wiring harnesses
Outriggers, stabilizers and other structures
Loose or missing parts
Guardrail systems
Do not operate any aerial lift if any of these components are defective until it is repaired by a qualified person. Remove defective aerial lifts from service (tag out) until repairs are made.
Employers must assure that work zones are inspected for hazards and take corrective actions to eliminate such hazards before and during operation of an aerial lift. Items to look for include:
Drop-offs, holes, or unstable surfaces such as loose dirt
Inadequate ceiling heights
Slopes, ditches, or bumps
Debris and floor obstructions
Overhead electric power lines and communication cables
Other overhead obstructions
Other hazardous locations and atmospheres
High wind and other severe weather conditions, such as ice
The presence of others in close proximity to the work
What to Do While Operating an Aerial Lift
Ensure that access gates or openings are closed
Stand firmly on the floor of the bucket or lift platform
Do not climb on or lean over guardrails or handrails
Do not use planks, ladders, or other devices as a working position
Use a body harness or a restraining belt with a lanyard attached to the boom or bucket
Do not belt-off to adjacent structures or poles while in the bucket
Do not exceed the load-capacity limits. Take the combined weight of the worker(s), tools and materials into account when calculating the load
Do not use the aerial lift as a crane
Do not carry objects larger than the platform
Do not drive with the lift platform raised (unless the manufacturer’s instructions allow this)
Do not operate lower level controls unless permission is obtained from the worker(s) in the lift (except in emergencies)
Do not exceed vertical or horizontal reach limits
Do not operate an aerial lift in high winds above those recommended by the manufacturer
Do not override hydraulic, mechanical, or electrical safety devices
Be aware of overhead clearance and overhead objects, including ceilings.
Do not position aerial lifts between overhead hazards if possible
Treat all overhead power lines and communication cables as energized, and stay at least 10 feet (3 meters) away
Ensure that the power utility or power line workers de-energize power lines in the vicinity of the work
Set outriggers on pads or on a level, solid surface
Set brakes when outriggers are used
Use wheel chocks on sloped surfaces when it is safe to do so
Set up work zone warnings, such as cones and signs, when necessary to warn others
Insulated aerial lifts offer protection from electric shock and electrocution by isolating you from electrical ground. However, an insulated aerial lift does not protect you if there is another path to ground (for instance, if you touch another wire)
To maintain the effectiveness of the insulating device, do not drill holes in the bucket
Standards that Apply
29 CFR 1910.67
29 CFR 1910.269(p)
29 CFR 1926.21
29 CFR 1926.453
29 CFR 1926.502
ANSI/SIA A92.2-1969
ANSI/SIA A92.3
ANSI/SIA A92.5
ANSI/SIA A92.6