Safety Requirements for Scissor Lifts
According to both HRSDC and OSHA, scissor lifts or "movable scaffolds" are industrial machinery capable of raising heavy and big loads which are well balanced. They are responsible for transporting employees and their supplies to and from high elevations in an efficient and safe manner. As these mobile heavy machinery are classified as heavy equipment, there are a lot of safety requirements that apply to the use and maintenance of scissor lifts.
Movement
Scissor lifts could be driven around or moved on wheels to make them able to access various places. These pieces of machines have been designed to transport heavy cargo, individuals and equipment up or down from height. For safety reasons, employees are not permitted to ride on a scissor lift when relocating. Generally, this is to help make sure that no one falls from the machine while it is being utilized. All employees working directly with as well as around the machinery must be informed about its movement prior to the driver releasing the safety brake in order to make the lift move. Constant communication around heavy machinery helps keep the working environment and all people in it safe.
Fall Protection
There are some stringent safety regulations to follow about the safety standards for the scissor lifts in order to make sure that workers do not fall from the lift when they are using it. Though scissor lifts are not required to be enclosed, there are features such as guard rails positioned around the lift perimeter along with a lock which should be engaged on the lift platform entrance whenever the lift is being utilized. There are also slip guards in place for added safety.
Another good safety habit workers must make is ensuring that heavy loads or anything on the lift platform is fastened down in a secure way before moving the lift to be certain that nothing causes anybody on the lift platform to become injured.