Scissor Lift Safety in the Construction Environment
The construction industry is an amazing part in the advances in building design, and while much of the credit goes to those who design, and to those who build, the fact is that there is a great deal of machinery needed to bring a vision into existence. From the architect’s drawing board, to the grading of the jobsite, to the finishing touches on fixtures, machinery is an essential element of completing the project.
The scissor lift is an important part of any major job site, and in many cases, the scissor lift plays an important role in small jobs, as well. Due to recent years’ major undertakings, as in the case of the Las Vegas City Center in Nevada, mechanical accidents have become the impetus to highlight worksite safety, and in particular, scissor lift safety and other certifications have led to greater expectations of those who train craftsmen. Loss of life is the last thing wanted on any job site, and proper instruction in the operations of a scissor lift, or in other equipment related cases, is the best prevention that can be provided to assure a safe environment for all parties involved in a project.
Scissor lift safety is an issue for a couple of primary reasons. First, the elevation of the lift puts an individual in contact with moving parts. A machine in motion is not very forgiving if a limb or digit gets into the workings of the mechanical elements of the system. It is essential that a scissor lift operator, or a craftsman riding in the lift, be instructed in where to place himself and his equipment, in order to avoid unexpected injuries.
Because the scissor lift puts a worker at a high altitude, and in a small, confined work basket, there are important strategies that must be learned with regard to balance, distribution of weight, wearing of safety harnesses, and placement. A craftsman must recognize that uneven distribution of weight has the potential to cause a lift to lean or fall. An unharnessed worker leaning over the edge of a lift in order to perform work runs the risk of a fall. Poor weather conditions can cause a lift to be blown over. Anything that affects the stability of the lift must be taken seriously.
Many workmen simply learn scissor lift safety and operation on the job. However, unions and building trades organizations have made inroads in the development of training classes and certification records for their members in an effort to cooperate with contractors in establishing a safe skill set that leads to a mutually beneficial work environment, where accidents and injuries are kept to a minimum. Additional OSHA standards and laws in states like Nevada have led to generally safety education requirements. In conjunction with targeted scissor lift safety courses, these general OSHA 10 classes help to educate construction professionals so that a culture of safety is nurtured in the workplace.
Scissor lifts serve to get workers close to their targeted areas of work, when altitude is an issue. Safety training serves to keep them alive, while they are on the lift. The entire project prospers when safety is valued and observed.
Related posts: