Safety Requirements for Scissor Lifts
According to both HRSDC and OSHA, scissor lifts or "movable scaffolds" are industrial machinery capable of lifting heavy and big cargo that are well balanced. They are responsible for transporting workers and their materials to and from high areas in a safe and efficient way. Because these mobile heavy machines are classified as heavy machinery, there are a lot of safety requirements which apply to the maintenance and use of scissor lifts.
Movement
Scissor lifts sit upon a wheeled base so they could move around to access a wider variety of areas. These pieces of equipment have been designed to move heavier loads, equipment and even workers down and up to work locations. For safety reasons, workers are not permitted to ride on a scissor lift during the relocation process. Usually, this is to help make certain that no one falls from the machine while it is being used. All employees working directly with as well as around the equipment should be informed about its movement prior to the driver releasing the safety brake in order to make the lift move. Constant communication around heavy equipment helps keep the working place and all individuals in it safe.
Fall Protection
In order to ensure that employees prevent falling when using the machine, there are some safety regulations to think about about forklift safety standards. 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 that must be engaged on the lift platform entrance every time the lift is being utilized. There are also slip guards in place for added safety.
Another good safety habit workers should make is ensuring that heavy cargo or anything on the lift platform is fastened down in a safe manner before moving the lift to be sure that nothing causes anybody on the lift platform to become injured.