Retraining

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, or

• 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

Pre-start Inspection

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:

Vehicle components

• 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.

Lift components

• 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;

• Mechanical fasteners and locking pins;

• 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.

Work Zone Inspections

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:

An aerial lift is any vehicle-mounted device used

to elevate personnel, including:

• Extendable boom platforms,

• Aerial ladders,

• Articulating (jointed) boom platforms,

• Vertical towers, and

• 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, fiberglassreinforced 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.

Hazards Associated with 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, and

• Contact with ceilings and other overhead

objects.

Training

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;

• When and how to perform inspections; and

• Manufacturer’s requirements.

FactSheet

Aerial Lifts
• 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; and

• The presence of others in close proximity to the

work.

What to Do While Operating an Aerial Lift

Fall Protection:

• 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.

Operation/Traveling/Loading:

• 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.

Overhead Protection:

• 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.

Stability in the Work Zone:

• 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

OSHA Standards:

29 CFR 1910.67, 29 CFR 1910.269(p), 29 CFR

1926.21, 29 CFR 1926.453, 29 CFR 1926.502.

American National Standards Institutes standards:

ANSI/SIA A92.2-1969, ANSI/SIA A92.3,

ANSI/SIA A92.5, ANSI/SIA A92.6.

Additional Information

OSHA has a variety of publications, standards,

technical assistance and compliance tools to help

you. OSHA also offers extensive assistance through

workplace consultations, grants, strategic

partnerships, state plans, training and education.

OSHA’s Safety and Health Program Management

Guidelines (54 Federal Register 3904-3916, January

26, 1989) detail elements critical to the development

of a successful safety and health program.

To file a complaint by phone, report an emergency,

or get OSHA advice, assistance, or products,

contact your nearest OSHA office or call us toll-free

at 1-800-321-OSHA (6742).

This is one in a series of informational fact sheets highlighting OSHA programs, policies or standards. It does not impose

any new compliance requirements. For a comprehensive list of compliance requirements of OSHA standards or regulations,

refer to Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations. This information will be made available to sensory-impaired individuals

upon request.The voice phone is (202) 693-1999; the teletypewriter (TTY) number is (877) 889-5627.

Occupational Safety

and Health Administration

www.osha.gov 1-800-321-6742

For assistance, contact us. We can help. It’s confidential.

DSG 4/2011