Tips for Training Workers to Operate an Aerial Lift

Posted on: 20 May 2015

Aerial lifts can be necessary tools for completing important construction tasks, but they can also pose a significant hazard if workers are trained on them improperly. The risks of falls, collisions, and a wide variety of other concerns make training your employees on proper lift operations an absolutely vital component of your construction oversight process.

Below, you'll find some tips for training your employees to safely operate an aerial lift. Following these suggestions will help guarantee that you have a well-informed labor force that will take appropriate actions at all times when operating a lift, guaranteeing safety, efficiency, and a massive decrease in your potential liability.

Explaining Hazards

It's often said that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and at no time is that phrase more accurate than when describing safety training. A huge percentage of on-the-job accidents occur when workers engage in behaviors that they simply weren't aware were dangerous, so it's important to combat that ignorance.

You should be sure to thoroughly examine every job site for collision risks, no matter how small, and then transmit that information to your lift operators. You should also have a discussion about the weight of potential loads and how that will affect the balance of your aerial lift, as many of your employees may not consider the danger created by sudden shifts.

Inspection Training

Your aerial lift can only be operated safely if it's in an appropriate condition, and human oversight is an important component of maintaining that condition. As such, it's important that the people who are working in close proximity to your lift have an accurate idea of what to look for in terms of potential maintenance red flags.

Training your employees in basic inspection techniques will help guarantee that they're able to identify a lift that isn't in operational shape and return it to a better condition. This will allow for preemptive solutions that will guarantee a safer work environment.

Emergency Response

Even if you train your employees meticulously and they follow every guideline that you set out, accidents still happen. Construction work is dangerous work, and work performed on a lift has an inherent degree of risk. Therefore, if an accident does occur, it's important that your labor force is able to respond quickly and effectively. Conducting emergency response drills can help put workers in real world situations and can guarantee that they won't freeze up if they're ever called to make an aerial lift.

Share

Using Heavy Construction Equipment Safely

When I was a kid, my family owned a small timber company. My father, my grandfather, my three uncles, and my cousin worked hard to make this family business a success. Every year, they assessed their heavy equipment needs. If they discovered that they needed a new piece of heavy machinery, they did not hesitate to purchase it. They knew that replacing worn equipment was necessary in order to protect the employees of the business. Whenever they bought a new piece of machinery, they also scheduled training sessions to teach employees how to properly use it. On this blog, you will discover the importance of training employees how to safely use new heavy construction equipment.

Search

Archive

Tags