Bucket Truck Safety: Aerial Devices

When working with bucket truck aerial lift devices, there are a variety of methods injuries can happen, such as falling, getting electrocuted, being knocked senseless of the bucket, being struck by a falling item, the aerial lift device breaking down, or the truck tipping over. Employees who utilize these devices must be effectively trained in their use and cautious to abide by proper safety protocol at all times.

Be Prepared

Make sure all the controls on the bucket truck are working, including the emergency situation controls, and that they are marked so there can be no doubt as to their purpose. Examine the truck to make sure there are no leaks in any of its systems, whether fuel, air, fluid, or hydraulic, and that its tires and wheels are sound.

Think About Personal Safety

Employees need to make certain that they have the suitable personal safety devices, including belts or body harnesses that have a lanyard connected to the bucket or the boom. These belts or harnesses will keep employees from being took out of the bucket or ejected from it. Employees have to wear eye protection and hard hats that have been accepted by ANSI. If the job poses an electrocution risk, employees need to wear insulated gloves.

While On the Job

While a job is being performed, the area has to be clearly marked by cautions, such as indications or cones, to notify traffic to the work zone. Brakes, wheel chocks, and outriggers must be set, even if the workspace is entirely level. The worker in the pail have to stand on its floor and never ever get on the guard rails, and he needs to never ever stand between the guard rails and overhead risks like beams or joists, or he could be squashed. Ten feet of clearance, at minimum, must be kept from the nearest overhead power lines. Safety devices, whether electrical, mechanical, or hydraulic, must never be overridden.

It's crucial that when bucket trucks and aerial lift devices are made use of to perform a task, managers take steps to make certain their workers can use them safely. A number of dangers are presented by dealing with these devices, however the dangers can be lessened when everyone involved with the job, from supervisors to workers, puts safety number one.