Working from Elevated Work Platforms
We recommend using WorkSafe for guidelines on working with elevated work platforms.
Image ©WorkSafe
Elevating work platforms include a variety of work platforms, which can be vehicle based, such as cherry pickers, fork-lift platforms, and scissor lifts, or building based, such as building maintenance units (BMUs) and suspended scaffolds. In addition to fall-protection, there are also issues of mechanical maintenance involved in the use of all EWPs for work at height.
In most cases workers using these devices require fall protection, because of the possibility of failure of the vehicle or structure mechanics. Scissor lifts may be exempt, because they are not prone to this type of failure.
The bucket of a vehicle-based EWP must be fitted with a secure anchor point, and a fall-protection system requires a fall-arrest harness and lanyard. It is recommended to keep the lanyard as short as practical to keep the operator inside the platform. Select a lanyard length based on the size of the platform of the EWP being used.