An aerial work platform is, as ANSI defines it, a mobile or manually propelled device that has an adjustable position platform, supported from ground level by a structure.

ANSI

ANSI stands for American National Standards Institute, who facilitates the development ofAmerican National Standards (ANS) by accrediting the procedures of standards developing organizations (SDOs). These groups work cooperatively to develop voluntary national consensus standards.

Their mission, according to their website, is “to enhance both the global competitiveness of U.S. business and the U.S. quality of life by promoting and facilitating voluntary consensus standards and conformity assessment systems, and safeguarding their integrity.”

Aerial Work Platforms (AWPs)

AWP equipment is very useful. It allows users access to usually inaccessible areas, usually at height. They can be used by maintenance workers, construction workers, firefighters (for emergency access); all while being operated by a single person (most models). AWPs can not only be used for transportation and/or access to certain areas, but also can be equipped with electrical outlets, compressed air (for power tools), and other specialist equipment.

There are many programs available for training operators of this equipment. Many of these training programs offer much to students regardless of their level of experience with AWPs. In fact, it is the differences in experience within the students in the class that usually makes for a great training atmosphere and allows every student to leave the training with some good information they didn’t know before.

Current Issues Facing the Industry

• Understanding the importance of proper general training and familiarization
  • This is too often overlooked; you wouldn’t want someone on the road who simply ‘skimmed’ a driver’s manual and has not familiarized themselves with the make/model of the vehicle they’re driving, would you? So why send someone onto a machine in which they know very little about?
• Improper training
  • Does driver’s ed simply show you a 15 minute video presentation, give you a driver’s license and wish you luck on the road? Heck no!
• Confusion between general training and familiarization
  • Do you know the difference? Here’s how ANSI defines the two:
    • Familiarization: “Providing information regarding the control functions and safety devices for the aerial work platform(s) to a qualified person or operator who controls the movement of the aerial work platform(s) being delivered.”
    • General Training: “Instruction to enable the trainee to become a qualified person regarding the task to be performed, including knowledge regarding potential hazards.”
• Misunderstanding of who is qualified to be a trainer
  • ANSI defines a ‘qualified person’ as follows (this pertains to operators and trainers alike):
    • “One who, by possession of a recognized degree, certificate, or professional standing, or by extensive knowledge, training, and experience, has successfully demonstrated his/her ability to solve or resolve problems related to the subject matter, the work, or the project.”
• Need for clarification of all AWP equipment  stakeholders’ responsibilities
  • ANSI is looking to address certain issues in an updated version of the standards.
• Impact on insurance
  • Although, in a general sense, with appropriate training “accidents” are less likely to happen and therefore less insurance would be claimed/paid out.

In next week’s blog article, we will address many of these issues and shed light upon how to be ‘appropriately’ trained to use an AWP. This should serve as a thought-provoking piece until then, when we will discuss training, being ‘qualified’ and the importance of familiarization for the operator.

I will however, share with you some AWP safety tips. These are very important to follow, as the equipment being operated is potentially dangerous if operated incorrectly. Failure to follow these tips could result in serious injury, or worse. Stay safe, ingrain these in your head, and come back next week for additional best practices for aerial work platforms!

Aerial Work Platform Safety Tips

1. Make sure that workers who operate aerial lifts are properly trained in the safe use of the equipment.
    
2. Maintain and operate elevating work platforms according to the manufacturer's instructions.
    
3. Never override hydraulic, mechanical, or electrical safety devices.
    
4. Never move the equipment with workers in an elevated platform unless this is permitted by the manufacturer.
    
5. Do not allow workers to position themselves between overhead hazards, such as joists and beams, and the rails of the basket. Movement of the lift could crush the worker(s).
    
6. Maintain a minimum clearance of at least 10 feet, or 3 meters, away from the nearest energized overhead lines.
    
7. Always treat power lines, wires and other conductors as energized, even if they are down or appear to be insulated.
    
8. Use a body harness or restraining belt with a lanyard attached to the boom or basket to prevent the worker(s) from being ejected or pulled from the basket.
    
9. Set the brakes and use wheel chocks when on an incline.
    
10. Use outriggers, if provided.
     
11. Do not exceed the load limits of the equipment. Allow for the combined weight of the worker, tools and materials.

Safety Training Services, Inc. offers aerial work platform training for you and your workers! Our AWP training can be customized to include scissor, boom lift, or both. We provide the participant the necessary knowledge regarding the units operation, hazards and safeguards. This course consists of classwork, written testing and (hands-on) practical evaluation.

Training is administered by professional safety trainers, specialized in delivering operator training for aerial equipment with an engaging course that exposes participants to multi-media content, cause & effect accident videos and current events. We also provide on-site training at your location, alleviating the need for participant travel.

All participants are issued course completion certificate and photo ID cards, (with successful course completion). We provide and maintain all necessary recordkeeping and make it available to our customer whenever you may need it. This training will help to minimize “loss time accidents” and help to maintain or improve your EMR – Experience Modification Rating.

Click the button below for more information!

"Moving machine parts have the potential to cause severe workplace injuries, such as crushed fingers or hands, amputations, burns, or blindness. Safeguards are essential for protecting workers from these preventable injuries. Any machine part, function, or process that may cause injury must be safeguarded. When the operation of a machine or accidental contact injure the operator or others in the vicinity, the hazards must be eliminated or controlled."

--OSHA on "Machine Guarding"

5 Most Common Ways of Machine Guarding

1. Barrier Guards
2. Presence Sensing Devices (PSD)
3. Pullbacks/Restraints
4. Two-hand Controls/Two-hand Trip
5. “A” and “B” Gates

Barrier Guards

These are designed to keep the operator’s hands and arms from entering the “danger zone” as prescribed by the particular machine. They are appropriate safeguards for full revolution and part revolution mechanical power presses. They are usually the first point-of-operation safeguard considered for machines.

Regulation: 29 CFR 1910.217

• Barrier guards on power presses must prevent the entry of hands or fingers into the point of operation by reaching through, over, under or around the guard.
• The barrier guards must conform to maximum permissible openings tables.
• The barrier guard itself must not create pinch points between the guard and moving machine parts.
• The guard must not be easily removable.
• The guard must not interfere with machine inspection.
• The barrier guard must offer maximum visibility of the point of operation consistent with the other requirements.

Presence Sensing Devices

These are designed to automatically stop the machine stroke if sensing field is interrupted. Proper use provides protection not only for operators but also for other employees in the area. They are one of the most common safeguards for automatic feed part revolution clutch presses, and have many requirements that must be met before they can be installed as point-of-operation safeguards.

Regulation: 29 CFR 1910.217

• Presence sensing devices (PSD) cannot be used on machines using full revolution clutches.
• A PSD must protect the operator by preventing or stopping normal stroking of the press if the operator’s hands are inadvertently placed in the point of operation. The PSD must also be interlocked into the control circuit so that the slide motion will stop the downstroke from continuing if any part of the operator's body is within the sensing field at that time.
• Guards must be used to protect all areas of entry to the point of operation not protected by the PSD.
• PSDs cannot be used as a tripping means to initiate slide motion.
• Should a failure occur within the system, the PSD must be constructed so that the normal stopping action is still applied when required, but prevents the start of the next stroke until the failure is corrected. The failure must be indicated by the system.
• “Muting” or bypassing of the PSD during the upstroke of the press slide is permitted for parts ejection, circuit checking, and feeding.
• The safety distance from the sensing field to the point of operation must be greater than the distance determined by the safety distance formula.

Pullbacks/Restraints

Pullbacks

These are safeguarding devices on both full and part revolution power presses. They are similar to restraints, but are designed to pull the operator’s hands away from the area of the closing dies (point of operation) during each stroke of the power press.

Regulation: 29 CFR 1910.217

• Attachments must be connected to and operated by the press slide or upper die.
• Attachments must be adjusted to prevent the operator from reaching into the point of operation or to withdraw the operator’s hands from the point of operation before the dies close.
• A separate pullout device must be provided for each operator if more than one operator is used on the press.
• Each pullout device in use must be inspected and checked for proper adjustment at the start of each operator shift, following a new die set-up, and when operators are changed. Necessary maintenance or repair on both must be performed and completed before the press is operated.
• Inspection and Maintenance Records. It is the responsibility of the employer to make periodic and regular safety inspections and keep accurate records of them.

Restraints

Sometimes referred as “holdouts,” restraints are similar to pullbacks and are appropriate safeguards for both full and part revolution mechanical power presses. When properly anchored, restraints are adjusted so that the operator can never reach the point of operation. The size and type of restraint depends on the size and type of press.

Regulation: 29 CFR 1910.217

• A holdout or a restraint device must protect the operator by preventing the operator from inadvertently reaching into the point of operation at all times and must include attachments for each of the operator’s hands.
• Attachments must be securely anchored and adjusted and separate set of restraints must be provided for each operator if more than one is required on a press.

Two-hand Controls/Two-hand Trip

Two-hand Controls

These are safeguarding devices in the single stroke mode of operation on part revolution clutch presses. It is similar to the two-hand trip; this device keeps the operators hands away from the point of operation during the entire machine stroke.

Regulation: 29 CFR 1910.217

• Press operations requiring more than one operator must provide each operator with separate two-hand controls where each set must be engaged to complete a machine stroke. The removal of a hand from any control button will stop the slide.
• Each two-hand control must meet the construction requirements of paragraph 29 CFR 1910.217(b)(7)(v).
• The safety distance between each hand control device and the point of operation must be greater than the distance determined by the safety distance formula.
• Two-hand controls’ position must be fixed so that only a supervisor of safety engineer is capable of relocating them.

Two-hand Trip

These are safeguarding devices used on a full revolution clutch power press only. It requires the joint operation of two trigger buttons located away from the “danger zone” of the press. It is similar to two-hand controls in that it requires the operator’s hands to be away from the point of operation to activate the machine stroke, but differs in that activation of the machine stroke requires only a "trip" of the controls whereas a two-hand control requires continued pressure.

Regulation: 29 CFR 1910.217

• When used in press operations requiring more than one operator, separate two hand trips must be provided for each operator, and must be designed to require concurrent application of both operators to activate the slide.
• A two-hand trip shall have the individual operator's hand controls protected against unintentional operation and have the individual operator's hand controls arranged by design and construction and/or separation to require the use of both hands to trip the press and use a control arrangement requiring concurrent operation of the individual operator's hand controls.
• The safety distance between the two-hand trip and the point of operation must be greater than the distance determined by the safety distance formula. 
• Like two-hand control devices, two-hand trips’ position must be fixed so that only a supervisor or safety engineer is capable of relocating the controls.

“A” Gates/”B” Gates

Type "A" and "B" Gates are both recognized methods for power press safeguarding. The "A" gate is used in both full and part revolution clutch presses while the "B" gate is for part revolution presses only.

Type “A” Gates

These protect the operator during the entire machine stroke. This means the gate will not open until after the crankshaft rotation is complete (360°) and the machine is stopped at top dead center. Although Type "A" Gates can be used on either part or full revolution clutch presses, best safety practice is the "A" gate should be used only on full revolution clutch presses.

Type “B” Gates

These protect the operator during the downstroke only. The gate starts to open before the crankshaft rotation is complete (generally after 180° crankshaft rotation). The gates must open on the upstroke of the machine cycle before the crankshaft rotation is complete.

Regulation: 29 CFR 1910.217, 29 CFR 1910.212

• In both cases (“A” & “B” Gates), operators must be prevented from placing their hands or any other body parts in the point of operation during the die-closing portion of the press stroke.
• The guard itself must comply with applicable standards.