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Scissor Lift Safety Training

Stay OSHA Compliant with our Scissor Lift Safety Training Kit

Image of a blue scissor lift in the extended position.

Scissor Lift Safety and Accident Prevention

Scissor lifts can endanger workers just by being around them. Without proper training and documentation, the dangers multiply. But with the proper training from Safety Services Company, incidents and accidents can be prevented.

 

Protect Workers from Scissor Lift Accidents

Common causes of scissor lift accidents include operating on an uneven surface, encountering holes, debris and drop-offs while elevated. Other causes are climbing above or leaning over the 42-inch minimum top rail and overloading the lift. Making body contact or the lift making contact with power lines and operating the lift in bad weather can also cause accidents. 

 

A scissor lift is used to place workers, tools and materials at elevated work locations. They are power-operated (motorized) with primary functions controlled from the platform.

 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) states that scissor lifts do not fall under the aerial lift rules. There are no OSHA rules that specifically cover these types of lifts, but they do meet the definition of a scaffold in the OSHA policies. Employers and workers must follow the guidelines for mobile scaffolds.

Scissor Lifts Products and Prices:

DIY Scissor Lifts Training Kit

Duration: 45 minutes

Level: Intermediate

Languages: English, Spanish

Digital: $550.00

Digital and Hard Copy: $675.00

Learn More and Buy Now

Description: DIY TRAINING KIT: COURSE A – This do-it-yourself training kit provides you with all the materials needed to conduct in-house, classroom-style scissor lift training. While it does not include a practical portion of the exam, it covers all of the necessary theoretical components required by OSHA. Materials include: Facilitator guides, student guides, wallet cards, course completion certificates, and an interactive presentation.

Injury and Illness Prevention Plan Manual

Languages: English, Spanish

Digital Delivery: $600.00

Digital and Hard Copy: $725.00

3-Year Maintenance: $590.00

Call us today at 866-982-5973

Description: MANUAL – The Injury and Illness Prevention Plan is a customized manual written to federal OSHA regulations. Pick from over 120 elective policies, such as scissor lifts (mobile elevating work platforms), to build a complete safety manual. Opt into manual maintenance to ensure your manual remains up-to-date when regulations change.

Mobile Elevating Work Platforms

Chapter Add-On

Languages: English, Spanish

Digital and Hard Copy: $135.00

Call us today at 866-982-5973

Description: CHAPTER ADD ON – Add the mobile elevating work platforms chapter, which covers boom and scissor lifts, to an existing Safety Services Company Injury and Illness Prevention Plan manual, if this chapter was not selected at the time of purchase.

OSHA Rules and Regulations

While the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) classifies a scissor lift as an aerial lift (or a mobile elevating work platform), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) does not. OSHA states that scissor lifts do not fall under the aerial lift rules. That certainly does not mean that scissor lifts are unregulated. Far from it, OSHA considers scissor lifts a type of scaffold. Scaffolds pose threats to worker health and safety. As such, they’re a rich area of OSHA law making.

Some of the rules are listed below.


Wear Fall Protection Equipment

When portable lifts are used on a worksite, the proper safety measures need to be taken to prevent falling objects. This includes employees wearing hard hats; blocking the area around the lift to stop employees from entering; placing tools, equipment, or materials away from the edge of the platform; using toe boards, screens, and canopies to protect employees from falling objects.

Mobile lifts with compliant guardrails do not need fall protection. Guardrails must have a minimum 200 lbs. top rail capacity. The top rail must have a height of 38 to 45 inches. If the work inside the lift requires leaning or heavy lifting, fall protection may be needed.


Barricade Work Zone Safety

Site inspections must be completed before using the portable lift, especially if it will be elevated while moving. During this inspection check for holes, drop-offs, curbs, slopes or similar items that can lead to a tip-over. Ensure the ground is solid and can support the weight of the lift. Extra caution will be needed when working near overhead power lines, trees, and overhangs. Identified obstacles and hazards need to be removed from the path of travel before using the lift. If the hazard cannot be removed, a spotter may be needed.


Conduct Safety Inspections

Once the site inspection is complete, it is time to conduct an inspection of the mobile lift. This inspection must be completed every time before the lift is used. During the inspection, the operator must look for conditions that might make the unit unsafe. Tires should be checked for any defects such as cuts, bulges, or objects stuck in the tire. Proper tire pressure should also be checked.

Air hoses, fuel lines, and hydraulic lines should be visually inspected for leaks or damage. Fluid levels should be checked too. Guardrails, gates, and other safety devices must be checked to ensure they are properly in place and secured. These should be in good condition with no cracked welds or missing sections. All swinging gates will only swing in and never swing outward.

All safety and warning labels should be legible and in good condition. Fluid leaks, loose parts, and structural damage must be repaired before the lift can be used.

Once the visual inspection is complete, you must complete a functional test to ensure everything works properly. The function of the controls on the body of the portable lift needs to be checked to ensure each function operates properly. Be sure to test the emergency stop button to ensure its proper operation. The function of the controls on the work platform must be tested to verify they operate properly.

If the mobile lift has a foot pedal, the controls should not work unless the pedal remains depressed. Releasing the pedal should stop all movement. The forward, reverse and stopping functions are to be tested. The emergency stop button must be checked as well.

If an employee discovers any damage, defect, or malfunction during inspection, they should mark the vehicle out of service and report the situation to a supervisor. Employees must never use a damaged or defective lift.

Get Online Scissor Lift Training

While Safety Services Company’s online scissor lift training does not include practical demonstrations for a specific lift, the OSHA-required theoretical training provides the necessary basis to recognize and respond to hazards. It is also perfect to refresh, supplement, or reinforce internal policy or training. In addition, our online training platform, SafetyConnect is a feature-rich content and learning management system to support all of your safety needs: from storage of important scissor lift safety and training records to conducting remote demonstrations of scissor lift equipment specific to a company’s workplace.

Do-it-yourself Scissor Lift Training

Companies who have invested in a scissor lift probably already have some in-house knowledge on how to operate it. Trust your best operators to conduct the training with industry-leading guidance. Safety Services Company offers scissor lift train-the-trainer kits. These kits include the following:

  • An interactive digital presentation
  • A facilitator guide
  • A student guide
  • Knowledge assessments
  • Certificates of completion
  • An attendance log

Scissor Lift Policy for Safety Manual

It’s important to document standard operating procedures when working with dangerous equipment such as scissor lifts. Safety Services Company provides a customized manual to safety-minded companies. The manual and each policy is written to the appropriate regulations from OSHA. Scissor lifts is just one of many topics that can be included and customized to your work environment.

Scissor Lift Prequalification Services

Working with ISNetworld®, Avetta®, Veriforce®, or any of 30+ prequalification platforms to land a contract with a safety-minded organization? Safety Services Company offers safety prequalification services to help companies meet prequalification platform requirements for scissor lift and other such safety topics. These services are not limited to but include:

  • A consistently maintained health, safety, and environmental manual complete with a scissor lift policy
  • A dedicated safety and compliance manager to support your business, review your prequalification needs quarterly, and maintain your prequalification accounts
  • OSHA 300 log maintenance to meet annual reporting requirements
  • Management of insurance documentation

Scissor Lift Toolbox Talks/Scissor Lift Safety Meetings

To reinforce a scissor lift training, companies must regularly talk about scissor lift topics. Sometimes called tailgate meetings or toolbox talks, weekly safety meetings allow this. Safety Services Company offers industry-guided scissor lift safety meetings sent in weekly or biweekly installments. Choose from over 1,000 topics, including scissor lift-related topics.

Scissor lifts must have guardrails installed to prevent falling

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Scissor Lift Regulations


General Industry

29 CFR 1910.29 – Fall Protection Systems and Falling Object Protection-Criteria and Practices

This covers fall protection requirements including railing and personal fall protection systems. Also covered is protection from falling objects.

8 CCR 3642 – Platform Equipment

This California regulation covers fall protection guidelines to include guardrails, platform configurations and controls of the aerial lift.

8 CCR 3648 – Operating Instructions (Elevating Work Platforms)

This California regulation covers safe operating procedures and training requirements for aerial lift devices.

8 CCR 3648. Operating Instructions (Aerial Devices)

This California regulation covers safe operating procedures and training requirements for aerial lift devices.


Construction

29 CFR 1926.451 – General Requirements

This covers the general safe operation requirements for scaffolding to include mobile scaffolds. This includes fall protection and guardrails.

29 CFR 1926.454 – Training Requirements

This covers the employer’s training requirements, which include hazard recognition, proper use, maximum loads, design criteria, and fall protection.

Scissor lifts have a lower platform height than a boom lift and:

Often only reach as high as 20 – 50 feet

This was not our first order and each time I have dealt with your company I have been helped by real quality staff members that knew their products very well. Quality staff members like I have had the pleasure to deal with make me believe I am dealing with a real quality company that wants to get the job done right..

Hilger Construction, Inc.