Toolbox talk, Equipment, about 8 minutes
Aerial lift safety
Date
Site or job
Led by
Why this one
A lift puts a worker up high on a machine that can tip, get hit, or swing into a power line or a beam. Most of that is avoidable with a check, a scan of the ground and overhead, and someone watching below.
Say this
- 1.Only trained, authorized operators run the lift. Know the type you're in, because controls and rules differ by machine.
- 2.Do the pre-use check and the function test at the start of the shift. Look at the tires, hydraulic leaks, guardrails and gate.
- 3.Walk the path and look up. Soft ground, holes, slopes, curbs and overhead lines are all reasons to stop and ask.
- 4.Wear fall protection as the maker's manual and your procedure require. Clip to the anchor point the maker provides, not the rail.
- 5.Stay inside the basket. No standing on the rails and no ladders or planks to gain height.
- 6.Respect the rated capacity on the machine. Tools and material count as load.
- 7.Keep a ground person in place. They watch for traffic and people, and know how to use the ground controls to lower you.
Ask the crew
- – What's overhead on this job that someone in a basket could miss?
- – If the operator is stuck up there, who here knows how to bring the lift down?
- – Where on this site is the ground bad enough that we should stop and ask before we drive?
Watch for today
- Operators leaning out of the basket or climbing on the rails.
- Lifts moved or raised near traffic or people with no barrier or ground person.
- Gates left open, or harnesses hanging from a hook and not worn.
Close with: Look up, look down, tie off, and keep a spotter on the ground.
Notes and questions raised
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Initials
A starting point. Adapt it to your job, your procedures and the rules that apply to you. portalbaseai.com/toolbox-talks