If you plan on purchasing a scissor lift for sale in Durban to help you carry out work at a height, it is critical that you know how to use it safely to prevent accidents and injuries. Safety incidents can have potentially serious consequences for your business, from costly downtime to legal repercussions, fines, and expensive equipment repairs.
Here are a few tips to help you use your new scissor lift responsibly.
Trained Personnel Only
As with any heavy machinery, only trained and authorised personnel should operate a scissor lift. Moreover, specific training should be given for the particular model in use, as some operational parameters might differ between models.
Always do a Pre-Inspection
Before operating any kind of heavy machinery, trained personnel should carry out a pre-inspection to ensure everything is in working order and there are no issues that could affect safe usage.
Operate on Stable Ground
A scissor lift should only ever be used on stable ground that is as flat as possible. This will ensure greater stability and help minimise the risk of a tip over.
Beware of Overhead Hazards
Always be sure to check overhead for potential hazards before operating a scissor lift. Power lines are particularly dangerous, but other overhead obstacles, such as tree branches, struts, and roof overhangs can also cause accidents.
Ensure the Lift is Stable
Always use outriggers and stabilisers to ensure the scissor lift is stable before operating it. It might take longer to get set up, but the risk of extreme injury and asset damage is worth the extra time spent on this simple step.
Don’t Overload the Platform
Every scissor lift will have a specified platform capacity rating and it is crucial that operators adhere to it. Overloading the platform beyond capacity can result in hydraulic failure and cause the lift to collapse, resulting in serious injury. Overloading can also destabilise the lift and cause a tip over.
Use Appropriate Safety Gear
It is crucial to wear the appropriate PPE when using a scissor lift. The type of PPE required might vary slightly depending on the job, but it should always include a safety harness as a fall prevention measure. Other PPE might include non-slip gloves and shoes, a hard hat, safety goggles, and a reflector vest.
If you’re looking to buy a scissor lift for sale in Durban, contact the team at Sterling Access today. We have a wide range of access equipment to suit any job.
