SAFETY TALK
SAFETY TALK
MEWP Fall Protection Tips
How to Stay Safe During Winter Months( and All Year Round)
By Philip Jacklin
Winter weather can increase the chance of slips, trips and falls for many obvious reasons: slippery conditions brought on by rain, ice or snowfall can obscure trip hazards along walking paths. However, when it comes to work performed at heights, especially on mobile elevated work platforms( MEWPs), there are some less obvious reasons risk of injury from falls increases: bulkier outerwear can affect fall protection harness fit, increased exposure to rain or moisture can cause rusting on metal harness components, or slick roads and strong winds can lead to accidental tip-overs.
Fall Hazard Statistics
When it comes to protecting workers from falls, regardless of the weather, a good starting point is to understand where the most significant risk of falling resides. According to the International Powered Access Federation( IPAF), the top MEWP categories involved with fall incidents are scissor lifts( 26 %), self-propelled boom lifts( 24 %) and vehicle-mounted lifts like bucket trucks( 18 %).
Rental activity is the leading market segment that suffers fall incidents, but many falls also occur on construction sites and in general industry facilities. From 2012 to 2022, approximately 55 % of falls reported to IPAF resulted in worker fatality. This article will discuss basic safety essentials when operating MEWPs, as well as a special focus on the unique hazards winter weather can bring to MEWP operators and how to mitigate risk.
Fall Protection Requirements
Minimum fall protection requirements for MEWP operators can vary between pieces of equipment, which local OSHA jurisdiction the worker is in or based on printed information in user instruction manuals. It is important for employers to inform themselves and their operators which minimum requirements must be met depending on where work is being performed.
Scissor Lifts
Federal OSHA does not necessarily mandate fall protection to be worn when operating a standard scissor lift. However, OSHA 1910( general industry) and OSHA 1926( construction) standards mandate that operators always follow equipment manufacturer instructions.
Many scissor lifts are now integrated with an engineered anchor point on the base of the platform or on the midrails of the platform, and if the instructions require the use of these anchor points when operating the equipment, employers could potentially be cited if operators fail to comply with manufacturer instructions. Furthermore, Cal / OSHA( State of California) requires operators to wear fall protection equipment whenever an engineered anchor point is installed on a scissor lift.
When an operator must wear fall protection equipment in their scissor lift, it is important to consider which equipment will be most effective in keeping the worker contained in the platform and mitigate injuries if a fall occurs.
The Hierarchy of Fall Protection
Graphic A: The hierarchy of fall protection controls.( Courtesy of Diversified Fall Protection)
20 l November-December 2024