When working outside on an aerial lift what is the minimum amount of clearance that you should keep between yourself and any overhead hazards?

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Survey the work area for potential hazards such as overhead electrical lines. Maintain a minimum clearance of at least 10 feet from overhead power lines. Use proper fall restraint or fall protection (see section on fall protection). Never operate aerial lift equipment without adequate, hands on training.



Thereof, when working outside on a scissor lift what is the minimum amount of clearance that you should keep between yourself and any overhead hazards?

10 feet. 15 feet. 25 feet.

Also, do you need to be certified to operate an aerial lift? Boom Lift Certification. Workers must complete a certification process to operate a boom lift. In fact, it is required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Also, certification allows employers to recognize which workers are capable of operating the lift safely.

Subsequently, one may also ask, what is the minimum distance you should keep the aerial lift away from energized power lines?

Do not position aerial lifts between overhead hazards if possible. Treat all overhead power lines and communication cables as energized, and stay at least 10 feet (3 meters) away. Ensure that the power utility or power line workers de-energize power lines in the vicinity of the work.

What is considered an aerial lift?

An aerial lift is any vehicle-mounted work platform that can move vertically and/or horizontally. Some aerial lifts can even rotate around a vertical axis. Aerial lifts are used to lift workers to difficult work positions that aren't able to be accessed by other equipment, even scissor lifts.

33 Related Question Answers Found

Can you tie off to a scissor lift?

Answer: No, neither §1926.451 or §1926.452(w) require employees to be tied-off when working from scissor lifts that have properly maintained guardrails.

Can you stand on the rails of a scissor lift?

Scissor lifts must have guardrails installed to prevent workers from falling (see 29 CFR 1926.451(g) or 29 CFR 1910.29(a)(3)(vii)). Employers should train workers to: Only stand on the work platform; never stand on the guardrails. Keep work within easy reach to avoid leaning away from the scissor lift.

Can a scissor lift move while elevated?

Some safe work practices to ensure safe, stable conditions for scissor lift use include: Follow the manufacturer's instructions for safe movement—this usually rules out moving the lift in an elevated position. Scissor lifts rated for outdoor use are generally limited to wind speeds below 28 miles per hour.

Do you need a harness in a scissor lift?

While OSHA does not require scissor lift workers to wear a harness or other PFRS, that doesn't mean you shouldn't. After all, there are many hazards associated with scissor lift use. That's one reason OSHA requires scissor lifts to have guardrail systems. – Always stand on the work platform, not the guardrails.

Does OSHA require aerial lift training?


When it comes to aerial lifts, OSHA does not provide the specific training requirements necessary for operators. However, the American National Standard Institute (ANSI) does provide the needed training requirements for aerial lifts.

Are boom lifts safe?

Workers on the ground should remain at a safe distance from the load. Staying out of the loading area can prevent being involved in boom lift accidents. Scissor lift operators can avoid “caught in between” accidents by staying clear of overhead hazards. These hazards can include power lines, pipes and ceilings.

Is a hard hat required on a scissor lift?

Scissor lift is one kind of aerial lift mainly used in construction and the general industry. If we closely study OSHA's regulations on aerial lifts, we will see that fall protection is not required. Instead of fall protection, OSHA requires a guardrail system that is properly designed and maintained.

Do scissor lift certifications expire?

OSHA regulations require aerial and scissor lift workers to renew their certifications every three years.

Do high tension wires cause cancer?

“There is no known mechanism by which magnetic fields of the type generated by high voltage power lines can play a role in cancer development. Nevertheless, epidemiologic research has rather consistently found associations between residential magnetic field exposure and cancer.”

How far from high tension wires is safe?


The strongest magnetic fields are usually emitted from high voltage transmission lines — the power lines on the big, tall metal towers. To be sure that you are reducing the exposure levels to 0.5 milligauss (mG) or less, a safety distance of 700 feet may be needed.

What is the minimum safe distance from power lines?

Work at a safe distance
This is the most important rule: Work at a safe distance from all power lines. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires that equipment be kept at least 10 feet away from power lines with voltages up to 50kV.

Is a bucket truck an aerial lift?

Aerial lifts are vehicle-mounted, boom-supported aerial platforms, such as cherry pickers or bucket trucks, used to access utility lines and other aboveground job sites. The major causes of fatalities are falls, electrocutions, and collapses ortip overs. Movement of the lift could crush the worker(s).

Can I build a shed under power lines?

For reasons of safety and grid maintenance, you can't put up a shed or any other outbuilding underneath a power line nor within a HORIZONTAL distance of 1.6 m from low-voltage distribution lines. But there are two exceptions for garden sheds.

Is living near electrical towers dangerous?

Most scientists believe that exposure to the low-level EMFs near power lines is safe, but some scientists continue research to look for possible health risks associated with these fields. If there are any risks such as cancer associated with living near power lines, then it is clear that those risks are small.

Are hard hats required on aerial lifts?


The general PPE is recommended for all response/recovery tasks/operations; only the additional PPE that may be needed for a specific hazard is noted below. General PPE includes: Hard hat for overhead impact or electrical hazards. Eye protection with side shields.

Which type typically lifts larger loads and provides the most work space?

The most popular types of boom lifts have vertical, knuckle or telescoping booms. The type of boom affects how high the workspace can be extended, whether it can be angled or simply lifted up and down, and the amount of weight that the boom lift can hold.

Is a harness required in an aerial lift?

Employers must ensure that employees using personal fall arrest systems while working on aerial lifts at heights six feet or more above a lower level comply with §1926.502(d) of subpart M, specifically: Use of a body harness with a lanyard (fall arrest system).