These are the scary, yet incredible pictures of a road accident that happened near Zaandam North of Amsterdam. Not sure the Boom lift will ever be used again, but it really was a miracle that no one was injured or even killed.
The large flatbed lorry was transporting the boom lift, when witnesses say the lorry was forced to avoid another vehicle travelling in the other direction. The flatbeds rear wheels skidded off the main road and ended up heading down the bank. The result was the boom lift was thrown from the rear of the vehicle into the bank and into a ditch.
It must have taken some time to lift the boom lift back up from the ditch and back onto the transporter.
Together there have been five related fatalities throughout the last four years in Europe alone, the HSE has issued a safety alert warning users from the potential dangers that may occur if scissor lifts aren’t correctly operated and maintained. The alert from the Health and Safety Executive is focusing on two specific types of scissor lift, the JLG 500RTS and 400RTS, that have been involved in the incidents in question. However, it should act as a prompt to all scissor lift operators, scissor lift engineers, training and rental companies to ensure that regular comprehensive maintenance and testing is carried out on scissor lifts.
The fatalities were a result of three incidents during which the scissor lifts were overturned. The failure of two systems in particular is considered to be at the root of the accidents. The first is the oscillating axle, which prevents the lift from being driven on uneven ground whilst the platform is raised. The second reason is the lift/drive interlock, which prevents elevation above a particular height without stabilisers, and driving whilst over this height, or once the stabilisers are deployed.
In an attempt to reduce the quantity of incidents involving scissor lifts, the Health and Safety Executive is urging those whom use or maintain them to carry out regular inspections. In particular, the lockout and safety cut out switches should be checked before use as well as forming part of the daily inspection and function testing. It is essential to ensure valves are operational and not stuck or corroded. Further to this, the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations states that any equipment used to elevate personnel should undergo a comprehensive examination every six months.
We don’t want to see any more deaths and the Health and Safety Executive will come down heavily on anyone who is not maintaining their scissor lifts correctly.
There are more types of Scissor lifts than people may think. Scissor lifts are Mobile Elevated Work Platform or MEWP for short. Scissor lifts are commonly used to gain a safe working environment to high locations of a building or where ever you need to get too safely when working at height.
Tradesman who may use scissor lifts include electricians, who may need access to wire across a warehouse, or structural engineers who may need to inspect parts of a building or install RSJ’s. Scissors lifts are used all over the world, and allow people to work safely at height every day.
These types of scissor lifts work by having pressurised hydraulic oil pumped around to lift the work platform up and down. Hydraulic Scissor Lifts unfortunately do have a bit of flaw. Because the hydraulic oil can be affected by temperatures, so in warmer weathers the scissor lift may operate a lot faster than in colder conditions. This problem only really occurs in older scissor lift machinery.
Electrical and and the most commonly used types of scissor lifts. Electrical are used in enclosed spaces where it is two dangerous to us a diesel powered scissor lift because of the fumes released.
Diesel scissor lifts are used for outdoor use and can usually extend from 10 metres to right up to 18 metres above the ground.
Pneumatic Lifts work by using air pressure. Pneumatic lifts are very eco friendly and efficient because the work by compressing atmospheric air. Most pneumatic lifts do not require any electricity and can be used in almost any working environment, so long as there is air readily available and require very little routine maintenance.
The biggest advantage of using a scissor lift is that they are easily manoeuvrable in a tight space and to do this they work in a very simple way that has never really changed.
Scissor lifts work by you a lifting mechanism, which when power is applied creates pressure to the outer edges to the bottom of the machine arms. This power will then create diamond shapes, within the arms. This pressure will then draw in both sets of arms, pulling them together and creating lift for the platforms.
There are much more scientific ways to explain how scissors lifts work which can be found here.
The Health and safety legislation (height regulations 2005) in the UK require that states that any job that requires a scissor lift or a boom lift must be operated by some one who is competent using a MEWP or Mobile Elevated Work Platform such as a scissor lift.
If you are looking to attend a scissor lift training course there are providers up and down the country who will train you up to the an IPAF level.
IPAF is the nationally recognised governing body dedicated to the training of MEWP, such as scissors lifts as well as boom lifts operatives. All of the providers of scissor lift training on this website are able to offer such high level of training to allow you to become IPAF accredited.
2 Passport Photos required for your IPAF card and your National Insurance Number.
What you may or may not need to bring can vary from course provider, so it’s always best to call in advance or ask when you make the book a scissor lift training course.
Lots of the providers featured on this website will also be able to carry out scissor lift training at your place of work, but again phone ahead and ask the supplier what they require from you to deliver an excellent level of training at your business premises.