Aerial Lifts: Safety, Training Reflect Company's Reputation

The process of finding the most appropriate equipment and ensuring workers use it safely means managers need to invest time in asking the manufacturer or rental agency some important questions. Reynolds suggests managers ask these questions before making a purchase or rental decision:

• What is the reputation of the company supplying the machine?
• Does it provide local support?
• Is the company a capable training provider?
• Does the supplier and manufacturer have the reputation of sustained excellence?

Kee suggests these additional questions for managers renting lift equipment:

• Does the company have documentation for inspections of the unit for the last year? Some companies use decals on lift units to inform customers about past inspections. “We’ve seen job sites where an OSHA inspector sees that decal and moves on to the next issue,” she says, referring to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
• Does the company provide operator training? The agency should at least be able to offer third-party training.
• Does the company provide familiarization training for all workers who will operate the equipment?

The real challenge for managers is creating a safety culture for all workers using any type of equipment that incorporates industry standards and is specific to the user’s organization. Says Reynolds, “It’s one thing (to do) what the standard says. But each company needs its own safety program and requirements.”

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