Aerial Lift Safety 2026

Aerial lift safety is a set of practices that companies and employees follow to reduce the chances of aerial lift accidents in the workplace. There are around 26 aerial lift accidents annually, which accounts for over 3% of construction-related deaths. This vehicle-mounted equipment has extended platforms and are used to elevate employees. This helps them reach high objects like power lines or ceilings, especially when scaffolding isn’t an option. Here are some reasons why construction workers are killed or injured every year while using this equipment:

 

- They were not wearing a harness and fell off the equipment.

- They fell with the equipment when it tipped over.

- They were electrocuted when the equipment touched

a power line or electrical wires.

 

While operating an aerial lift:

 

- Always close lift-platform chains/bars or gates.

- Always wear fall arrest equipment with a lanyard

attached to a designated anchor point.

- Always stand on the floor of the bucket. Do not climb

on or lean over the guardrails.

Estimated time to read: 4 mins
Questions for this Topic
Is it ever acceptable to be in a lift without a harness?
About how many Aerial lift accidents happen every year?
True or false: It is ONLY the employee’s responsibility to follow Aerial lift safety practices.