Harnessing safety

Telescopic boom platform operators should wear full safety harnesses, according new advice issued by the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF). “Too often people are putting their lives at risk by not wearing a harness or wearing inappropriate personal protection equipment,”said IPAF managing director Tim Whiteman. “Lives could be saved if companies follow our guidance.”

The Safety harness in mobile elevating work platformsguidance recommends that anyone working on a boom lift, whether self-propelled or vehicle mounted, should wear a full body harness. The harness should be attached using an adjustable lanyard set as short as is practical. Users of scissor lifts and other vertical platforms need not normally wear harnesses but IPAF stressed that use of any platform should be preceded by a full risk analysis.