Guidelines for Exiting a Boom Lift onto an Adjacent Structure

If the adjacent structure is not equipped to provide appropriate fall protection, the Genie® boom may be used as a fall arrest anchor. (Credit: Genie)

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SUMMARY:
It’s not uncommon that a construction worker needs to access an upper elevation using a boom lift, but does not know if in this particular situation it is safe and legal to do. There are legitimate reasons for exiting the platform at height. Sometimes exiting the platform when elevated is simply the safest way to carry out temporary work at height.

Federal OSHA does not prohibit exiting a platform onto a structure, but OSHA and ANSI do require authorization by the manufacturer. In addition, some states, such as Michigan, do address it. MIOSHA, under rule R 408.43214 Fall protection Rule 3214, states: “Employees may exit the platform with the knowledge and consent of the employer.”

At the end of the day, if employees follow procedural guidelines and best practices, transferring from a boom lift to a structure could present fewer risks than utilizing a ladder to access the location. Before allowing operators or employees to exit platforms at height, it is important to conduct a thorough and specific risk assessment for the task. The risk assessment must demonstrate that the boom lift is the safest option to gain access to the intended working location and all other means of access have been explored and rejected.
 
BEST PRACTICES

• Make sure he or she is preauthorized from the equipment manufacturer to do so. With Genie equipment, for example, this preauthorization comes in the form of an Exiting Elevated Boom Platform letter. With JLG, no preauthorization is required, but they do give guidelines in the form of a letter for transferring to a structure from a boom lift based on advice from OSHA.
  
• The operator must be trained and qualified on how to safely operate the equipment, and must be familiar with that specific model. In addition to complying with all local, state, provincial, or federal standards, the worker must operate the boom in accordance with the restrictions outlined in the operator’s manual.
• Workers should not enter/exit the elevated platform in winds exceeding 20 mph (or manufacturer’s recommendations).
• The boom lift shall be within 3 degrees of level, or manufacturer’s recommendations shall be followed if they are more stringent.
• The platform should be positioned within 12 inches of the surface.
• An approved full body harness and appropriate lanyard must be worn at all times while working inside or exiting the platform. If a self-retracting lifeline/lanyard is used, it cannot allow more than 6 ft. of free fall.
• The operator must ensure 100% tie-off using two lanyards when entering/exiting the platform. One lanyard must be attached to the platform with the second lanyard attached to the structure. The lanyard connected to the platform must not be disconnected until such time as the transfer to the structure is safe and complete.
• Workers MUST enter or exit the platform only through the sliding mid-rail entry or gate provided, and should never climb over the platform guardrails.
• When positioning the machine for entry/exit, the platform should be situated within 1 ft. of the working surface.
• It is important to note that once you exit the lift at height, then you’re covered under OSHA 29 CFR fall protection standards—specifically Subpart M, Subpart R, and Subpart L—and you must meet those requirements. Fall protection is the bottom line. Employers have to protect workers at all times.
• While some manufacturers allow the boom lift to be used as a fall-arrest anchor while working from the structure, it is never allowable to belt-off to adjacent structures or poles while in the platform.
• Some manufacturers allow operators to exit the platform to perform work on structures if the pitch is no greater than 4:12 (18°), while using the boom platform as a tie-off anchor.

 
RESOURCES
Be sure to familiarize yourself with the most recent ANSI A92 Standards, applicable to the type of lift you are using.

IPAF: Exiting the Platform at Height

Genie: Follow Special Precautions to Exit a Boom Platform at Height

JLG: Info Site for ANSI A92 Safety Standard Changes
 
This Safety Flash was contributed by Bryan McClure of Trivent Safety Consulting, Westminster, Colo., in cooperation with SEAA’s Safety Committee. It is designed to keep members informed about ongoing safety issues and to provide suggestions for reducing risk. Best practices are gathered from a variety of sources. They may be more or less stringent than individual corporate policies, and are not intended to be an official recommendation from SEAA. Always get approval and direction from your company officers on any new practice or procedure as these best practices may not work for all situations.

Everyone benefits when a worker avoids injury. Submit your ideas for Safety Flash to executivedirector@seaa.net.