First, scissor lifts and boom lifts are not the same. In fact, they fall under different standards. But there are very similar principles involved with safely operating them, so we’ve combined them into one training program. Now, over the years various types of aerial lifts have come into the market. Each is better suited to handle certain jobs when compared to others. For this reason, it is vital you understand what type of aerial lift is best for the job at hand.

Generally speaking, there are five main types you should be familiar with

• Scissor Lifts: Scissor lifts are perhaps the most common type of aerial work platform. Some have cushion tires for work in warehouses. Other scissor lifts have pneumatic tires and can traverse over rough terrain. They scissor up and down vertically and, depending on the type, can hold multiple workers at a time. Scissor lifts have controls on the platform and ground controls. They are self-propelled when lowered. Fall arrest gear may be required.
• Boom Lifts: Boom personnel work platforms are also a very common sight. They come in the form of stiff booms that do not extend outward, just up and down. Other boom lifts, called telescopic boom lifts, telescope out and have a higher reach. Both have controls that allow the operator to drive when lowered, or to raise, lower, tilt or rotate the boom as needed. Fall arrest gear is always required.
• Articulating Boom Lifts (Knuckle Boom Lifts): Another type of hydraulic boom lift, these lifts knuckle or bend at various points along the boom. This allows operators to maneuver around obstacles or down into areas straight booms might not otherwise reach. Fall arrest gear is again required.
• Vertical Lifts: Vertical lifts are typically used by one worker. The basket is attached to a mechanism that extends up and down a mast. They are great for small spaces. Fall arrest gear is required.
• Vehicle Mounted Aerial Lifts: This type of aerial lift is commonly known as a bucket truck. They are primarily used by companies that deal with electrical wires, tree trimming, or signage. The buckets are often insulated for work around power lines. Some buckets, though, are made of metal and have a winch and hoisting capabilities.

Canada requires scissor lift training for aerial lift operators–on that there is no question. Where confusion exists is how often operators need scissor lift refresher training or recertification. Outside of the initial safety training class, it is common to see companies set re-certification at every three years. We are one of them.  And here’s why:

As far as this 3-year scissor lift training certification goes, Canada regulations are very specific when it comes to forklifts and a couple of other pieces of equipment. However, on everything else they are not so clear. They just state the employer must regularly provide safety training for their scissor lift operators. Following industry best practices, we’ve adopted this 3-year term in order to help employers comply with the general standard of regularly providing and proving scissor lift training. Ultimately, it is up to the employer to determine how frequently their scissor lift operators need to be trained. Many of our customers require it more often, annually even. Others may stretch it out a bit. In working with Canada, though, it is our experience that they like to see employers adopt the strictest standard when the regulations are not clear. For instance, we know of companies that didn’t train every three years and were reprimanded by Canada for not offering additional training more often. It is not uncommon for Canada to refer to the forklift standard as the pattern by which training should be carried out for other pieces of equipment. On a side note, Canada is slowly but surely making training requirements specific for other pieces of equipment so there are no gray areas. Mobile cranes and aerial lifts, for instance, are all undergoing potential changes to the regulations that will reference training specifically.

So, with that in mind, we say scissor lift operators must be re-evaluated every three years to determine if they are still competent enough to operate. We also state that this every-three-year bucket truck evaluation is the maximum time that should be allowed to pass before an operator receives scissor lift re-certification. According to Canada, there are several instances that will require additional scissor lift training and observation before the three year period is up:

• Scissor lift operator is observed in an accident or a near miss
• Scissor lift operator received a poor evaluation or is observed driving in a dangerous manner
• The scissor lift operator is assigned to drive a different type of aerial lift or the workplace has changed significantly enough to require additional bucket truck training (such as being transferred from operating an aerial lift used to hoist signs to a bucket truck used for trimming trees).

This, above all, causes a lot of confusion. Bottom line, Canada states that employers are responsible to train their employees. Generally speaking, there are three ways they can do this:

• Train employees in-house with their own program.
• Hire a 3^rd party to train the employees.

In terms of using a 3^rd part of an employee safety training companies materials (like our scissor lift training PowerPoint kits or our scissor lift training classes online) Canada does not recognize one company over another. They simply state that ‘training needs to occur’ and ‘here are the things an aerial lift operator should be trained on.’

When we do live training or offer aerial lift training online, people often assume we are the ones certifying the trainees. This is not true for any training company. We are simply assisting the employer by providing live aerial lift training or the training materials needed to help them aerial lift certify their employees.

It depends. Fall prevention is a major concern at every worksite. Yet there is a lot of confusion. Depending on where you live, some standards require fall arrest gear (body harness, lanyard, anchorage point) at four feet above ground level, and other places require it at six or ten feet. You need to be familiar with your specific area. However, to make simple, fall protection is always required on aerial lifts.

On both scissor lifts and self-propelled boom lifts, the safety railings and gates constitute fall protection. Additionally, harnesses and lanyards are required at all times on boom lifts.

As far as scissor lifts are concerned, the guardrail is the minimum type of fall protection required. The reason for this is some scissor lifts are not rated to withstand the added weight of a fall. If fall protection was worn, the sudden increase could cause the scissor lift to tip, thus injuring others too. However, some scissor lifts are appropriately load rated, so certain manufacturers may require operators to wear fall arrest gear 100% of the time. Before you tie into a scissor lift, check the operator’s manual to determine if your particular lift allows for fall arrest systems.