Boom Lift (Cherry Picker) Safe Operation
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Boom Lift (Cherry Picker) Safe Operation
Boom lifts, also known as cherry pickers, provide elevated working platforms for tasks at height where scaffolding is impractical. They come in articulated and telescopic configurations and can reach heights exceeding 40 metres. The main risks include machine overturn, entrapment against overhead structures, ejection from the basket, and electrocution from contact with overhead power lines. Only trained and authorised operators should use boom lifts, and a thorough pre-use inspection is essential before every shift.
- Ensure all operators hold a valid IPAF or equivalent licence category for the machine type.
- Carry out a thorough pre-use inspection of the machine before every shift using the operator checklist.
- Check ground conditions and ensure the surface can support the machine weight at full reach.
- Wear a full body harness with a short restraint lanyard attached to the basket anchor point.
- Set up the machine on firm, level ground and deploy outriggers fully where the machine is so equipped.
- Identify all overhead obstructions including power lines, beams, and building edges before operating.
- Never exceed the rated platform capacity for personnel, tools, and materials combined.
- Maintain a safe exclusion zone around the machine during operation to protect ground-level workers.
- Lower the boom and park the machine safely when not in use or when wind speed exceeds safe limits.
If the machine becomes unstable or starts to tip, stay in the basket and hold on firmly. Do not attempt to jump. If trapped between the basket and a structure, use the ground-level emergency lowering controls. Call 999 for any injuries.
- Only IPAF-licensed or equivalently trained operators may use boom lifts on construction sites.
- Pre-use inspections must be completed before every shift — never skip this essential safety check.
- Harnesses with short restraint lanyards prevent ejection and must be worn at all times in the basket.
- Ground conditions determine whether the machine is safe to operate — check before every setup.
- Overhead power lines are invisible killers — identify their location before raising the boom.
- The catapult effect on articulated booms can eject an operator if a restraint harness is not worn.
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