Short answer: no, you aren’t legally required to wear a harness when working on a scissor lift. However, it is recommended.
What is a scissor lift?
Scissor lifts are a type of mobile elevated working platform (MEWP) designed to vertically lift equipment and people so that work can be carried out at height.
The clever ‘scissor’ design allows the lift platform to remain parallel with the base of the machine while moving up or down vertically. Some scissor lifts can also be moved while elevated and controlled from within the work platform.
Scissor lifts are used in a variety of industries but you’re most likely to find them in the construction industry, on worksites or in warehouses.
Do I need a harness in a scissor lift?
While you don’t have to wear a harness while operating a scissor lift, the operation of a MEWP such as a scissor lift presents several safety hazards/risks to the user and those around them, so it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
According to the HSE (Health and Safety Executive), proper precautions must be taken in order to control these risks. Fortunately, there are lots of ways to prevent an accident, the use of a safety harness being just one of them.
HSE guidance recommends that a harness with a “short work restraint lanyard should be secured to a suitable manufacturer-provided anchorage point within the basket to stop the wearer from getting into a position where they could fall from the carrier”.
Other risk control factors include:
- Creating a rescue plan
- Training and briefing beforehand
- Operating on good ground conditions (level, sturdy surface)
- Fitting guardrails
- Barring off the surrounding area to prevent injury from falling objects
- Working in safe weather conditions (don’t operate in harsh weather such as high wind speeds, snow, etc.)
- Wearing a life jacket if working near a body of water
Working at height advice from Safety Harness Direct
For more advice on working at height safely, keep up to date with our height safety blog. Here you’ll find lots of handy information on different work situations and height safety equipment.
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