Boom lift operator training: what the rules say

The two OSHA standards that name aerial lifts

OSHA has one rule for general industry, 29 CFR 1910.67, and one for construction, 29 CFR 1926.453. Which applies depends on the work. Both cover extensible and articulating boom platforms, and both are short enough to read in full.

The general industry text says only trained persons shall operate an aerial lift. The construction text says only authorized persons shall operate one. Either way, the person who decides is the employer. A rental yard does not make that decision for your crew.

Rules that apply every time someone goes up

Paragraphs in both standards set the same basic habits. In summary:

1. Lift controls are tested each day before use, to confirm they work.
2. Employees stand firmly on the floor of the basket. They do not sit or climb on the edge, and they do not use planks or ladders in the basket.
3. Belting off to a nearby pole, structure or machine is not permitted.
4. The manufacturer's boom and basket load limits are not exceeded.
5. Brakes are set. If outriggers are used, they sit on pads or a solid surface, and wheel chocks go in before use on an incline.
6. The machine is not moved with the boom raised and people in the basket, unless it is designed for that.

Fall protection on a boom

The general industry text says a personal fall arrest or travel restraint system that meets OSHA's fall protection requirements shall be worn and attached to the boom or basket. The older construction text says a body belt shall be worn with a lanyard attached to the boom or basket, then adds a note: since January 1, 1998, body belts are not acceptable as part of a personal fall arrest system, and a belt may be used only in a restraint or tethering system.

OSHA's fall arrest criteria add that a system must keep a worker from free falling more than six feet and must limit the arresting force on a worker in a harness to 1,800 pounds. Practically, that means a full-body harness and a lanyard rated for the job. Harness and lanyard kits are usually not part of a lift rental, so plan to supply your own or ask the yard.

ANSI A92: the industry's training standard

The A92 family of standards from the American National Standards Institute is voluntary, but it is how the industry describes good practice. Two parts matter to a renter: A92.22 covers safe use, and A92.24 covers training. OSHA's own aerial lift text still cites the older ANSI A92.2-1969 for design, so the two do not line up word for word.

A manufacturer's summary of A92.24 describes five parts of operator training: theory, practical hands-on training, familiarization, occupant knowledge and retraining. Operators are trained on the machine's ANSI classification and then familiarized on the specific model they use, using the manufacturer's operation and safety manual. Training and familiarization are documented, and the operator needs proof of both. ANSI sets no expiry for qualification, though employers can.

An occupant is anyone riding along with the operator. The operator is to give occupants a basic level of knowledge to work safely on the platform.

What the customer should have ready

Nothing here depends on a particular yard. These are things a prepared renter keeps on file or in the truck:

• A named list of who is authorized to run the machine, set by your employer.
• Proof of training for each person and a record of familiarization with the exact model that arrives.
• The manufacturer's operator manual or a way to read it on site.
• Harnesses and lanyards sized to the crew, with anchor points confirmed on the machine.
• A pre-use check, including the daily control test the standards call for.
• A plan for what happens if the platform loses power with someone in it.

About yards and training

Some rental yards may give a short walk-through of the controls at delivery. Others may not. A walk-through is not the same as the training the standards describe, and this site makes no claim that any yard provides training. Ask the yard that calls you what it does, and treat any answer as a courtesy rather than a substitute for your own program.

For the physical side, read the site requirements guide. For the paperwork a yard may ask for before delivery, see the first-time rental checklist. Both OSHA area offices that cover Harris County are listed on OSHA's site if you have a question about which rule applies.

Common questions