EAZI Access is committed to safety and has partnered with reputable Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) JLG, Linde Material Handling & Manitou to deliver safe equipment to various industries. Maintaining the highest standards of safety is an important focus area of the business, and it dedicates significant time and other resources to participate in and contribute to the institutions that guide the industry.
It is a legal requirement that any Mobile Elevating Work Platform (MEWP) operator be fully trained with the correct licence. According to Craig Thomas, Eazi Access group technical manager, “Safety is our number 1 value and is primary in everything we do. As such we have partnered with world-class OEMs who have the same values when it comes to equipment safety.”
Before operating a MEWP it is important for the machine operator to complete these five safety checks:
- Workplace inspection
Before and during operation, MEWP users must take precautions to avoid all dangers in the work area. This includes a check of the work area for overhead hazards, such as electric lines, bridge cranes and other potential overhead obstructions. Check the operating surfaces for holes, bumps, drop-offs, obstructions, debris, concealed holes and the like.
Make sure that the ground conditions are adequate to support the maximum tyre load, indicated on the tyre load decals on the machine’s chassis. It is important not to travel on unsupported surfaces. Finally, check the work area for hazardous locations. The machine should not be operated in hazardous environments, unless approved by the OEM for that purpose. - Pre-start inspection
Before turning on any MEWP, a pre-start inspection of the machine should be conducted to ensure that the machine is safe to operate. It will also help to uncover any discrepancies with the machine that indicate maintenance services are needed — catching small issues early before they result in unscheduled downtime and expensive repairs.
This type of inspection includes, but is not limited to, the following items: - Cleanliness. Check all surfaces for leakage, debris, slippery substances and/or foreign objects.
- Structure. Inspect the machine’s structure for dents, damage, weld, or parent metal cracks, as well as any other discrepancies. Inspect the platform gate and lanyard attach points.
- Decal and placards. Check all for cleanliness and legibility, making sure that none are missing.
- Check the battery is charged, the fuel, engine oil and hydraulic oil.
- Perform a walk-around inspection and function check.
A pre-start inspection should also include a check to make sure that all safety devices are operating properly, as well as a check for modifications to the machine’s components. It is important at this point to verify that any modifications on the machine have been approved by the OEM to avoid safety violations. - Walk-around inspection
Access equipment gets a lot of use throughout the work week, and things do happen — items get damaged, cracked or worn out. These discrepancies may start out small, and may not even be noticeable at first, but over time, as they get bigger, they could affect the safe operation of the machine.
The walk-around needs to include a thorough, visual inspection of all the machine’s critical components, including (but not limited to) the chassis, engine compartment, electrical connections, scissor stack or boom assembly, control systems
and stations and so on, prior to operation.
A machine’s operations and safety manual is the best resource to consult on how to conduct a proper walk-around inspection. - Function tests
Once the walk-around inspection is completed, perform a function check on all the machine’s systems to make sure they are operating properly. These should be done in an area free of overhead and ground-level obstructions. Function tests are performed by the equipment operator from the machine’s ground console, then from the platform control console and with the machine in stowed position — always refer to the manual for specific tests to complete. - Complete required service and maintenance tasks
For the safe use of MEWPs, machines should not be operated until all the inspections and functional tests have been performed as specified. By not performing pre-operation to-do’s, equipment owners and operators could easily be overlooking obvious, or even serious, machine problems.
If during any of these inspections or function tests the machine does not operate properly, it should be shut down immediately and reported to proper maintenance personnel.
