Elevating Work Platform Operation, Fall Protection and Platform Rescue
The elevated operator
The LO platform is an elevating work platform. Before elevating: harness on and lanyard attached to the designated anchor point, gate closed and latched, platform clear of loose items, overhead hazards checked (powerlines, sprinklers, lights, obstructions), exclusion zone set below, and ground conditions stable.
Fall protection
Wear a full-body harness with a lanyard of correct length, attached to the manufacturer's anchor point - never to the racking, the overhead guard or a forklift tyne. Keep the lanyard short enough to prevent falling over or through the gate. Do not climb or lean over the rails. Keep feet on the platform floor. The deadman pedal must be released if you leave the controls; the platform should stop.
Working at height
Maintain three points of contact when handling stock, keep the platform within its rated capacity (operator plus tools plus stock), and never bridge between the platform and racking. Watch for crush hazards between the platform and rack structures.
Rescue
If a person falls and is suspended in a harness, suspension trauma can be fatal within minutes. The emergency plan must include a rescue method that does not rely on the fallen person. Do not attempt to climb the rack to rescue. Use the machine's emergency lowering function, call for help, and follow the site rescue procedure. Never re-energise or operate a machine to "catch" a suspended person without a planned procedure.
Worked example
A picker is suspended after a fall arrest. Correct response: raise the alarm, initiate the site rescue plan, lower the platform by the approved emergency method if safe, and provide first aid - never leave them suspended while you finish the pick.
Trap
Question answers that clip the lanyard to racking, or that treat the overhead guard as an anchor.