AERIAL LIFTS

[chicopee]

REFERENCED EQUIPMENT IS USED BY CONSTRUCTION CREWS WORKING OVER WATER. REFERENCED EQUIPMENT ARE MOUNTED ON BARGES, SHOULD THE CREW INSIDE OF MANBASKET BE REQUIRED TO WEAR BODY HARNESSES? BEFORE QUOTING OSHA REGULATION BE AWARE THAT SUCH EQUIPEMENT CAN FALL OVERBOARD DRAGGING EVERYONE WITHIN THE MANBASKET UNDERWATER.

 

[Allangator]

I believe that harnesses should be warn. You could make the same claim on land if an aerial basket fell into an excavation throwing operators to the ground. Falling into water can be just like falling onto concrete. Safe operation of the lift to prevent tip-over or to remain on the barge and the use of fall protection harnesses are separate issues. You have to have both for a quality job. I would be looking for ways to secure the lift so that it could not fall into the water and remove that issue from any consideration.

 

[chicopee]

Allagantor, in reply to your analogy of falling on the ground, it may sound reasonable, but there is an inherent fear of drowning which can make for a difficult working environment and resistance to comply with such requirement. There has been many accidents over water which have drowned construction workers because there were tied up w/ body harnesses and these stories do not address well w/ construction workers.
I personally do not agree on tying up afterall that why there are railings on manbaskets but the law is the law.

 

[AEF]

Have you considered aluminum manbaskets with floatation devices? This would solve the manbasket sinking issue, but if your crane boom goes with it.... I also agree with Allangator's comment that hitting the water from height can be like hitting concrete and drowning may be your secondary consideration. Your primary fall prevention system must be the boom/rigging/manbasket. Secondary is the wearing of full body harnesses with lanyard attached while in the manbasket.