The regulations set forth by the American National Standards Institute require an annual inspection of your platform every year. The inspection must be performed by a qualified technician who has been specifically trained on that exact unit. The platform must be taken out of service until such time as it is certified safe to operate.
Annual inspections must include the following platform components:
- Drive, lift and emergency controls
- Safety accessories, horn, parking brake
- Batteries and charger
- Limiting switches
- Chains, hoses and belts
- Lubrication
- Structural components
- Warning and control markings
- Emergency lowering controls
In this inspection, the technician is looking for overall operation and safety of the unit itself. He/she is checking for worn and compromised belts and hoses.
The tires must be thoroughly checked for punctures, leaks and tread wear.
Pins, gates and hardware must be checked for wear and tear, stability and function. Fall harnesses and their anchor points must be checked.
The railings on the basket must be sturdy and intact. Any structural damage must be repaired.
Any findings of compromised components must be immediately repaired and if they can't be fixed promptly the unit must be removed from the rotation until repairs can be made. The rules are very clear on this.
When repairs are made, another inspection takes place and upon approval the next official inspection does not need to happen for another 13 months.
This does not excuse the operators from conducting pre-shift inspection every time the platform is pressed into use.
If you have any questions about safety procedures or if you're in the market for an aerial platform, give our experts a call at (704) 842-3242.
|
