Contents
Construction Site Safety
29. Mobile Elevating Work Platforms
Introduction
This type of work equipment, used in the building
and construction industry, is covered by both the
Provision and Use of Work Equipment
Regulations 1998 and the Lifting Operations and
Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998.
The essential requirement of the Provision and
Use of Work Equipment Regulations is that the
equipment must be suitable and stable in terms
of its construction and for what it will be used.
In addition, it must be properly maintained and
inspected under the requirements of the Lifting
Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations
and must periodically undergo thorough
examinations. Dangerous parts must be guarded
and there must be properly marked controls or
control systems, a means of isolation from its
power source and, where mobile, means of
preventing it overturning or rolling over.
The term mobile elevating work platform
covers pedestrian-controlled, self-propelled and
power-operated mobile elevating work and
access platforms.
The mobile elevating work platform is designed
to provide a temporary working platform which
can be easily moved from one location to
another. It is particularly suitable for short
duration tasks, where the use of a ladder would
be unsafe and the erection of a scaffolding
platform time-consuming or impracticable in
relation to the job to be done. Some units have
specialised applications.
The legal duty of the employer in respect of this
equipment is to provide, as far as is reasonably
practicable, a safe place of work and the
necessary training and supervision. The
manufacturer or hire company who supplies the
platform must provide all the information
necessary to ensure that the user is not exposed
to any risk or danger when the platform is used
correctly.
© Construction Industry Training Board
The mobile elevating work platform is becoming
increasingly widely used and more complex. It is
essential that no one should be allowed to use
the equipment unless they have been instructed
and trained by a competent person on the
specific type of equipment to be used.
These notes do not cover mobile scaffolds (see
Construction Site Safety, Module 5 Part 2,
System Scaffolds and Mobile Towers), working
platforms on fork lift trucks or power operated
mast platforms (see Construction Site Safety
Module 24 Part 1, Safe Working on Roofs and at
Heights).
Legislation
The Factories Act 1961
The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
The Personal Protective Equipment at Work
Regulations 1992
The Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare)
Regulations 1996
The Provision and Use of Work Equipment
Regulations 1998
The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment
Regulations 1998
The Management of Health and Safety at Work
Regulations 1999
References
Guidance produced by the HSE, British
Standards and the industry should be considered
to be good practice. Compliance with the
guidance is not a legal requirement. However,
adherence to the good standards published will
usually ensure compliance with the relevant
legislation. In addition, the interrelation of the
various sets of regulations and guidance, to
achieve overall compliance with the Health and
Safety at Work Act 1974 and other legislation,
should be noted.
GE 700/29
March 1994
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HSE publications A mobile elevated work platform is a lifting

Guidance notes
GS 6 Avoidance of danger from overhead
electrical lines
British Standards
BS 5323 Code of Practice for scissor lifts
BS 7171 Specification for mobile elevating work
platforms
BS EN 361 Personal protective equipment
against falls from a height. Full body harnesses
Construction Plant-Hire Association
Mobile elevating work platforms: user safety
guide
International Powered Access Federation
Guide to mobile elevating work platforms
National Economic Development Office
Report (1985): the use of mobile platforms on
construction sites
appliance and comes under the additional
requirements of the Lifting Operations and
Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998.
Anything that needs to be lifted, be it work
equipment or persons, constitutes a load under
these regulations.
Types of mobile elevating work
platform
The basic types of mobile elevating work
platform are:
• scissor lifts
• telescopic booms or jibs
• articulating and telescopic booms.
All of these may be either:
• towable units
• vehicle mounted
• self propelled
• pedestrian controlled.

Summary of regulations The main functional differences between the

three basic types of platform are described
All mobile elevating work platforms are ‘work below.
equipment’ within the meaning of the Provision
and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. Scissor lift. Vertical lift only. May be fitted with
The most important points are: outriggers, depending on size and height to
which it extends.
• suitability of the equipment for the task to
be carried out
• operator training
• competent supervision.
The Provision and Use of Work Equipment
Regulations 1998 require that an employer only
supplies work equipment that is correct and
suitable for the job and ensures that the
equipment is maintained and kept in good
working order.
Where the use of the equipment involves a
specific risk to the health and safety of
employees, the use of the equipment must be
restricted to specified workers.

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Telescopic boom. Gives vertical height and
outreach. Platform may also be manoeuvrable.
Articulating and telescopic boom. Usually
vehicle mounted. Gives a wide range of reach
and height, with platform mobility. Nearly always
equipped with outriggers. There are specialised
types giving, for instance, access to the
underside of bridges from above.
First Page
Some units have ‘travel while elevated’ ability
and four wheel drive. Rough terrain mobile
elevating work platforms have been specially
developed for construction site work.
Sizes
Sizes and capabilities vary considerably. Small
one person platforms are available, with safe
working loads of about 100 kg, and working
heights of a few metres. At the other end of the
scale, platforms may be over 4 m x 2 m, and
safe working loads in excess of 1,000 kg.
Extending boom heights exceeding 60 m are
obtainable and the outreach of some units can
exceed 30 m.
The work activity which results in the use of
mobile elevating work platforms must, of course,
have been subject to a work based risk
assessment under the Management of Health
and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
The Management of Health and Safety at
Work Regulations 1999 place a requirement on
every employer to make a suitable and sufficient
assessment of every work activity to detect and
define any hazard that employees might
encounter during their work, or to any other
person who might be affected by their
operations.
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Once those hazards have been identified, it is Safety harnesses

then his duty to put control measures into place,
A safety harness should be worn by everybody
in order to remove or reduce those hazards as
working from a mobile elevating work platform. It
far as is reasonably practicable.
should be attached to a secure anchorage point
Where a hazard is identified that requires it, the within the platform.
employer must offer health surveillance to
The use of harnesses will prevent personnel
employees, which must be appropriate taking
from being catapulted out of the platform in the
into account the risks to their health and safety
event of:
that have been identified.
• the base being struck by another vehicle
The employer must provide employees with
comprehensible and relevant information on any • hitting an obstacle
risks that exist in the workplace and on any
control measures that are in place to reduce • a wheel going into a pothole
those risks. • the whiplash effect on undulating ground.
Employees, in turn, have a duty under these It will also prevent falls due to overreaching or
Regulations to tell their employer of any work overbalancing by the operator.
situation which presents a risk to themselves or
their workmates, or of any matter which affects
the health and safety of themselves or their
workmates.

Personal protective equipment

The use of safety harnesses and other personal
protective equipment is covered by the Personal
Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992.
The Personal Protective Equipment at Work
Regulations 1992 are somewhat more specific,
in that they require an employer to make an
assessment of the workplace in an attempt to
decide which, if any, personal protective
equipment should be issued. In deciding which
type to issue, the employer must take into
account the risk that the PPE is being used for, A safety harness must never be attached to
and that the PPE will fit the wearer and allow anything outside the platform; operation of the
them to work comfortably. If more than one task controls in this situation could leave the user
is to be performed, the employer should make stranded in mid air.
sure that the PPE is compatible and of use for
Safety helmets
every task that is to be undertaken.
Safety helmets must be worn if there are
Whilst the employer must, as far as possible,
overhead obstructions in the area of operation or
ensure that any personal protective equipment
if there is a possibility of anything falling from
supplied must be worn, the employee in turn
above. On all building and construction sites, the
must ensure that they wear the equipment
wearing of safety helmets is mandatory. Chin
provided and knows the procedures for reporting
straps should be worn to prevent the helmet
loss or defect to their employer.
slipping off and falling to a lower level and
perhaps injuring someone.

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Operation
Safe working load
The safe working load (SWL) specified by the
manufacturer must not be exceeded. The
maximum number of persons permitted on the
platform may also be given but, if it is not,
80–85 kg of the safe working load should be
allowed for each person.
Care must be taken not to exceed the SWL with
tools and equipment when work is being carried
out from the platform. This can also be caused
by:
• allowing an accumulation of plaster,
cement, blasting grit or other loose
material
• the removal and lowering of fans, motors,
pipework, window frames or other
equipment from high level onto the
platform prior to removing them for repair,
maintenance or replacement
• any form of shock loading.
It is usual for a single SWL to be specified for all
conditions of height or reach.
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Height and reach
The figures given by manufacturers are the
maximum possible; allowance has already been
made for the physical height and reach of the
operator.
If the task is outside the distances given, it
cannot be reached by any permissible or safe
means. Steps, ladders, hop ups or boxes must
never be used on the platform to gain extra
height or reach.
Operating envelope
All configurations of mobile elevating work
platforms have an operating area or envelope.
With scissor lifts, the operating envelope may be
just straight up for the width of the platform; with
articulated booms, it is a more complex shape.
As maximum height and maximum reach are not
usually available at the same time, care is
needed to ensure that the intended work area is
within the machines’ operating envelope (see
diagram below).
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Ground conditions
Mobile elevating work platforms are often fitted
with outriggers or stabilisers and these must
always be deployed and used as recommended
by the manufacturer. Attempting to operate the
unit too close to a building or obstruction can
make it impossible to fully extend the outriggers,
and therefore unsafe to use. Before deploying
stabilisers or outriggers, check:
• that the machine is either level, or can be
levelled up
• that the ground is firm and will support
loading with the use of adequate packing
if necessary
• that the machine is not over or adjacent to
a cellar, basement, sewer, drain,
manhole, old trench, un-compacted
backfill or anything else that might
collapse.
Travelling in operational mode
Travelling with the platform occupied or boom
extended should only be undertaken when this
mode of operation is within the machine’s
specified capabilities. Travel must never take
place with outriggers or stabilisers extended,
unless the machine is designed to function in
this way.
Before travelling, a check should be made to
ensure:
• no ramps, trenches, holes or other ground
obstructions lie in the path of travel
• no overhead electrical cables, building
projections or other overhead hazards will
be encountered
• adequate warning has been given to
persons on the ground
• a signaller or other responsible person is
employed, if necessary
• nothing has been left unsecured and
liable to fall off
• no trailing hoses, cables, wires on the unit
or other snagging hazards are in the path
of travel.
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First Page
Travelling up and down inclines and traversing
slopes should only be undertaken within the
limits laid down by the manufacturers.
Specially designed units, designated as ‘rough
terrain’ can operate (usually without any
stabilisers or outriggers) on construction and
other sites where ground conditions may not
permit a standard type vehicle to be used.
Tandem use
No two platforms should be linked together or
bridged. Manufacturers can advise on the
interlocking of platforms and controls so that one
set of controls operates both platforms, allowing
directional stability to be maintained at all times.
If a unit is being used in conjunction with a crane
or some other appliance, a safe system of work
must be planned and implemented; it should
clearly define individual responsibilities and set
out precise arrangements for communication.
Wind and wind speeds
A mobile elevating work platform must not be
used in wind speeds exceeding those specified
by the manufacturer One commonly specified
wind speed is that of 30 mph (Beaufort Scale 6 –
Strong Breeze), or about 12.5 m per second.
This is also generally accepted as the maximum
wind strength in which an operator can work
without undue discomfort.
Other problems associated with operating in
windy conditions include:
• the funnelling effects of winds between
buildings, where actual wind speeds may
be double that measured in the open
• in the vicinity of large slab-sided
buildings, high wind speeds and eddy
currents may be created at the corners
and on the side facing the wind
• the effect of height; wind speed may be
50% greater at a height of 20 m than it is
at ground level
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Percentage to be added to ground level windspeed to
correct for working height.
Height above ground at which platform will be used
• wind chill factor. On a calm day 10°C is
cool but not unpleasant, but with a wind of
20 mph the temperature experienced on
the face and hands is 0°C. If the day is
very cold, about freezing, the temperature
experienced on the skin will be down to
–15°C, making it very difficult for the
operator to work safely unless properly
clothed and equipped.
Problems may also arise when handling building
cladding, sheet materials, panels and other
materials light in weight in relation to their area
which can act like ‘sails’ and seriously affect the
stability of a mobile elevating work platform due
to the excess wind loading. If such materials are
to be used, due allowance should be made,
especially in gusty conditions.
Because of the difficulty in estimating wind
speeds by unassisted observations of trees,
wind blown litter, smoke, etc., a hand held
anemometer should be used where necessary.
See also Appendix B for Beaufort Wind Scale.
First Page
Use on roads
Persons trained to operate a vehicle mounted
mobile elevating work platform on site may not
drive it on a road, unless they hold a large goods
vehicle licence.
Prohibited uses
Mobile elevating work platforms must not be
used:
• as jacks, props, ties or supports
• primarily for the transfer of goods or
materials
• as a crane or lifting appliance.
Such uses are either outside the designed use
and safe working limits of the machine, or would
bring it under other statutory provisions such as
those applicable to cranes and hoists.
Platforms must not be tied to buildings or other
structures to gain additional support. The
operation of the controls in such circumstances
could cause an accident or create another major
hazard.
Operators
Physical fitness
Persons nominated as, or applying for, training
as operators should meet the following general
requirements:
• must have full physical mobility
• must have sufficient agility to climb in and
out of the platform
• must have a good head for heights, and
not be subject to vertigo or acrophobia
(fear of heights)
• must have good hearing in case warning
signals are given
• must have the correct colour vision for
colour coded controls (the Ishihara colour
test may be relevant)
• must have the ability to accurately judge
space and distance
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• must have eye to hand co-ordination, and
sufficient dexterity to operate the controls
• must have good eyesight, with glasses if
necessary. The ability to read a car
number plate at 25 m is usually
satisfactory
• must have a stable disposition.
Fainting or dizziness may render persons
unsuitable as operatives. Advice can be obtained
from the Employment Medical Advice Service
(EMAS) of the Health and Safety Executive.
Duties of operators
The main duties of operators are:
• to operate the machine safely and without
risks to themselves or anyone else who
may be affected by the works which are
being carried out
• to operate the machine in compliance
with the manufacturers’ instructions and
recommendations and to ensure that it
remains safe and stable
• not to abuse, ignore or override any
safety device or equipment.
Training
No one should be allowed to operate a mobile
elevating work platform without proper and
adequate training. A wide range of types of
mobile elevating work platform are now
available, and operators should be trained
specifically for the type of machine in use. Thus,
for example, a person competent to operate a
scissor lift would need separate and specific
training for an articulated boom unit.
Both knowledge and skill should be tested during
training to ensure that the operative has
achieved a satisfactory standard of competence.
Three main stages of training can be identified.
These apply to all types of unit:
• basic understanding of the operating
principles, and the knowledge necessary
for the day to day operation of the
platform
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First Page
• task-specific training and practice on the
type of machine concerned, if possible
under all foreseeable operating conditions
• properly supervised on-site familiarisation
to gain experience and confidence.
It is important to ensure that operatives fully
understand the functions of limit switches and
interlocks, and the serious dangers which can be
caused by defeating or over-riding them.
Most manufacturers provide some form of
training or offer training courses. When units are
hired, it is important to ensure that the hire
company provides adequate operative training or
that trained operators are available.
The demonstration of equipment by a
manufacturer’s representative should not in itself
be regarded as sufficient training for those who
are to operate it. In addition, the ability and
experience of demonstrators and instructors
should be verifiable, especially in respect of the
purchaser’s proposed use of the equipment.
Other points:
• Operatives should only be permitted to
use the type of unit they have been
trained and authorised to use
• Only operators who hold a current CTA
(Certificate of Training Achievement)
Card, or its equivalent, should be allowed
to operate mobile elevating work
platforms
• After training, an ‘in company licence’
should be issued, and adequate records
kept of initial and any further training
• The safety element of the training must
include safety awareness and recognition
of hazards.
For further information on the CTA Scheme
please contact:
CTA Manager
Construction Industry Training Board
Bircham Newton
King’s Lynn
Norfolk PE31 6RH
Tel: 01485 577430
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Hazards
Some of the more common hazards associated
with the use of mobile elevating work platforms
are outlined below. The list should not be
regarded as exhaustive.
Work on or near a highway
• A collision with another vehicle. Always
use barriers, lights, cones, notices,
guards, or arrange traffic diversions
• The knuckle or elbow of an articulated
boom encroaching into a traffic lane.
Always ensure adequate space is
available
• Operating the platform encroaching into
traffic lanes. Ensure that adequate
provisions have been made.
Overhead power cables
• Electric shock due to contact with or
electric arcing due to close approach to
any overhead cables. Either could be
fatal.
Always maintain a safe distance (see HSE
guidance note GS6). The absolute minimum
distance, measured from the furthest point of
outreach to the ground level barrier or point
directly beneath the outmost conductor, must be
at least 6 m (when there is not work or passage
under the lines), although most regional
electricity companies recommend 8 m.
First Page
High winds can cause cables to sway and
significantly reduce this distance.
No part of any machine should be closer than
15 m to any overhead line on a steel tower (9 m
if on a wooden pole) unless by arrangement with
the electricity company.
Falls of persons or materials
• Ensure that safety harnesses are worn at
all times
• Do not allow any loose materials to
accumulate on the platform
• If there is any danger of tools being
dropped by the operator from the
platform, pedestrian access beneath the
platform should be prevented.
Entrapment of persons
• All moving parts and mechanisms should
be properly and securely guarded
• All operators should be made aware of
the hazards and procedures for avoiding
entrapment between the platform and any
fixed obstruction.
Note
BS 5304 Code of Practice for safety of
machinery deals with such mechanical hazards
Overturning
• Check for the hazard of collapsing
ground beneath outriggers or stabilisers;
check for hazard before siting unit
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• Beware of overloading, especially if the
platform is being used at maximum
outreach to remove fans or motors and
the like. Always observe the safe working
load
• Be careful when operating on a slope with
the unit not properly levelled out on the
stabilisers or outriggers.
• Always check that the unit is stable before
operating
• Be careful when travelling with the
platform raised on unsuitable ground
conditions
• Unless the unit is specifically designed to
travel while the outriggers or stabilisers
are deployed, never attempt to travel
• Be careful not to collide with any
obstruction or other vehicle.
Restricted or enclosed spaces
• Extra care is needed when working in or
manoeuvring into restricted or confined
spaces to avoid collisions and or
entrapment. A full and precise
understanding of all controls is essential
• If the self-propelled unit has an internal
combustion engine, remember that the
exhaust fumes will cause a hazard in any
confined or enclosed space
• Batteries for units should not be charged
in enclosed spaces. There is a hazard of
explosive hydrogen gases being given off
• LPG powered vehicles should not be
refuelled in a confined space. Any
spillage of fuel will quickly and
dramatically expand into a large gas
cloud. The gas will then accumulate at the
lowest point and create an explosive
hazard.
Interference with vehicles in public
places
• Additional interlocks or guards may be
necessary to prevent the operation of, or
tampering with, ground level controls by
unauthorised persons or children
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• Care should be taken against the risk of
entrapment as a result of inquisitive
people, and especially children, getting
too close or underneath. Scissor lifts are
particularly hazardous (see BS 5323
which contains specific provisions for
guarding this type of unit).
Other hazards
• Never attempt to use a unit which has a
nearly flat battery. This could result in the
operator being stranded aloft, in which
case an emergency descent procedure
would be required
• Avoid knuckles, joints and hoses
becoming encrusted with paint, blasting
grit, cement or plaster. This can be
avoided by using gaiters such as those
which are usually supplied by the
manufacturer
• Always avoid the sideways thrust from a
drill, or the torque from a drill or hand
tools, or the recoil or thrust of cartridge
tools. Whenever and wherever possible,
the platform should be square onto the
work. If it is sideways on, any thrust or
recoil will push the platform away from the
work face. Boom length will also increase
this effect.
Maintenance and inspections
The maintenance of this type of work equipment
is an essential feature in ensuring its safety
when it is in use. The requirements of the Lifting
Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations
make allowance for a competent person to draw
up a schedule for maintenance, taking into
account its use, its frequency of use and the
conditions it is used under.
The regulations require the minimum of a
thorough examination before being used for the
first time and thereafter every six months, or
when exposed to conditions that may cause
deterioration. Records of such inspections
should be kept until the next thorough
examination or for a period of two years.
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However, inspections recommended are: Maintenance work on scissor lifts

1. Daily inspections at start of work, usually
carried out by the operator, should check
the following:
• tyre pressures and wheel nuts
• brakes and steering
• fuel, oil, water, hydraulic fluid and
battery levels
• lights, warning devices and
communications
Special care is needed in the care and
maintenance of this type of unit. No work or
inspection should take place within the stack of a
scissor lift unless scotches or chocks are used to
prevent any hazard arising from hydraulic failure.
References
The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment
Regulations 1998, Regulations 9 and 10
Construction Site Safety, Module 21, Lifting
Equipment and Accessories for Lifting

• structure for visible defects

• all operating controls
• all hydraulic fluid lines for any leaks,
however small.
2. Weekly inspections by a maintenance
fitter or operator, if competent, may also
be recommended after a specific number
of hours of use, and should be:
• a check of all items covered under the
daily inspection
• an operational check on all
capabilities of the unit
• a close visual examination of the
chassis and structure.
The results of these tests should be recorded on
an in house form or Form F91 Part 1 Section C,
adapted.
3. At six-monthly intervals or after 1000
operational hours, or as recommended
by the manufacturer, a thorough
examination should be made by a
competent person and a written report
issued. An insurance company engineer
or surveyor may carry out the examination
in conjunction with that of other items
such as lifting gear. A similar examination
is recommended after an accident, major
repair or modification.
The Construction Plant Hire Association
Publication ‘Inspection and testing of mobile
elevating work platforms’ sets out details of a
suggested scheme of periodic inspections and
examination.

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Construction Site Safety

29. Appendix A
Mobile Elevating Work Platforms

Safety checklist

• Has the daily inspection been completed? • Are all outriggers and stabilisers safely
deployed?
• Are safety harnesses and helmets always
worn? • Make sure that the machine is level.

• Ensure that the wind speed is not excessive. • Ensure as far as possible that there are no
cellars or drains beneath the area where
• Are the correct signs and barriers erected? you are working.

• Is the operative authorised and fully fit?
• Ensure that the safe working load is not
exceeded.
• Ensure that it is all clear overhead.
• Ensure that the ground conditions are
satisfactory.
• Ensure a current record of the last thorough
examination is available prior to use.
• Make sure that all tools and materials are
secure.
• Make sure that the platform is not slippery
or obstructed.
• Ensure that all work is within the specified
reach of the unit.
• If movement is planned ensure that the
route is clear and safe.
• Ensure that there are no restricted or
confined space hazards.

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Construction Site Safety

29. Appendix B

Beaufort Wind Scale for Use on Land (Numbers 1–9)

Wind Force Description Wind Effect Locally Speed Speed

Number of Wind mph m/sec

0 Calm Calm, smoke rises vertically 1 0–1

1 Light air Direction of wind shown by smoke drift, 1–3 1–2
but not by wind or weather vanes
2 Light breeze Wind felt on face. Leaves rustle. Wind or 4–7 2–3
weather vanes move
3 Gentle breeze Leaves and small twigs in constant 8–12 3–5
motion. Wind extends light flags
4 Moderate Wind raises dust and loose paper. Small 13–18 5–8
breeze branches move
5 Fresh breeze Small trees in leaf begin to sway. Little 19–24 8–11
crested wavelets form on inland waters
6 Strong breeze Large branches in motion. Umbrellas 25–31 11–14
used with some difficulty
7 Near gale Whole trees in motion. Becoming difficult 32–38 14–17
to walk against the wind
8 Gale Twigs break off trees. Progress is 39–46 17–21
generally impeded
9 Strong gale Chimney pots, slates and tiles may be 47–54 21–24
blown off. Other slight structural damage
may be caused

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