Abstract
Scissors lifts are elevating platforms that can be raised or lowered to various heights. The platform can be positioned horizontally beyond the base. These lifts are increasingly being used in various industries because they are mobile and provide workers access to elevations to perform required tasks. NIOSH, in collaboration with National Safety Council (NSC) and Center to Protect Workers’ Rights (CPWR), conducted a surveillance study of aerial platform falls/collapses/ tipovers across all industry classifications. This study showed that approximately two-thirds of fatal and nonfatal incidents involving scissor lifts occurred in the construction industry. A scissor lift is regulated by OSHA as a mobile scaffold and by the agency’s general industry requirements for scaffolds. Manufacturers have relied on the tests and safety features described in consensus standards published by ANSI and Scaffold Industry Association (SIA) for self-propelled elevating work platforms (e.g., A92.6-1999) to ensure proper scissor lift performance.