Aerial Lift and Bucket Truck Safety

The regulation requires that all aerial devices, such as bucket trucks and articulating boom platforms, meet strict design and construction standards. Your employer must ensure that equipment is maintained in safe working condition and that you are properly trained before you use the machinery.

Under 1910.67(c)(2), your employer must enforce specific safety protocols, including testing controls daily and ensuring you use a personal fall arrest system. The standard also prohibits you from sitting or climbing on the edge of the basket and mandates that load limits specified by the manufacturer are never exceeded.

This standard applies to any employer using vehicle-mounted aerial devices to elevate you, commonly found in construction, utility work, tree trimming, and facility maintenance. It covers various equipment types including extensible boom platforms, aerial ladders, and vertical towers. Firefighting equipment is generally exempt from these specific requirements.

OSHA frequently cites employers for failing to ensure you are properly trained as required by 1910.67(c)(2)(ii). Other common violations include the failure to provide or ensure you use required personal fall arrest systems and neglecting to perform mandatory daily inspections of lift controls.

In practice, these violations often manifest as you operating lifts without certification or failing to tether yourself to the boom or basket. You may also see equipment used beyond its rated load capacity or operators moving the truck while the boom is elevated, which creates a significant risk of tipping. An attorney can help you determine if these violations contributed to your injury.

Violations of 1910.67 are often classified as serious, as they directly expose you to fall hazards and crushing injuries. OSHA inspections are frequently triggered by reports of workplace accidents or fatalities involving aerial equipment. Employers found in violation may face significant financial penalties, and repeated failures to comply can lead to increased scrutiny and higher fines.

You have the right to a workplace free from recognized hazards and the right to receive proper training for any equipment you are required to operate. If you believe your employer is violating safety standards, you can file a confidential complaint with OSHA. You are protected from retaliation for reporting safety concerns under federal law.

If you are injured in an aerial lift accident, document the scene, take photos of the equipment, and report the incident to your supervisor immediately. Preserving evidence is critical for your claim. An attorney can help you navigate the process of securing the benefits you are owed.