Rotating Scissor lifts, which are commonly self-propelled machines, get their name from their lifting mechanism design — a stack of crossed tubes that work in a scissor-like fashion when the platform is raised and lowered.
Both aerial and scissor lifts are prone to tipping over under the wrong circumstances. This can happen if the load is off-center or if a worker is leaning out of the lift – once the center of gravity is off-kilter, it's unfortunately not difficult for the entire machine to topple over.
The way a rotating scissor lift works depend on its power source, but the resulting movement is the same. Here are the steps to how a scissor lift works: The power source is turned on and begins to fill the cylinder(s) with hydraulic fluid or compressed air. Hydraulic fluid or compressed air is pushed from one area to another.
Rotating Scissor lifts are very safe and secure. However, any equipment can be made unsafe if not used properly. In order to keep scissor lifts safe, be sure to always follow manufacturing instructions and maximum weight guidelines
This study demonstrated that ground impact forces and postural sway were crucially affected by scissor lift opening type, horizontal and vertical distances between the lift surface and the work surface, the slope of the work surface, and methods of adjusting the body while ingress or egress the lift.
The rotating scissor lift mechanism presents as a series of connected parallelograms with hinged pivot-point intersections. This enables the operator to elongate or contract the mechanism while maintaining the integrity of the geometric figure and keeping the platform stable and parallel to the base.
Although rare, the collapse of scissor lifts can be prevented if employers: Ensure that safety systems designed to stop collapsing are maintained and not bypassed. Never allow the weight on the work platform to exceed the manufacturer's load rating.
The biggest safety hazard involved in using regular scissors is the risk of laceration from overly-sharpened blades. Metal scissors tend to dull quickly. As a result, they're manufactured to be overly sharp in an attempt to extend the tool's longevity. Using such a pair of scissors increases the risk of laceration.
The higher a platform is raised, the more unstable the lift structure becomes. This increases wobbling caused by movement on the mobile elevating work platform (MEWP). Also, adding weight to a man lift platform increases the risk that the lift will tip over.
It is best for the batteries that they are charged for an extended of time, such as overnight, because opportunity charging — plugging the scissor lift in during lunch time or for short periods of time — can be detrimental to battery longevity
Hard hats must be worn when exposed to overhead hazards. A safe distance from energized power lines shall be maintained. Ladders and other devices shall not be used to increase working heights on lift platforms. Lifts shall not be moved while raised, unless they adhere to the special requirements.
Specific to scissor lifts, an overload condition results in the disabling of all vehicle motion until the excessive platform weight is cleared. There are many approaches to determining platform load, but the industry has converged around a pressure-based load prediction system
By reducing the need for bending and twisting to accommodate the table height, a rotating scissor lift improves process ergonomics and can reduce the risk of repetitive strain type injuries. Scissor lifts, also called lift tables, are the preferred ergonomic solution for material work positioning and vertical lifting.