Cherry Picking?/EWP

Cherry pickers and elevated work platforms are pieces of equipment that many workers use for working at hieghts access in many differing situations where scaffolding and any other form as determined by the risk assessment procedures are deemed not practicable and cost effective or safe(.sometimes this $ value or perceived efficiency aspect needs to be challenged and put in its right perspective in relation to safety overall).All procedures and protocols and legislative requirements are governed in Western Australia by worksafe documents such as http://www.worksafe.wa.gov.au/newsite/worksafe/media/codes/code_falls.pdf
which detail the code of practices for the"Prevention of Falls At Workplaces"2004.Specific attention should be paid to page 52 which cites EWP's.

In regard to cherry Pickers and other EWP equipment you must be licensed and trained by a registered training organisation or an approved provider of such training.Specific training in the type of ewp to be used should be a component and competency must be able to be proved as such.Here is a brief checklist from the code reproduced below;

The safety requirements include:• workers operating the platforms must be trained and instructed in safe operating procedures for
the particular brand and type of equipment;
• the platforms should only be used as working platforms not as a means of access to and egress
from a work area;
• unless designed for rough terrain, the platforms should be used only on a solid level surface;
• the surface area should be checked to make sure that there are no penetrations or obstructions
which could cause uncontrolled movement or overturning of the platform;
• when designed as rough terrain platforms, the manufacturer’s instructions must be consulted for
information on safe operation;
• the training provided should include safe use of the fall-arrest equipment and emergency rescue
procedures;
• people working in cherry pickers must wear an anchored safety harness and lanyard incorporating
a shock absorber as precaution against mechanical failure of the basket. The lanyard should be
as short as possible. Fall-arrest systems are not required to be worn on scissor lift type elevating
work platforms; and
• people operating cherry pickers with boom lengths exceeding 11 metres must have an appropriate
certificate of competency.

Thorough inspections of equipment to be used are essential and some detail in the photographs above at top of blog give some suggestions of where to look for operational issues that include the control panels visibility as wellas basket and boom conditions.Corrosion areas are telltale signs,..so seek expert advice when such signs are seen in critical areas sucha s the basket and boom areas.Seek advice from licensed maintenance providers for ewps.