Scissor Lift Failed to Meet Design Requirements

A worker was fastening hangers to the underside of roof trusses in a greenhouse using a hydraulic scissor lift. He fell from a height of about 11 feet and suffered serious injuries. The MOL investigation found that the worker was moving the scissor lift while it was fully extended, causing it to tip over. But instructions for the scissor lift specified that it shouldn’t be operated while extended. The lift also hadn’t been designed by a professional engineer to meet the requirements of the National Standards of Canada for self-propelled elevating work platforms. For example, it was missing anchorage points for securing safety belts and an emergency stop device or controls at ground level, among other things. His employer pleaded guilty to failing to ensure that a hydraulic scissor lift met the design requirements and was fined $65,000 [South Essex Fabricating Inc., Govt. News Release, March 24, 2014].