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Aerial work platform safety checklist for boom lifts: sources and guidance

A pre-use check for boom-type aerial lifts on US construction sites. Lift controls are tested each day before use [15], only authorized persons operate the lift [16], and workers in the basket wear a lanyard attached to the boom or basket [23].

How often: Each day before the lift is used, when the lift controls are tested, and again whenever the lift is moved to a new work area.[15]

Purpose

Use this aerial work platform safety checklist before a boom-type lift is used on a construction site. It covers the checks the federal aerial lift rule sets for extensible and articulating boom platforms: a daily test of the lift controls [15], authorized operators [16], brakes and outriggers [26], tie-off [23] and load limits [25]. It adds the walk-around and function checks that come from the manufacturer's manual, and records who checked which lift and whether it was used.

Who should use it

The operator of the lift, before the first use of the day, and the foreman who assigns the lift. Equipment managers can use completed forms to track defects on rented and owned lifts. Outside construction, vehicle-mounted aerial devices used to position personnel are covered by the general industry rule, 29 CFR 1910.67 [1].

How often

Each day before use, when the lift controls are tested [15]. Repeat the setup and work area checks each time the lift moves to a new location. Periodic inspections and maintenance follow the manufacturer's instructions and are outside this checklist.

How to use this checklist

  1. Confirm the operator is authorized for this lift.
  2. Do the walk-around with the boom stowed, using the manufacturer's pre-start inspection list for the model.
  3. Test every function from the ground controls, then from the platform.
  4. Check the ground, overhead hazards, power lines and weather where the lift will work.
  5. Keep the "While working" section in mind for the whole task; a supervisor can complete it during a spot check.
  6. If any defect affects safe use, tag the lift or lock its controls and report it. A machine or piece of equipment that does not comply with the construction rules is tagged or locked out, or removed from its place of operation [4].

Four checks are critical: operator authorization, because only authorized persons operate an aerial lift [16]; the daily control test, because controls are tested before use to determine they are in safe working condition [15]; each person in the platform attached to the boom or basket [23]; and finding energized power circuits the work could reach before work begins [7].

What the rules say

  • Aerial lifts covered include extensible boom platforms, aerial ladders, articulating boom platforms and vertical towers [10] [11] [12] [13].
  • Lift controls are tested each day prior to use [15]. Upper controls are within easy reach of the operator [22], lower controls can override them [20], and controls are plainly marked [19].
  • Employees stand firmly on the basket floor and do not sit or climb on its edge or use planks or ladders [18]. Belting off to an adjacent pole, structure or equipment is not permitted [17].
  • Boom and basket load limits set by the manufacturer are not exceeded [25].
  • Brakes are set, outriggers sit on pads or a solid surface, and wheel chocks are used on inclines where they can be safely installed [26] [27].
  • Lower controls are operated only with permission from the person in the lift, except in an emergency [21].
  • The insulated portion of a lift is not altered in any way that might reduce its insulating value [30].
  • Before work begins, the employer finds out whether any energized power circuit is located where the work could bring a person, tool or machine into contact with it [7].

What this checklist does not cover

  • Scissor lifts, which are not among the aerial lift types listed in 29 CFR 1926.453(a)(1); ask your competent person which rules apply to them.
  • Annual and frequent inspections, repairs and electrical (dielectric) testing of insulated lifts, which follow the manufacturer's instructions.
  • Operator training content and familiarization for each lift model.
  • Minimum approach distances to power lines, which depend on voltage and come from your qualified person and the utility.
  • Aerial devices used for electric power transmission and distribution work under 29 CFR 1926 Subpart V.
  • Vehicle-mounted aerial devices used in general industry, which fall under 29 CFR 1910.67 rather than the construction rule.
  • Rules of State Plan states that differ from federal OSHA.

Questions

How often do aerial lift controls need to be tested?

Each day, before the lift is used [15]. The test determines whether the controls are in safe working condition.

Do you have to wear a harness in a boom lift?

The aerial lift rule says a body belt is worn and a lanyard attached to the boom or basket when working from an aerial lift [23]. A body belt is acceptable only in a tethering or restraint system [24]; body belts are not acceptable as part of a personal fall arrest system [32]. Where a fall could be arrested rather than prevented, use a full body harness and follow the lift manufacturer's instructions for the anchor point.

Does 29 CFR 1926.453 cover scissor lifts?

The rule lists the aerial lift types it covers: extensible boom platforms, aerial ladders, articulating boom platforms and vertical towers, or a combination [8] [10] [12]. Scissor lifts are not named in that list, so this checklist is written for boom-type lifts. Ask your competent person which rules apply to a scissor lift.

Who is allowed to operate an aerial lift?

Only authorized persons [16]. The employer permits only employees qualified by training or experience to operate equipment and machinery [5], and instructs each employee in recognizing and avoiding unsafe conditions [6].

Can a boom lift be driven with workers in the basket?

Not while the boom is elevated in a working position with workers in the basket, unless the equipment is specifically designed for that kind of operation [28]. Before moving a lift for travel, the boom is checked to be properly cradled and the outriggers stowed [31].

Which design standards apply to aerial lifts?

The OSHA rule refers to the ANSI A92.2-1969 standard for vehicle-mounted elevating and rotating work platforms [9], and OSHA's non-mandatory appendix lists other national consensus standards, such as ANSI/SIA A92.5-1990 for boom-supported elevating work platforms [2]. A lift may be field modified only when the modification has been confirmed in writing by the manufacturer or an equivalent entity [14].

Sources

Each cited excerpt was found word for word in the official text on the date shown.

  1. [1]29 CFR 1910.67 Vehicle-mounted elevating and rotating work platforms (a)(1) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 25, 2026.
  2. [2]29 CFR Part 1926 Subpart L, Non-mandatory Appendix C, List of National Consensus Standards — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  3. [3]29 CFR 1926.20 General safety and health provisions (b)(3) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  4. [4]29 CFR 1926.20 General safety and health provisions (b)(3) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  5. [5]29 CFR 1926.20 General safety and health provisions (b)(4) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  6. [6]29 CFR 1926.21 Safety training and education (b)(2) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  7. [7]29 CFR 1926.416 General requirements (safety-related work practices) (a)(3) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  8. [8]29 CFR 1926.453 Aerial lifts (a)(1) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  9. [9]29 CFR 1926.453 Aerial lifts (a)(1) design standard — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  10. [10]29 CFR 1926.453 Aerial lifts (a)(1)(i) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  11. [11]29 CFR 1926.453 Aerial lifts (a)(1)(ii) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  12. [12]29 CFR 1926.453 Aerial lifts (a)(1)(iii) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  13. [13]29 CFR 1926.453 Aerial lifts (a)(1)(iv) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  14. [14]29 CFR 1926.453 Aerial lifts (a)(2) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  15. [15]29 CFR 1926.453 Aerial lifts (b)(2)(i) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  16. [16]29 CFR 1926.453 Aerial lifts (b)(2)(ii) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  17. [17]29 CFR 1926.453 Aerial lifts (b)(2)(iii) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  18. [18]29 CFR 1926.453 Aerial lifts (b)(2)(iv) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  19. [19]29 CFR 1926.453 Aerial lifts (b)(2)(ix) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  20. [20]29 CFR 1926.453 Aerial lifts (b)(2)(ix) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  21. [21]29 CFR 1926.453 Aerial lifts (b)(2)(ix) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  22. [22]29 CFR 1926.453 Aerial lifts (b)(2)(ix) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  23. [23]29 CFR 1926.453 Aerial lifts (b)(2)(v) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  24. [24]29 CFR 1926.453 Aerial lifts (b)(2)(v) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  25. [25]29 CFR 1926.453 Aerial lifts (b)(2)(vi) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  26. [26]29 CFR 1926.453 Aerial lifts (b)(2)(vii) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  27. [27]29 CFR 1926.453 Aerial lifts (b)(2)(vii) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  28. [28]29 CFR 1926.453 Aerial lifts (b)(2)(viii) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  29. [29]29 CFR 1926.453 Aerial lifts (b)(2)(x) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  30. [30]29 CFR 1926.453 Aerial lifts (b)(2)(xi) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  31. [31]29 CFR 1926.453 Aerial lifts (b)(2)(xii) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.
  32. [32]29 CFR 1926.502 Fall protection systems criteria and practices (d) — eCFR (Office of the Federal Register). Retrieved September 24, 2026.

Guidance, not legal advice. It does not replace the law, the manufacturer's instructions or your organization's competent people.