Boom lift scenario now part of NIOSH simulation tool

Washington — NIOSH has added a boom lift scenario to its Aerial Lift Hazard Recognition Simulator, the agency announced April 8 via Twitter.

The training tool, which also includes a scissor lift operation simulation, provides realistic workplace scenarios “to help potential aerial lift operators acclimate to aerial lift operation and to identify the common occupational hazards during use.”

During the simulation, users encounter multiple hazards such as potholes and ramps. Other risks include tip-overs, crushing incidents and falls, which is the leading cause of fatal injuries among construction workers, according to the Center for Construction Research and Training – also known as CPWR.

Between 2011 and 2014, 1,380 workers were injured and 87 died while operating an aerial or scissor lift, NIOSH states, citing Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Among those fatally injured, 48 died as a result of slips, trips and falls to another level.

The free tool can be downloaded from NIOSH’s website. The agency emphasizes that using the simulator is not a replacement for required training to operate aerial lifts, and that OSHA and ANSI standards vary for different types of lifts.