CTSP Aerial Lift Operations Safety 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which condition requires immediate suspension of aerial lift operations?
- Light intermittent rain with temperatures above 40°F
- Approaching thunderstorm with lightning within 10 miles (Correct answer)
- Overcast skies reducing visibility to 500 feet
- Morning dew on the platform floor
Correct answer: Approaching thunderstorm with lightning within 10 miles
Approaching thunderstorms with lightning require immediate shutdown because metal booms are highly conductive and cannot be insulated against lightning strikes.
Question 2: What is the correct procedure when aerial lift outriggers cannot be fully deployed due to a curb or obstacle?
- Deploy available outriggers and proceed with reduced boom height
- Relocate the truck to a position where full outrigger deployment is possible (Correct answer)
- Deploy only the rear outriggers for stability
- Use the truck's weight as a counterbalance and omit outriggers
Correct answer: Relocate the truck to a position where full outrigger deployment is possible
If outriggers cannot be fully deployed, the truck must be repositioned; partial outrigger deployment does not provide the stability required for safe aerial operations.
Question 3: According to ANSI A92.2, who is responsible for ensuring an aerial lift operator is qualified before allowing operation?
- The aerial lift manufacturer's local dealer
- The employer or the employer's designated competent person (Correct answer)
- The municipal code enforcement officer
- The equipment rental company
Correct answer: The employer or the employer's designated competent person
ANSI A92.2 places responsibility on the employer to ensure operators are trained and qualified on the specific equipment they are assigned to operate.
Question 4: When working near an energized power line requires closer than the OSHA minimum approach distance, what is the required first step?
- Use rubber-insulated gloves rated for the line voltage
- Contact the utility company to de-energize or re-route the line (Correct answer)
- Wrap the line with insulating hose before starting work
- Increase platform speed to minimize exposure time
Correct answer: Contact the utility company to de-energize or re-route the line
When work requires closer approach than the minimum distance, the utility must be contacted to de-energize, insulate, or re-route the lines before work begins.
Question 5: What is the safest way to transfer a chainsaw to a worker in the aerial lift bucket?
- Toss it upward while the engine is off and the brake is engaged
- Pass it up using a hand line (tag line) with the engine off and chain brake set (Correct answer)
- Use the bucket to descend to the ground, collect the saw, and re-ascend
- Attach it to the boom cable and raise it using the hoist function
Correct answer: Pass it up using a hand line (tag line) with the engine off and chain brake set
Tools should be passed using a hand line or tag line with all cutting equipment de-activated; tossing tools is prohibited due to struck-by and drop hazards.
Question 6: A crew is setting up a bucket truck and discovers one outrigger pad is missing. The safest decision is to:
- Use a piece of plywood of similar size as a substitute
- Delay work until the proper pad is obtained or use an adjacent flat, paved surface (Correct answer)
- Double up the remaining pads under two outriggers
- Operate with the three remaining pads and adjust boom angle
Correct answer: Delay work until the proper pad is obtained or use an adjacent flat, paved surface
Proper outrigger pads are engineered components; improvised substitutes may fail under load, and operating with asymmetric pad support is unsafe.
Question 7: What information must be posted inside or on an aerial lift at all times?
- The operator's current certification card
- The rated work load, operating instructions, and safety warnings (Correct answer)
- The last inspection date and inspector's signature
- The truck's gross vehicle weight and axle ratings
Correct answer: The rated work load, operating instructions, and safety warnings
OSHA 1910.67 requires that rated load capacities, operating instructions, and hazard warnings be posted on the equipment in a location visible to the operator.
CTSP Aerial Lift Operations Safety 5
Which condition requires immediate suspension of aerial lift operations?