Aerial work platforms are an essential component in moving workers to higher working locations where no aspect of work can be sacrificed in terms of precision, stability, and safety. However, when you work with any machine that is under pressure, wear and tear are bound to happen, and before long, they may become a safety hazard unless addressed in time.

This is where preventive maintenance is introduced, a strategy that aims at ensuring routine checks and repairs are conducted to avoid upcoming problems. Properly maintained aerial lift not only works better, but it is also an aid to fewer accidents at the job site, repair avoidance, and longer machine life.

Aerial work platform maintenance helps to create accountability and safety, where the operators are informed about what they should be looking at, how they should react, and at what time. We will tackle this in a breakdown of a structured aerial work platform checklist in this guide to assist in maintaining your equipment reliably, keeping operations free of hassle, and ensuring your employees’ safety.

Signs Your aerial work platform needs urgent attention

It is essential to detect the condition of an aerial work platform (AWP) early to guarantee safety at the workplace.

• In the case of the equipment making noises when it is in use, like grinding, squeaking, or clicking, the case may indicate internal damage or wear.
• Likewise, if the AWP equipment seems unsteady, becomes wobbly during the lift, and does not move smoothly, it may signify that something is wrong with the machinery or hydraulic system.
• Blinks on the control board, a leak in the fluids, or the response time is slower than usual are other indicators that the machine should not be used until a competent technician examines it.  

A quick response to these warning signs will prevent accidents, costly repairs, and ensure everyone working on the job site is safe.

What is in the Preventive Maintenance Checklist of Aerial Work Platforms?

An aerial work platform preventive maintenance checklist helps safeguard the lives of workers as well as the long-term use of the equipment.

1. Operator Safety Guidelines

A typical checklist of such nature involves extensive tests of all critical components, which can be the brakes, tires, steering system, and lifting devices. These tests are used to identify cases of worn-out or damaged components at an early stage. Fire equipment is also checked, the electrical systems are checked to ensure that they are securely wired up, and the hoses and cylinders’ hydraulic systems need to be tested to check for issues like leaks and pressure problems. Safety parameters such as emergency stop buttons, guardrails, window gates, and warning alarms are thoroughly tested in order to understand whether they are functioning well.

2. Routine Tasks

Routine tasks like cleaning, oiling the movable parts, tightening of bolts, and verification of the fluid level are also performed to prevent wear out. The other things that are included in the checklist are reading the operator manuals, checking the labels for legibility, and ensuring that the machine is run within the stated limits. Such scheduled maintenance will prevent the possibility of a breakdown of the equipment as well as prolong the life and service of the equipment. It will also help to comply with the safety rules and regulations and provide an efficient and safe working environment.

3. The Daily, Monthly, and Yearly Maintenance Tasks

Preventive maintenance is mainly broken down into three categories, which are: daily, monthly, and yearly checks.

Every day work includes tire inspection, emergency stop button testing, guardrail testing, and controls responsiveness before operating them. The monthly checks include verification of fluid quantity, such as hydraulic oil, every month; the battery must be inspected, the hoses should be inspected to find whether they are subject to wear or not; the movement of the platform should be smooth and steady.

The more detailed inspection comes in the yearly task that needs to be performed by a qualified technician, where it is necessary to check the safety switches, review the structural integrity of the lift, and reassess the service logs.

How Bailey Cranes Simplifies Aerial Lift Maintenance?

Our team is fully committed to ensuring operational safety and efficiency with tailor-made engineered MEWP alternatives. The company today is a reliable partner of the aerospace, defence, and construction industries, and lives by its mission of providing unprecedented excellence in lifting and access platforms and its vision to be the first choice in the most daunting working conditions.

Bailey Cranes simplifies the general practice of aerial work platform maintenance by ensuring that both designing and customised solutions contribute to the effects of prevention and long-term safety. We offer custom boom packages, swing bearing replacements, and pedestal-mounted manlifts, all built with long-term flexibility and reliability.

By incorporating features such as collision avoidance, omnidirectional drive mode, Bailey has made each of the machines durable and easy to work on. We also assist operators to achieve major safety standards such as ANSI A92.5, A92.6, and even those that oversee fire safety, such as NFPA 505 and UL 583.
In high-level magnetic fields, Bailey provides insulation packages and fibre-optic controls to decrease hazards and facilitate inspection. Be it daily inspections or annual, more complicated servicing, the well-conceived products offered by Bailey will allow the team to maintain a lead in the timely aerial work platform maintenance, preventing accidents, and extending the service life of our aerial work lift platforms.

Conclusion

Operating an aerial work platform lift without regular checks can have severe consequences. With abrupt equipment damage, unsafe movement at altitude, liquid spilling, or broken controls, employees can be put at risk of injury, and tasks can come to a standstill.

This is the reason why preventive maintenance ought to be the priority of any company. By adopting a regular maintenance schedule and having an organised checklist in place, businesses end up with safer working environments, less idle time, and guarantee the safety of investment in worthwhile assets.

Bailey Cranes presents futuristic manufacturing solutions and innovative functions to ease preventive maintenance. Having decades of specific designs to support harsh environments, Bailey Cranes delivers safe aerial platforms and assists the clients in maintaining their aerial platforms safely, reliably, and in the long term.

Call Bailey Cranes to help with finding a high-quality aerial work platform that will be built to the best standards in safety terms. To further inquire about our lifting solution, contact Bailey Cranes at 262-710-4028 or send an email to sales@baileycranes.com.

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