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5 Tips for Maintaining Your Hydraulic Platform Lift

Hydraulic platform lift accidents can be dangerous — and even fatal.

Fortunately, as with all heavy equipment, good safety practices can prevent accidents. It’s important to maintain your lift properly so that your machine will last longer and your employees stay safe.

PFlow D Series material liftAlthough platform lifts may not be the most-often used item on the job site, it’s important to keep up with lift maintenance. In fact, since lifts are usually used less often, problems are more likely to go unnoticed until they become dangerous.

These five tips will ensure that your lift is working as it should be. Read on to find out what you need to know to prevent lift accidents and save money on maintenance and repairs.

1. Check Lift Parts

You’ll need to check the different components of the machine regularly in order to make sure everything is as it should be. A good place to start is by checking the lift itself.

Make sure the controls are all working correctly, including the emergency controls. Check that the hydraulic system, as well as the electrical, pneumatic, and air systems are working properly.

Check to see that any insulation, such as fiberglass, is still intact and undamaged. If there are warnings or instructions posted on the lift itself, be sure that they are still visible and easy to see.

The guardrails should still be sturdy, as well as the wiring and cable harnesses. Although lifts will vary slightly, you need to check every part for wear and damage on a regular basis. If there are any parts missing, loose, or otherwise dysfunctional, they’ll need to be repaired before the lift can be used again.

2. Examine the Work Area

Along with inspecting the lift itself, you should also check the area in which it’s being used for safety.

If there are uneven surfaces, such as bumps or holes, these can pose a safety risk to workers. Debris and obstacles can also be hazardous to safe lift operation. Make sure any obstructions are cleared away before the lift is used.

Other things that affect safety can be more variable. Weather conditions can make lift operation more dangerous, and having other workers or pedestrians nearby is also an added danger.

3. Follow Work Safety Standards

The most thorough examination of the hydraulic platform lift and the work area will do no good if safety standards aren’t followed.

Make sure that you and your employees are all familiar with how to use the equipment properly. Offer thorough training for all employees that will be using the lift. Consider posting additional safety information in the work area, beyond any warnings the equipment already has.

Make Hydraulic Platform Lifts Safer

It’s much easier to prevent accidents than to try to deal with the consequences. It doesn’t take a lot of time to put regular safety measures into practice. Just perform the correct inspections and have employee training available so everyone has the same safety information.

There are also added features you can use to make your hydraulic platform lift even safer to use. From cameras to safety gates, you can ensure that problems are stopped before they can start. For more lift safety features, check out our options here.

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