Toolbox talk · Plant and equipment · about 5 minutes
Mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs)
Download the PDF with attendance sheet
Why it matters
MEWPs such as scissor lifts and boom lifts make work at height safer, but only in trained hands. Overturning, falls from the basket and trapping against structures can all kill.
The hazards
- Operator trapped between the basket and a beam or ceiling
- Overturning on soft ground, slopes or kerbs
- Falling or being thrown from the basket
- Contact with overhead power lines
- Collision with people or vehicles at ground level
Stay safe
- Only trained and authorised people may operate a MEWP
- Do pre-use checks every shift, including controls and emergency lowering
- Check the ground is firm and level and look out for holes and soft spots
- On boom-type MEWPs wear a harness with a short restraint lanyard attached to the anchor point in the basket
- Keep everything inside the basket and never climb on the guardrails
- Watch overhead for beams, ceilings and power lines when moving
- Make sure someone on the ground knows the emergency lowering procedure
- Fence or cone off the area below
Ask the team
- Who on site knows how to lower the MEWP in an emergency?
- What do you check before you move the platform up?
- Why do we use a restraint lanyard on a boom lift?
The law and guidance
Work at Height Regulations 2005, PUWER 1998 and LOLER 1998.
General guidance to help you give a toolbox talk. It doesn't replace your site's risk assessments, method statements, permits or training. Check it against your own site rules before you give it.