Cherry pickers are essential equipment on many construction sites nowadays but were meant initially to pluck fruits from tall trees in farms and orchards. However, these vehicles quickly became known for their versatility and flexibility and started being used as safer and more stable alternatives to wooden ladders and wobbly scaffolding.
But before you can get a cherry picker license, you should know about the training you need to operate one and the safety precautions that must be followed consistently. With some practice and excellent training, one can learn how to handle an intimidating vehicle like this appropriately.
Newbies can refer to the ensuing information covering some crucial details of this spectacular aerial work platform to understand it better.
Top Uses
A significant reason that the aerial work platform market has been growing substantially in recent years is the flexibility of these vehicles, especially the cherry picker. It is a highly versatile piece of equipment that workers worldwide use for numerous complex and straightforward height-based tasks. To know more about what these are, consider the following list.
- Fruit Picking – These vehicles are still used in orchards and vast farms to pluck all kinds of ripe fruits from tall and unreachable trees. Farmers and farmhands can quickly maneuver the lift in any way they want and collect as much produce as possible.
- Maintenance Work –Workers who need to reach walls, roofs, ceilings, and other high places for a cleaning task or a paint touch-up can use cherry pickers for the job. Even complex building repair work at incredible heights is made easy with this aerial lift.
- Work on Electricity Lines – Using wooden or stainless steel ladders to work on high-voltage power lines is not advisable in all work areas. Invariably, these vehicles can help workers reach regions above electricity poles, reducing the risk of falls and electric shock.
- Rescue and Fire Services –Versatile and flexible aerial platforms are often used on rescue missions wherein people are trapped in high rises with no way out. They may be trapped due to a fire, flood, and other unforeseen circumstances but can quickly be rescued by a cherry picker operating within its limits.
- Writing Signs – Several people use these fantastic lifts to write critical messages or design advertising logos on billboards, storefronts, and various other tall structures.
- Filming Significant Events – You may have already seen camera operators perched on these platforms at several significant sporting events or music concerts, quickly capturing swooping images and videos of the crowd. Invariably, it is a great tool to capture a bird’s eye view of important events that one cannot record well from the ground.
Safety Tips
Ensuring safety protocols before operating a cherry picker will enable you to use the vehicle without accidents and injuries. You can make sure to do the following before each use and add more precautionary measures if necessary.
- Inspect the ground level to check for uneven surfaces that may cause the worker to topple from the platform.
- Have power cut off to any live cables and power lines in the vicinity of the job site, reducing the risk of electrocution.
- Exercise preventive measures when lopping off heavy branches or other materials at heights, avoiding any of the cut items from falling onto you.
- Always wear a safety harness attached to the bucket for security in case of accidental falls and slips.
- Avoid using the picker vehicle in harsh weather conditions such as snow, rain, or high winds.
- Never allow anyone else on the platform, regardless of why they wish to be up there. That’s because there is a risk of topping out of the platform if the weight limit is exceeded.
- Keep communication open with the ground team, informing them of any new developments as you work mid-air. Their emergency response could mean the difference between no injury or a fatal fall.
- Consider using wireless headsets or other smart devices to inform your ground crew of any potential dangers ahead quickly.
- Do not attempt to park the vehicle on a slope or incline, or it could lose stability during operation and lead to a crash.
Mandatory Training
You cannot get a cherry picker license unless you complete a legitimate training course provided by reputable sources. You can enroll yourself and your colleagues into an authentic aerial lift training program that provides high-quality assistance and expert guidance in learning to operate these vehicles.
Ideally, you should find reliable and respected OSHA-compliant trainers that enable you to complete the course remotely online, gaining your certification at the end of it. This way, you can access the material and join classes from your smartphone, laptop, desktop, or tablet without hassles.
Also, they typically offer interactive sessions and discounted learning packages, enabling you to learn in a group setting for greater comfort and convenience while saving time and money.