Scissor Lift Training – [Complete Safety Certification Video Kit]

Using scissor lifts can make jobs easier and more efficient, allowing you to save time and money. However, scissor lifts can also be dangerous, especially when employees use them unsafely. This Scissor Lift Certification Training kit is designed to show operators, the occupants who ride with them, and the supervisors who assign the work how to use this important machine properly, safely, and without incident.

What is Covered in This Scissor Lift Certification Training:

The Scissor Lift Training includes safe handling, maneuvering, and wearing appropriate body harnesses and other personal safety equipment while operating a scissor lift. The training will teach scissor lift operators several key fundamental items:

• What hazards are associated with using a scissor lift, and what lift training is required by OSHA? (Scissor lift hazards include tip-overs, falling objects, overhead hazards, and fall protection)
• What are the “safety best practices” to be aware of as a scissor lift operator, and what are the key concepts that need to be a part of any scissor lift training program?
• What are the OSHA regulations and requirements to ensure your operators are authorized and properly trained on the scissor lift?
• What are the most common types of scissor lifts? (Electric, diesel, propane, and gas-powered)

Scissor Lifts and Safety Training Topics:

• Where are scissor lifts most commonly used? (They can be used indoors on finished floors or other lifts are meant to be used outdoors in rough terrain)
• How often and when should you inspect the scissor lift?
• How long is a scissor lift certification good for?
• The concept of fall protection as it relates to scissor lift training (If you want more in-depth training on fall protection we have that as well)
• Why is it important for the operator to review the scissor lift safety manual?
• How and when do employees need to be retrained and re-authorized as part of any scissor lift certification training program? (Retraining will be required if the scissor lift operator has an accident, workplace conditions change and present a new hazard, you need to learn a new type of scissor lift than the one you were previously certified on, or you are observed operating the lift in an unsafe manner)

Scissor Lift – Additional Discussion Points In This Course:

• How to identify and avoid overhead hazards (A key part of any scissor lifts safety procedures and training)
• What is ANSI, and what do they have to do with scissor lifts? (ANSI is the American National Standards Institute, and in 2020, they made revisions to the Standards for mobile work platforms)
• Is an Aerial Work Platform or AWP the same or different from a Mobile Elevating Work Platform or MEWP?
• What is the ANSI “Job Site Safety” requirement for scissor lifts? (Requires a “Safe Use Program” when scissor lifts are used, Doing a “Risk Assessment” for each job that a scissor lift performs, and writing a “Rescue Plan” for each type of lift used on the job site)
• What design standards did ANSI change in regard to scissor lifts? (First, all new lifts must have a “gated entrance”, they have disallowed the use of chains for entrance guards, and the minimum guardrail height was raised from 39 inches to 43.5 inches)
• Since ANSI updated their Standard, what new alarms and safety devices are required? (A “Safety Load Limit” alarm is now required, as well as a sensor that will stop the lift if the limit is exceeded, and a “Wind Speed Sensor” for any scissor lift used outdoors)
• Do old scissor lifts need to be retrofitted to the new equipment, alarms, and sensors required by ANSI?  (No, only newly produced machines are required to have these installed)

ANSI Requirements for Mobile Elevating Work Platforms or MEWPs:

• Does ANSI require both operators and occupants to be trained on scissor lifts? (Yes, both an operator and an occupant need to be trained on proper operation and safety topics before using the lift)
• How do employers conduct the required Risk Assessment prior to using lifts? (This is a fairly simple process of identifying potential hazards and developing control measures and safe working procedures to address those hazards that were identified)
• Does ANSI require that all required “Rescue Plans” be written, or can they be delivered to workers verbally? (ANSI expects a written rescue plan for each type of lift, and operators and occupants must be trained on it)
• What must scissor lift operator training include? (required training includes the hazards of using a scissor lift, the safe work practices that must be followed, how to recognize and avoid unsafe conditions, how to perform a safety inspection on the lift, and how to handle emergencies)
• When is the Retraining of scissor lift operators required? (If new hazards are identified on the job site when you are exposed to a new type of lift that you haven’t previously been trained on, and finally, if you have had an accident or have been observed using the lift in an unsafe manner)

This Scissor Lift Course Also Discusses Machine Differences, Pre-Shift Inspections, and More:

• How are aerial and scissor lifts different?  Can an aerial lift operator use the same certification? (Aerial lifts are a completely different machine, and we have specific training for that machine)
• Why is scissor lift certification training so important, and what are the OSHA regulations that require an operator to be trained? (Because they are dangerous machines; OSHA’s scissor lift hazard alert traces the deaths it investigated to fall protection, stabilization and positioning failures)
• What are the two inspections that are required before using the lift (the pre-start and worksite inspection)
• How to set up work zone warnings like signs, tape, cones, or other items to restrict access and let others know you are working in the area
• When would the operator be required to wear a personal fall restraint or fall arrest device?
• What are the different types of personal protective equipment or PPE that is available and recommended for scissor lift operators
• How to properly store and place the lift out of service when not in use
• and much more…

If your employees use scissor lifts, you need this training program. This scissor lift safety procedures training video will teach your operators the ins and outs of safety on this powerful machine. 

Scissor Lift Training Delivery Methods:

This training is offered on DVD or USB Stick and is available in English or Spanish. We also offer this training in an online course, either as a standalone program or as part of our larger online safety training library. This training course is 22 minutes long.

This training video focuses on the OSHA Training Requirements for Scissor Lifts. For the long-form answer, see our guide to what OSHA requires for training on scissor lifts.

This Complete Scissor Lift Training Program Includes These Items:

Scissor Lift Training Video – Full Length Preview:

Scissor Lift Training Requirements: What OSHA and ANSI Expect

OSHA does not issue scissor lift certifications, and it does not publish a scissor lift training course. What an inspector looks for is proof that each operator was trained on the hazards of the specific lift, the safe work practices for it, how to inspect it before use and what to do in an emergency, and that the training happened before the employee was allowed to operate the machine. OSHA treats scissor lifts as mobile scaffolds, so on construction sites the training requirement is 29 CFR 1926.454; in general industry, 29 CFR 1910.27 applies the same scaffold rules and 29 CFR 1910.30 requires training on fall hazards. ANSI A92.24, the industry standard for MEWP training, adds the detail: what operator, occupant and supervisor training must include, and how an operator is evaluated on the machine.

Who Needs Scissor Lift Training

Training has to reach everyone the lift can hurt, at a level that fits their role:

• Operators: every employee who drives the lift or raises the platform, before their first use and again whenever retraining is triggered.
• Occupants: anyone who rides the platform without operating it. They need the fall protection rules, the load limit, overhead hazard awareness and the emergency lowering controls.
• Supervisors: the people who assign the work. ANSI expects them to know how to select the right lift for the job, run the risk assessment and recognize unsafe operation.
• The trainer: OSHA requires a qualified person to deliver the training. The presenter’s guide, PowerPoint and talking points in this kit are written for that person.

What OSHA Scissor Lift Training Must Cover

Between them, the scaffold standard and ANSI A92.24 expect the training to cover the hazards of the lift (electrical, fall, falling object and tip-over), its load capacity, the pre-start and worksite inspections, safe operating procedures including guardrails and personal fall protection, and emergency procedures, along with the manufacturer’s manual for the machine in use. The 22-minute video covers each of those topics, the inspection form gives the operator the pre-start checklist, and the hands-on operator evaluation form is where the qualified person records that the operator demonstrated them on your lift.

Certification, Wallet Cards and Records

Because OSHA does not certify operators, the employer’s records are the certification. Keep the operator’s name, the date, the trainer and the type of lift for each session. This kit produces that record: the quiz and answer sheet document the classroom portion, the operator evaluation form documents the hands-on portion, the sign-in sheet documents attendance, and the Certificate of Completion, which you edit with each operator’s name and training date and reuse for every session, and the printable operator wallet cards give the operator something to carry. One purchase covers every employee at your facility; there are no per-seat fees.

When Scissor Lift Retraining Is Required

OSHA’s scaffold rule requires retraining when changes at the worksite present a hazard the employee was not trained on, when the type of lift or its fall protection or falling-object protection changes, or when an employee’s work shows they have not retained the skills. ANSI A92.24 adds the triggers most safety managers use day to day. Retraining is required when:

• An operator is involved in an accident or near miss.
• An operator is observed operating unsafely.
• An operator is assigned a different type of lift.
• Workplace conditions change.

The same kit covers each of those sessions, and there is no fixed expiration date to track.