29 CFR 1910.67: OSHA Aerial Lifts (Vehicle-Mounted Platforms)

Regulatory citation: 29 CFR 1910.67, Vehicle-Mounted Elevating and Rotating Work Platforms (Powered Platforms, Manlifts, and Vehicle-Mounted Work Platforms, Subpart F)

What Is the OSHA Aerial Lift Standard?

Section 1910.67 covers aerial devices, meaning vehicle-mounted devices that telescope, articulate or both and are used to position personnel, in general industry. It applies to extensible boom platforms, aerial ladders, articulating boom platforms, vertical towers and combinations of these. Typical users include utilities, telecom crews, sign companies, tree care firms and facility maintenance teams.

The standard has two parts. Paragraph (b) sets design and modification rules, and paragraph (c) sets rules for safe use, electrical testing and construction of the equipment. The section does not apply to firefighting equipment, or to the vehicles on which aerial devices are mounted, except for the requirement that the vehicle be a stable support for the aerial device.

Why Aerial Lift Safety Matters

Workers in lift baskets face falls, ejection when the boom is struck or moves suddenly, tip-overs on unstable ground, and contact with overhead power lines. Most of these hazards are controlled by daily checks, correct setup and fall protection.

Core Obligations

1. Use Lifts Built to ANSI A92.2-1969 (1910.67(b)(1))

Aerial lifts acquired on or after July 1, 1975 must be designed and built to ANSI A92.2-1969, Vehicle Mounted Elevating and Rotating Work Platforms, including its appendix, which is incorporated by reference. Lifts acquired before that date that did not meet the ANSI standard could not be used after July 1, 1976 unless modified to conform.

2. Control Field Modifications (1910.67(b)(2))

A lift may be modified for uses other than those intended by the manufacturer only if the manufacturer or an equivalent entity, such as a nationally recognized testing laboratory, certifies in writing that the modification meets ANSI A92.2-1969 and 1910.67 and is at least as safe as the equipment was before.

3. Test Controls Daily and Use Trained Operators (1910.67(c)(2)(i)–(ii))

Lift controls must be tested each day before use to confirm they are in safe working condition. Only trained persons may operate an aerial lift.

4. Protect Workers From Falls (1910.67(c)(2)(iii)–(v) and (x))

Each employee in the basket must wear a personal fall arrest or travel restraint system that meets Subpart I and is attached to the boom or basket. Belting off to an adjacent pole, structure or equipment is not allowed. Employees must stand firmly on the floor of the basket and must not sit or climb on the edge or use planks, ladders or other devices to gain height. Climbers may not be worn while working from a lift.

5. Respect Load Limits and Set Up on Stable Ground (1910.67(c)(2)(vi)–(viii))

Boom and basket load limits set by the manufacturer must not be exceeded. Brakes must be set and, where used, outriggers placed on pads or a solid surface. Wheel chocks must be installed before the lift is used on an incline. An aerial lift truck must not be moved with the boom elevated and employees in the basket, unless the equipment is specifically designed for that and meets paragraphs (b)(1) and (b)(2).

6. Provide Lower Controls and Prepare for Travel (1910.67(c)(1), (c)(2)(ix) and (xii))

Lifts used as personnel carriers must have both platform and lower controls. Lower controls must be able to override the upper controls and be plainly marked, and must not be operated without permission from the employee in the lift, except in an emergency. Before the truck travels, the boom must be inspected to confirm it is properly cradled and outriggers stowed. Aerial ladders must be secured in the lower traveling position before highway travel.

7. Maintain Insulated Lifts and Components (1910.67(c)(2)(xi), (c)(3) and (c)(4))

The insulated portion of an insulated aerial lift must not be altered in any way that could reduce its insulating value. Electrical tests must follow Section 5 of ANSI A92.2-1969, and DC voltage tests may be used in place of the AC test where approved. Critical hydraulic and pneumatic components, whose failure would cause a free fall or free rotation of the boom, must meet the ANSI bursting safety factor. Noncritical components need a bursting safety factor of at least 2 to 1.

Common Compliance Approaches

Pre-Use Checklist

Combine the daily control test with a walkaround of the boom, basket, outriggers, hydraulics and fall protection anchor point.

Operator Training Records

Train operators on the specific make and model, including setup, load limits and emergency lowering, and keep records showing who is trained.

Power Line Planning

Identify overhead lines before setup and apply the electrical work practice rules in 1910.333(c)(3), which 1910.67 cross-references.

Example: Aerial Lift Use in Practice

A sign maintenance company sends a two-person crew to replace a panel on a pole sign beside a sloped parking lot. The operator tests the controls before leaving the yard. On site, the crew sets the brakes, places outriggers on pads, chocks the wheels and checks the boom path for overhead lines. The worker in the basket clips a lanyard to the basket anchor and stays on the floor. The ground worker is trained on the lower controls but uses them only with the basket worker's permission.

Related regulations: OSHA fall protection requirements, OSHA electrical work practices, OSHA electric power generation and distribution.

Note: Section 1910.67 covers vehicle-mounted aerial devices in general industry. Construction work and other types of lifts are covered by different standards. State plan states may set stricter rules.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a body belt acceptable in an aerial lift?

The current text requires a personal fall arrest or travel restraint system that meets Subpart I, attached to the boom or basket. Check the Subpart I rules for the system you use.

Can the truck move with someone in the basket?

Not with the boom elevated, unless the equipment is specifically designed for that type of operation under paragraphs (b)(1) and (b)(2).

Who may operate an aerial lift?

Only trained persons. The employer should be able to show that each operator has been trained on the lift they use.