You will need to check the equipment and the worksite to make sure the machine is safe and hazards in the workplace are identified and suitably controlled.

It is very important for these checks to become part of your routine, something you naturally do before you start the job.

It is also vital to follow a set procedure in your preparations for work with an EWP, addressing all your work tasks in a systematic and orderly way.

An important part of this job planning is to prepare an operational plan for the EWP, very simply setting out the steps to be followed in the work process.

While it may not be compulsory to have an operational plan, it is often a good idea to write down your plan.

This way, you will make sure that you and others in the workplace know what you are going to do and when you will do it.

An operational plan also provides the basis for a work method statement, which will be required in some work situations.

Inspection of the work site

You will learn processes for planning your work, identifying hazards in your workplace and making sure there are appropriate control measures to prevent people getting injured.

Pre-operational checks

You will learn about the routine checks of the elevating work platform you need to carry out before you even start the motor.

Set up procedures

You will learn how to set up the machine and check that it will safely do the job required.

The ‘work steps’ in an operational plan

The ‘work steps’ in an EWP operational plan are likely to include those listed below. Each of these work steps is discussed in this chapter.

Job requirements

Finding out what the job involves.

Priorities

Determining the best order in which to carry out the different tasks you have to perform.

Workplace rules and procedures

Finding out about any particular rules and requirements of the workplace.

Identifying hazards and control measures

Identifying anything on the site that could cause harm and deciding what you need to do about each of these hazards.

Workplace consultation

Working with others and ensuring everyone is consulted and informed about the work to be done.

Finding out the job’s requirements

Knowing the requirements of each job is fundamental to carrying out the work safely. There should be a clearly written work specification detailing the type of work to be conducted and the expected results.

Among other things, determining the job’s requirements will help you in selecting the right machine and working out how many people will be needed for the job.

For example, it is important to know the height of the work to be undertaken and the tasks to be performed at this height. Checking this out before the work starts can save a lot of time and effort.

The key elements to consider when you are working out what the job involves are: the type of work to be done the location of the job, including site and environmental issues and other work activities in the area the height of the job whether any approvals are required the time within which the job is to be completed, and the expected results or ‘outcomes’.

It is best to make a visual inspection of the site as part of your pre-operational planning checks, if this is possible.

If you or your employer cannot visit the site, you should try to gather as much information about the site before you agree to undertake the work.

This may involve asking a set of standard questions, developed by your employer, before you agree to do the job. These questions should address the matters listed above.

You also need to be aware of any special operating requirements, such as whether you will have to operate the EWP near power-lines, on a suspended floor or above staff facilities and whether solvents or other chemicals will be used on the work platform. (Responses to these special hazards are addressed later.)
Establishing work priorities

If the work you have to do involves a number of tasks, it is important to establish the order in which these tasks will be undertaken.

Often the nature of the work will determine the priority of the tasks. For example, you may need to complete tasks at the greatest height first and then complete other tasks at progressively lower elevations.

Your work plan should clearly set out the order in which you will do the required work.

Finding out about all relevant workplace rules and procedures

All workplace rules and procedures must be observed.
It is essential to consult with relevant workplace personnel to establish what the rules and procedures are at each particular site or workplace, and then to co-operate with others at the workplace by following these set procedures.

In planning your work you should consider whether you need to consult with:

• the owners of the building or site
• government authorities
• local councils
• the site manager
• supervisors, and other trades.

Consider the particular regulatory requirements that may apply to the type of work being undertaken from the EWP.

It is also helpful to speak with the site foreman/safety officer or the person responsible for the work program.

Some of the workplace procedures will be statutory requirements, e.g. the need to hold a certificate of competency.

Other important procedures are likely to include a need to undertake site induction training if the work is to be conducted on a construction site.

Workplace procedures often require operators to wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).

The type of safety equipment that should be worn at all times by a person working from an elevating work platform includes:

• a safety harness (a full body harness with an energy-absorbing lanyard)