An electrician died when the elevated scissor lift he was operating tipped sideways, throwing him to the concrete floor below.

At the time of the accident, the electrician was repositioning a self-propelled scissor lift. He accidentally positioned it with one wheel hanging over a hole 30 centimetres (one foot) deep. The lift was now balanced on only three wheels. As he walked away from the platform controls the weight distribution changed, causing the lift to become unbalanced. As a result, the unbalanced lift toppled and he was thrown to the concrete floor.

Safe work practices:

• Ensure that workers who operate self-propelled, elevated lifts are adequately instructed in how to perform their duties safely.
• Mark or barricade all hazards in the work area.
• Ensure that all wheels of an elevated lift are properly balanced on a solid base.