Genie's view on harnesses and safe scissor usage

Genie Industries has made a clear statement on the use of harnesses ith scissor lifts, stating that sarnesses are not required in ddition to the scissor's guardrails. Luke Webber, Genie's product anager, in a statement to ALH, dded that where an employer or cal authority required the use of harness on a scissor, then only dedicated harness anchor points should be used, and never the guardrails.

Luke Webber said the correct use of the harness is the responsibility of the platform user and his or her employer.

Genie's position is generally in line with that taken by the International Powered Access Federation's North American subsidiary, AWPT, which recommends that harnesses are not reuired when working in a scissor cept where recommended by the s manufacturer). Although most manufacturerse the same view, there is still no nsensus, with both JLG Industries d Sunbelt Rentals, for example, recommending the use of harnesses in scissors. pRight sees both sides of the argument, recommending rnesses in larger scissors but t in smaller scissors where “we hatieve, like OSHA, that wearing harness and lanyard is actually more dangerous.”

• In this issue of ALH we carry an Hicle by platform safety expert Robert Vetter who argues that harnesses should indeed be worn by scissor lift occupants (see page. ALH welcomes feedback from readers on the topic.