(1) Conditions must provide clear visibility. When conditions such as darkness, fog, or snow prevent clear visibility, a personnel lift must not be performed.

(2) Personnel platforms shall not be used in winds (sustained or gusts) in excess of 20 mph (32.2 km/hr), or in electric storms, snow, ice, sleet, or other adverse weather conditions which could affect the safety of personnel.

(3) Other weather and environmental conditions. A qualified person must determine if, in light of indications of dangerous weather conditions, or other impending or existing danger, it is not safe to lift personnel. If it is not, the lifting operation must not begin (or, if already in progress, operations must be terminated).

(4) The employer must only use personnel platforms for personnel, their tools, and sufficient material to do their work.

(5) The number of employees occupying the personnel platform must not exceed the maximum number the platform was designed to hold or the number required to perform the work, whichever is less.

(6) A qualified person must evaluate the safety concerns of the operational environment and verify the platform and crane/equipment are suitable for use. Additionally, special work circumstances may require further precautions. The employer must take precautions such as, but not limited to, the following:

(a) When welding is to be accomplished from the personnel platform, the employer must provide suitable electrode holders to protect them from contact with any conducting components of the platform.

(b) The employer must instruct operators of cranes/equipment, installed on floating vessels, not to lift personnel when the list or trim of the vessel exceeds 5 degrees. If a mobile crane/equipment is placed on floating vessels, operators must not lift personnel when the list or trim of the vessel exceeds one degree.

(c) The employer must provide personnel fall protection devices with quick release features and require them to be worn. The fall protection device must be appropriately attached while personnel are lifted over land and detached while personnel are lifted over water. See chapter 296-880 WAC, Unified safety standards for fall protection for requirements for fall arrest systems, including the attachment point (anchorage) used to comply with this subsection. When personnel lifts are conducted over water, the employer must provide U.S. Coast Guard approved (Type I, II, III, or V) personnel flotation devices and require them to be worn.

(d) A boat/skiff with appropriate rescue personnel must be readily available at all times during a personnel lift over water.

(e) The employer must provide appropriate personnel protective equipment and require it to be used around toxic, flammable, or hazardous substances or fumes.

(f) The employer must review any concentrated loading of the platform to preclude the overstressing of any component or impairing the platform stability.

(g) Where the rotation of the platform, while hoisted, can create a hazard, the employer must provide appropriate restraining methods and require them to be used.

(7) In order to safely perform the personnel lift, make sure the following are met:

(a) The personnel platform is not loaded with more than its rated load capacity;

(b) Materials and tools being lifted by a platform are:

(i) Secured to prevent movement;

(ii) Evenly distributed on the platform.

(c) The personnel platform is hoisted slowly, with no sudden movements;

(d) Tag lines are used to control the motion of suspended platforms, unless using them creates a hazard;

(e) The platform is secured to the structure where the work will be performed before employees exit or enter the platform, unless securing to the structure is unsafe;

(f) No other load lines on the crane or derrick are used to lift anything while personnel are on a platform;

(g) Brakes and locking devices are engaged when the personnel platform is occupied and in a stationary working position;

(h) The lowering motion of the hoist line or the boom is power-controlled only. Free fall is not allowed;

(8) The platform operation instructions in this rule are intended as minimum criteria. The employer must consult the platform manufacturer's information for specific instruction on the platform's operation.

(9) Traveling.

(a) Rubber tired cranes are not allowed to travel while lifting personnel. Hoisting of employees while the crane is traveling is only allowed when:

(i) The crane travels on fixed rails; or

(ii) The crane has crawlers and is on a runway, and the employer demonstrates that there is no less hazardous way to perform the work.

(b) Where employees are hoisted while the crane is traveling, the employer must meet the following criteria:

(i) The employer must restrict crane travel to a fixed track or runway.

(ii) Where a runway is used, it must be a firm, level surface designed, prepared and designated as a path of travel for the weight and configuration of the crane/equipment being used to lift and travel with the personnel platform. An existing surface may be used as long as it meets these criteria.

(iii) The employer must limit travel to boom length.

(iv) The boom must be parallel to the direction of travel, except where it is safer to do otherwise.

(v) The employer must perform a complete trial run to test the route of travel before employees are allowed to occupy the platform. This trial run can be performed at the same time as the trial lift required by WAC 296-155-55115, which tests the lift route.

(10) Derricks are prohibited from traveling while personnel are hoisted.

(11) Platform occupants must remain in continuous sight or in communication with the operator and in sight and communication of a signal person.

(12) Platform occupants must use personnel protective equipment, such as hard hats, safety glasses, hearing protection, and gloves, in conditions where a hazard of injury exists.

(13) Platform occupants must wear personnel fall protection devices with lanyards attached to a specific anchorage point(s), unless special work circumstance requirements dictate otherwise, such as working over water.

(14) Platform occupants must keep all parts of the body inside the platform during raising, lowering, and horizontal movement. This provision does not apply to an occupant of the platform when necessary to position the platform or while performing the duties of a signal person.

(15) Platform occupants must not stand, sit on, or work from the top rail, intermediate rail, toe board, or use any other device to enhance their vertical height working capability.

(16) Platform occupants must not pull the platform out of plumb in relation to the crane/equipment.

(17) Platform occupants must not enter or exit a suspended platform while it is raised unless the platform has an installed gate and is physically secured to the structure to which the occupants are entering or exiting unless the employer can demonstrate that securing to the structure would create a greater hazard.

(18) Platform occupants must not operate a platform with motion controls without the platform operation manual available in the platform.

(19) If the platform is tied to the structure, the operator must not move the platform until the operator receives confirmation that it is freely suspended.

(20) The employer must inspect the platform prior to each lift to verify all attachments and the platform are safe to use.

(21) Verify the platform is evenly loaded, material secured, and the total platform weight does not exceed the platform rating or the reduced crane/equipment lift capacity.

(22) Communication requirements.

(a) Hand signals to the operator must be in accordance with the applicable crane/equipment portion of this part.

(b) Signals must be discernable or audible to the operator.

(c) The employer must post hand signals conspicuously at the following locations:

(i) On the crane/equipment as required by this part.

(ii) Inside the personnel platform.

(iii) At any platform motion control locations.

(d) Some operations may require additions to or modifications of standard signals.

(i) Any special signals must be agreed upon and understood by the signal persons and crane/equipment operator.

(ii) Special signs must not conflict with the crane/equipment standard signals.

(e) No response must be made unless signals are clearly understood.

(f) If communications between operator and platform occupants are disrupted, all operations must stop until communication is reestablished.

(g) The employer must verify communication systems to be used during the lift as functioning and effective prior to commencing the lift.

(h) If radios or other electronic means of communication are used, they must operate on a secure channel.