I recently completed my 3a & 3b certificate for the boom and scissor lift as an operator using Mobile Elevating Work Platforms. During the training, it came to my attention that an operator can get crushed to death because the top of the cage does not have any barriers (like a roll cage). I personally think designers could come up with something to solve this such as a moveable bar. The other 'design fault' as far as I am concerned, is that there isn't any internal bars to hold onto, so if you (or more likely your co-worker) are not paying attention you can get your fingers crushed or decapitated -- this could be solved with an internal hand rail. Am I the first to think of this?

Yeah I thought they might, but I am aghast at such poor design for this plant. Everything I've learnt about safe systems of work and designing out risks seems to have been forgotten in the design of this plant. The only reason this plant came into existence, was to make working at height safer. The products I used were typical hire machines, so if you happen to work for a company as a contractor/freelancer/soletrader you don't get the option.

From what I can make out, the design of MEWPs has not changed since they were first introduced, unlike other plant and equipment -- if there has been change I have not seen it. As for the cost, better initial design could make MEWPs safer and cut costs, it's all down to imagination again.

Thanks for the link and for anybody else reading this and not sure what 3a 3b is here is another link: http://www.ipaf.org/en/training/categories/