Aerial lifts (general industry) - Michigan

Michigan has adopted many federal OSHA standards and incorporates them by reference. The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) has adopted extensive safety requirements for aerial lifts based on ANSI and OSHA standards in its General Industry Standard Part 58, Aerial Work Platforms.

Part 58 adopts by reference four ANSI standards that are more recent than those referenced in 29 CFR 1910.67:

• ANSI A92.2, Vehicle-Mounted Elevating and Rotating Aerial Devices (2002)
• ANSI A92.3, Manually Propelled Elevating Aerial Platforms (2006)
• ANSI A92.5, Boom-Supported Elevating Work Platforms (2006)
• ANSI A92.6, Self-Propelled Elevating Work Platforms (1999)

Also incorporated by reference is Part 6 of the 2011 Michigan Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MMUTCD).

Part 58 includes an extensive list of definitions for terms that are beyond what is covered in 29 CFR 1910.67. Also included is a unique state standard requiring permits for those who operate aerial work platforms (AWPs). Rule 5815 stipulates that employers whose employees operate AWPs must:

• Provide each employee who operates an aerial work platform with training by a qualified person in the operation of the specific equipment that will be used prior to issuing or re-issuing a work permit. Training must include the following:
  • The intended purpose and function of the equipment’s controls;
  • How to understand the manufacturer’s operating instructions and safety rules;
  • The meaning of decals, warnings, and instructions displayed on the equipment;
  • How to read and understand the provisions of the state AWP rule.
• Provide the operator of an AWP with a permit upon successful completion of the required training.
• Provide and maintain a legible copy of the manufacturer’s operating instructions and safety rules for each piece of equipment.

The AWP permit must:

• Be carried by the AWP operator or be available at the job site or workplace, and be presented at the request of a Department of Licensing or Regulatory Affairs representative;
• Indicate the type(s) of AWP the operator is qualified to operate;
• Remain valid only if the operator is performing work for the employer who issued the permit;
• Be valid for no more than three years;
• Contain the following information:
  • Employer (company) name;
  • Operator name;
  • Issuing authority;
  • Date issued;
  • Expiration date.

Other requirements in Part 58, again based on OSHA and ANSI standards, give guidance on:

• Preoperational procedures and inspection (Rule 5817)
• Construction, modification and remounting (Rule 5821)
• Controls, and information that must permanently be marked on AWPs (Rule 5825)
• Insulated aerial device testing (Rule 5831)
• Electrical hazards (Rule 5832)
• Vehicles and traffic control (references Michigan Construction Safety Standard Part 22, Signals, Signs, Tags, and Barricades) (Rule 5833)
• Fall protection (Rule 5836)
• Operating procedures (Rule 5839)