Aerial Work Platform (AWP/MEWP) Training & Certification Guide

AWP fatalities are not random. Most happen to operators who knew how to run the machine but skipped the part where someone checks whether the ground is level, whether power lines are overhead, or whether the load in the basket exceeds the rating on the placard. That’s not a training gap. That’s a familiarization gap, and it’s exactly what ANSI A92 was written to close.

What OSHA and ANSI A92 Actually Require

OSHA covers aerial lifts under 29 CFR 1926.453 for construction work and 29 CFR 1910.67 for general industry. Both standards require that operators be trained before use. What they don’t do is spell out a specific training curriculum or hour requirement. That’s where ANSI/SAIA A92 comes in.

The A92 series is the recognized industry standard for mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs). OSHA references it as the applicable standard for equipment design and operator training. Under A92, training has to cover three things: the general hazards and operating principles for the category of machine, the specific model the operator will use, and the specific worksite conditions where that machine will be deployed.

That third element is what separates a legitimate AWP program from a certificate mill. You can complete an online theory course on Tuesday and show up to a new jobsite on Wednesday. That online course doesn’t cover the soft ground next to the building you’re working on or the 12,000-volt line running 14 feet overhead. The employer has to close that gap before the operator goes up.

Employers are ultimately responsible under ANSI A92. Third-party training satisfies the theory and category-level requirements. But the employer must complete site and equipment-specific familiarization for every operator, every time conditions change meaningfully.

The Machine Categories Matter

AWPs aren’t one machine. There are three main categories, and each has different stability characteristics, different hazards, and different training requirements.

Boom lifts come in two types: articulating (knuckle booms) and telescoping. They can extend far beyond their base footprint. That makes them highly productive and highly tip-over-prone on uneven or soft ground. Outrigger requirements apply to many boom lift models. Operators need to understand how extending the boom changes the machine’s center of gravity.

Scissor lifts move the platform straight up. They’re more stable under normal conditions because the platform stays within the machine’s base footprint. But “normal conditions” is doing a lot of work in that sentence. Scissor lifts on slopes, on surfaces with low load-bearing capacity, or with heavy or off-center loads behave very differently than they do on a flat concrete slab.

Vertical mast climbers have a smaller footprint than scissor lifts and are often used in confined indoor spaces. They have lower weight capacities and are not interchangeable with scissor lifts in most applications.

The practical implication: an operator certified on a scissor lift is not automatically qualified on a boom lift. ANSI A92 requires category-level familiarization at minimum. If you’re assigning a new machine type to an existing operator, you retrain.

Fall Protection Rules for AWPs

The fall protection requirements for AWPs differ by machine type, and getting this wrong creates both OSHA exposure and real injury risk.

Boom-type lifts require operators to wear a full-body harness with a lanyard or personal fall restraint system attached to the manufacturer’s designated anchor point inside the basket. The reason is physics. A boom lift can be moving when it contacts an obstruction. That impact can throw an operator out of the basket before they can react. A guardrail doesn’t stop that. A harness does. The anchor must be to the platform, not to an external structure, because attaching to a fixed point outside the basket while the boom is moving can pull you right out.

Scissor lifts are different. OSHA and ANSI A92 require that guardrails be maintained in good condition on scissor lifts. Harness use is not mandated, though many employers require it as a best practice. The key point is that guardrail integrity becomes the critical control on a scissor lift. A missing mid-rail, a gate left open, or a guardrail damaged by a forklift that was never repaired puts every operator at risk without any backup protection.

The 10-foot rule for power lines applies to all elevated work. OSHA requires a minimum 10-foot clearance from energized lines up to 50 kV. At higher voltages, the clearance increases. This is not a “be careful” rule. Electrocution is the second leading cause of AWP fatalities. Before positioning any AWP near overhead lines, the operator and supervisor need to know whether the lines are energized, what voltage they carry, and whether the 10-foot clearance is achievable in the planned work position.

Hazards That Training Has to Cover

Tip-over events kill operators who had no idea the ground conditions would be a problem. Soft or recently backfilled soil, floor grates, drainage ditches near building foundations, and asphalt that softens in summer heat have all been involved in AWP fatalities. Operators need to understand how to read ground conditions, how to use outriggers where required, and why setting up on a slope without authorization is not a judgment call.

Overloading is common in practice because people treat the basket like a pickup truck bed. The load capacity placard is on the machine for a reason. That placard typically shows both the rated capacity and the capacity with specific tool configurations. Exceeding it changes the machine’s stability envelope in ways the design didn’t account for.

Platform collisions happen when operators work near building facades, overhead structures, or other equipment. Boom lift operators are watching where the basket is going, not always what’s above the boom. A walk-around inspection includes looking up, not just at the tires and the hydraulics.

Entanglement and crush injuries occur when operators position themselves between the platform controls and a fixed structure. The travel direction and the platform controls are close together on most scissor lifts. Operators should never lean out of the platform to reach work that the machine hasn’t been positioned to reach safely.

Pre-Use Inspection

Every shift starts with a walk-around and function test before the machine moves or goes up. The inspection covers:

The exterior: tires or tracks for damage, outrigger pads and pins, visible hydraulic leaks, structural damage to the chassis, missing or damaged guardrail components, and the load capacity placard.

Controls and safety devices: ground-level controls and platform controls both function, emergency lowering operates, the tilt alarm activates if the machine is on a slope that exceeds the rated limit, and any safety interlocks are not bypassed or disabled.

The work area: overhead hazards, ground conditions under the planned path of travel, proximity to other equipment or pedestrian traffic, and power line locations.

Operators who skip the function test because they ran the same machine yesterday are the ones who find out mid-shift that the emergency lowering doesn’t work.

Training Format and Costs

AWP training runs $75 to $200 per operator through third-party providers. A course typically takes 4 to 8 hours depending on the machine category and how much hands-on time the provider allocates. Some providers offer online theory courses for the classroom component, with on-site practical evaluation conducted separately.

Third-party providers that follow the ANSI A92 framework include the SAIA (Scaffold and Access Industry Association) and the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF), which issues the PAL Card for scissor and boom lift operators. IPAF training is internationally recognized and carries more weight in industries where workers cross borders or work on multinational project sites.

Renewal is every three years under ANSI A92. But renewal happens sooner when an operator is observed operating unsafely, when there’s been an incident involving that operator, or when the operator is assigned a machine type they haven’t previously been trained on.

FAQ

• q: ‘Is there a government-issued AWP or scissor lift certification card?’ a: ‘No. The federal government doesn’’t issue operator certification cards for aerial work platforms. OSHA requires training, but the employer is responsible for conducting or verifying that training. Third-party providers like IPAF issue their own cards, which are widely recognized in the industry but are not government credentials.’

• q: ‘Does my boom lift certification cover scissor lifts?’ a: ‘Not automatically. ANSI A92 requires training specific to the machine category. If your training covered boom-type lifts (articulating or telescoping), you’’d need category-level familiarization before operating a scissor lift, and vice versa. Machine-specific familiarization is always required before operating a new model regardless of what you’’ve trained on before.’

• q: ‘Who is responsible if an untrained operator gets injured on an AWP?’ a: ‘The employer carries primary responsibility under OSHA 1926.453 and 1910.67. OSHA can cite the employer for allowing an untrained operator to use the equipment. This applies whether the employer provided no training or whether they relied on a third-party course that didn’’t include site-specific familiarization.’

• q: ‘Do I need a harness in a scissor lift?’ a: ‘OSHA doesn’’t require a harness in a scissor lift if the guardrail system is intact and meets the standard. But if your employer requires harness use, that policy is enforceable. And if guardrails are damaged, compromised, or missing any component, you have no fall protection and shouldn’’t be operating the lift until they’’re repaired.’

• q: ‘How long does AWP training take?’ a: ‘A typical AWP training course runs 4 to 8 hours. The range depends on the machine category (boom lifts typically require more time than scissor lifts), the number of machine models covered, and how much hands-on practical time the provider allocates. Online-only courses that skip the practical evaluation don’’t satisfy ANSI A92 requirements.’

Machine-specific familiarization is the part most AWP programs actually skip. The generic theory gets covered. The hands-on evaluation on the specific machine at the specific site often doesn’t happen until there’s an incident. That’s the gap worth closing before someone goes up.