Our shop's 2-post lift nearly killed a guy last month and nobody wants to admit it's the operator, not the equipment

I'm gonna say something that gets me dirty looks at the parts counter... that 10,000 pound Rotary lift we all love? It's fine. The problem is Dave who never checks the arm locks before walking away. Last month in our shop in Spokane, a 2015 F-150 came down on its side because someone didn't swing the arms under the pinch welds properly. Two grand in damage and a bruised ego, but the internet will tell you the lift is junk. Has anyone else had to tell a coworker their positioning habits are the real safety issue?

2 comments

2 Comments

hannaht2923d ago

Read a report from the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety a while back, said something like 80% of lift accidents come down to user error not the lift itself. That stat stuck with me. Your story about the F-150 is textbook, I've seen the same thing happen with a heavy diesel truck because a guy got lazy and just shoved the arms under the body instead of the frame. It's always the same deal, everyone blames the lift but nobody wants to have that awkward talk with Dave about how he needs to double check every single lock before hitting the button. The lift can't save you if you're not using it right.

emerycarr23d ago

Man, that's the thing nobody talks about though - how much of that "user error" is actually bad training versus guys just getting complacent after doing it a thousand times. The lift can't fix lazy habits.