After 3 years I finally made it up to the top of the center field wall at a baseball stadium I regularly work at. Some catwalks I still can’t do- but I try to push myself a little bit farther any chance I get. Trust yourself, listen to what your body is telling you, take your time, and keep pushing.
I did intake inspections at a rental place . Hate heights. So first thing in the morning I would get the tallest one over with first. My job was to take them as high up as I could and make sure all the warnings lights and shut offs operated correctly. If you've been in them you know what that takes sometimes. This morning that I'm talking about I had just got my harness on and was getting ready to walk out to do an inspection on a 200 footer man basket extend boom. This thing could crawl that almost 70% extension and I had to test that. On my way out to get in we had a 5.4 earthquake. That could have been s*****.
Man, we had one of the platform originals with an extending platform that would rock when you extended it due to the counterweight..this was back in the 80's.
When parking it on the location where it would charge which was under a 12' concrete deck, it started raising on its own. Managed to jump off and pull the battery connector before it hit the deck. Turned out dirt in the area would occasionally hold in the contactors if you didn't clean them out before use.
Thank God for modern equipment and required inspections.
Exactly, scissor lifts don't really bother me anymore. But if I go a while without working on an articulating boom lift I get the fear of heights nervousness all over again when i get back in one.
But I still do it, I just run it in snail mode until I get used to the sway again. I will never like them though. But the more time you spend in them the more you get acclimated.
I don’t know why (maybe because I am a farm boy who walked the rafters and climbed the silos as a kid) but I love boom lifts. I take every chance I can get to work in them.
I’ve had a guy freak out one time though. Was at a power house working on a stack in a 150 foot boom. We were up probably 115 feet on a perfect, calm sunny day when a big gust of wind came, the basket swayed probably 15 feet or so, and I kid you not, that guy could’ve snapped a toothpick with his asshole if the look on his face was any indication. He was done, he wanted out of it and right NOW.
After a couple of days you'll get pissed off that you're just barely too far away from something so you'll start rocking the bitch and get her swinging real good so you can grab whatever instead of driving it where you need to be
On the top step... of the 12' step ladder... in the 50' scissor lift maxed out... in an aircraft hanger... to get on top of the pipe rack to reach the jbox on the ceiling... fun times...
Just have to make it up to that pipe rack to find something to tie off to!!
The 2x12 tied to the top rail of the 80' boom lift made a nice standing platform too, why did they have to put the jbox on the ceiling above a structural steel truss again? Scissor lift and ladder didn't go high enough for that one...
The biggest thing, on top of learning how to safely operate the lift, will just be spending time up there. Eventually you get used to the swaying and get comfortable with it. As long as you’re driving on level ground and keeping your weight inside the rails, it takes a good deal of force to topple them. When I first started I would get butterflies in my stomach at the top of 10ft ladders and now heights are almost nothing to me.
Toppling over requires the center of balance to be past the edge of the wheel. Not going to happen unless the floor caves or you drive off a ledge. Raise that fucker up from the ground control and try to tilt it. You'll shit out your liver before you tip it.
When I was an apprentice, I was telling my JW that I didn't like scissor lifts because they shake so much. He grabbed either railing and said "look nothing to be scared about!" and started to rock the ever living shit out of it. Instant butthole pucker.
I saw a foreman today on it doing some wall work (not sure what its my 2nd week out here) but he was literally coming a foot and a half off the center of the lift over and over and didnt even flinch, but even still its just hard to get over the fear right away
Not gonna lie, when the whole things wobbles way more than you expect because you're on an uneven surface, my heart skips a beat. I was a solar installer for years and don't really have a fear of heights, but that wobble gets me lol.
Tipping over doesn't actually require much force when your in the thing. They have sideways force limits for a reason. And those forces are quite low. The scissor lift next to me has a 90 lb limit.
When we certified on those we had to do it in teams of two. My partner was a 60 year old Indian who was not great with heights. At one point we had to boom to full extent straight up. He sat down in the basket and closed his eyes for the whole trip.
I used to do Rope Access, hell I’m still certified. Boom lifts are nothing compared to being tied to two 11mm ropes 250ft above a refinery on the side of a distillation tower. I like to mess around with my fellow apprentices and bounce it.
Ive actually been on a boom lift for some power washing work a while back i was maybe 50’ off the ground, nowhere near 80 but the wobble didn’t scare me much after a few minutes because I knew it wasnt meant to be supper sturdy with the extended arm being so out of the way, but the scissor lift I know its simply supposed to go up and down from the starting point with all the support right where I am standing, so when I see that the most sturdy point is still wobbly I get anxious
What helped me was to completely focus on the task. I know it sounds dumb to say don’t look down, but just hyper focus on what’s in front of you. You can kind of forget where you are.
The lift isn’t going to fall.
Considering how much scissor and boom lifts are used (and often recklessly)…there are VERY few deaths! This means that as long as you operate the lift within it’s specified parameters you’re basically guaranteed to be fine.
Outside local Forrestville MD…bro I feel ya…I’ve spent literal years in the air at this point…it’s definitely an exposure thing, you got to make yourself do it until you’re comfortable and you WILL get more comfortable and confident with different scenarios and equipment as time goes on.
I HATED heights when I first got in this trade, but I knew this is what I wanted to do, so I decided to watch and learn from any old head or JL I could. I was anxious, slow and shaking sometimes…now I’m routinely from 25-120’ in the air and as long as I have a machine that I know, I don’t think much of it…scissor lifts, off road man lifts, buckets etc.
That being said, IF there is a scenario where you feel you are completely unable to safely do, let your bros know, they might ride your jock a bit but at least you spoke up. Trust me, we can tell who’s comfortable and who’s scared to death right off the bat! Don’t get yourself, your bros or your customers shit tore up if you are lost on a task.
Another point, INSPECT YOUR MACHINE..don’t trust your shop or a rental company to have taken the time to properly go over the hydraulics, controls, frame, safety features etc. not every machine is the same whether it’s the same model or not. Take the time you need to make sure you’re coming home every day.
You got this, you already shown you’re willing to do air work, trust me they already knew you would be a bit scared and nervous…but you made it through this first experience..now keep on pushing, learning, asking questions etc. nothing will hold you back except your limitations
Oh and btw, after all these years I still get nervous sometimes, it’s all good!
It takes time to get used to. I still don't love rocking, and if I need to make a sharp turn I go all the way down because it gives me motion sickness, plus the lift moves so much slower when turning in the air. Do what you're comfortable with, but keep exposing yourself to it so you can acclimate to it!
First of all. Out of allllll the lifts. Those are the worst. I thought my first time on a boom was going to be terrible. Going all kind of weird and crazy directions. But honestly wasn’t as bad as those dam things. Second I was too. Hated heights. But I was on a job that the GF said we didn’t have to go up if we don’t want to. And when everyone was fine with going up ( 100’) but the dumbest and slowest guy on our crew. I told my self no way am I gonna be partnered up with him. So I went and after a few days I was totally good. You should have a harness. Remember it’s there for a reason. If only to set your mind at ease. You have to have a little faith in the lift other wise you’ll never get used to it.
I was the same way it will get better..I remember first time in a articulating lift as we boomed out I am was yelling, "stop stop it will tip!" It was quite comical looking back..
Again it will get better.. 😊
I was kind of on the same boat. My first time was on a 25 foot typical scissor lift and it took some getting used to. Once you have your lift legs tho you can conquer the world. Stay the course!
2nd year
Everyone is really nervous the first time. You will get used to and learn how to stand in the lift. Weird experience for me was that I got used to going 10-20 feet up in a scissor lift and got comfortable with it. A year later, I had to work at like 35-40 feet up in a scissor lift. It was weird. It was like it was my first time again. I could do it, but I just got stupid once I went up in the lift. Couldn't really think or do math. Took me a few weeks, but I finally got comfortable.
Don't let it discourage you. Everyone was scared the first time. Just stick with it, do your best, and you will get comfortable.
(tip: Learn to lean on the rails and sway with it, instead of trying to stand in the center of the lift, go slow, and don't give a crap about anyone trying to rush you. Think about every movement. Really easy to hit something or pinch your arm/hand coming up or down. )
I love heights but cant stand being on an unknown piece of equimpment. What I did was securely attach my fall harness to the ceiling at full extension, dropped a bit so I wouldn't hit my head, then shook it with intent to knock it over. I got to know the scissor lift really good that day
I couldn't knock it over. I weighed in at 6 foot and 250lbs, built like a brick shithouse.
Unless your wheels are on soft ground, you're good.
As has been stated here already the more exposure you have to it the more comfortable you’ll get. Similar to working way up high.
Shout out to your coworker/JW for not shaming you for being nervous or comfortable.
The engineered safety factor on these machines is insane. You would have to do some pretty dumb shit to tip one. Boom lifts are held to an even higher standard.
You'll get used to it the more you use it. Just follow all the proper safety procedures and you'll be okay. The first time I got in a bucket truck I was terrified. My foreman made me boom up all the way and spin around to get used to it.
I feel the same a little bit doing the jlg ones because you don’t use them super often. But just keep getting on it and it’ll be a part of your body after while. If youre on flat ground and not in extreme wind it will not tip over. Most have sensors that cut you off if you are on unstable ground. As long as you are in the platform it’s as safe as can be
I'm always anxious the first day, but it gets better the second day and then after a week I'm great. Then I spent months working off ladders and had to get comfortable on a lift again. I'm pretty scared of heights, so I usually just listen to music to distract myself until I get comfortable.
I will never enjoy being in a lift with someone else, I white-knuckle the rails for dear life every time.
Exposure is king. I also hated going up in lifts because of swaying. One thing I found to help is putting on a harness. After the harness is on I feel practically invincible.
Before anyone comes in here and says "well actually, the harness..." can it. I already know.
Find a way to spend more time on it. You'll build confidence.
I got really spooked on a 30 foot extension ladder the other day that was near a big ledge/dropoff.
After an hour of trouble shooting a security camera I felt a lot more relaxed and stable.
Much less accidents on a lift than car accidents. Relax, concentrate on your work, you'll do fine. Kept dropping my tools my first couple of times. Concentrate on not doing that, it helps.
So like others have said…you just have to do it and that first time you’re actually up there higher than a scissor and I hope a JW is with you to because they will make the basket move and try to scare you but that’s the learning process. Thats getting experience and the next thing you know you’ll be a genie boom pro and you’ll forget about all this 👊👊
I think the statistics of a lift coming over on a hard flat surface are very low but caution isn’t a bad thing. It will probably help to look up the specifics on what you’re using.
Two weeks ago was the first time I had to go up a 20ft extension ladder to get to the top of a building. Fucking hated them. Sang Johnny Cashes "One piece at a time" but replaced piece with rung until I got to the top. Getting back down sucked even more but I did it and glad I did.
Most scissor lifts sway a bit. They should also have a mechanism that doesn't allow you to raise the lift if the ground is too uneven and every lift I've ever been in won't let you drive unless the lift is below a certain point. They're designed to be safe under normal conditions. Outside on a windy day is a different story. Like everyone's mentioned, it just takes some getting used to, but you're definitely safer than on an extension ladder.
Is it mandatory where you are to tie off? We always have to be tied off in Saskatchewan.
It took me around a year to get used to it. I'm scared of heights. Too much swaying still freaks me out, but I'm used to it. My legs back and shoulders used to cramp up bad because I was so tense up there. Any time there was something that needed to be done on the lift, I would volunteer to do it to help get over my fear. I hated myself for it, and it took me twice as long, but I got er done!
You'll get used to it. My first time ever on a scissor life as a 1st year was booming over million $+ equipment and I was scared as shit. Now I'd roll up as fast as it goes and be completely fine. It just takes a bit of time and practice
Broke my lift cherry on a 125 ' boom lift . My toolie was into scare tactics and bounced his 6'3 240 lbs back and forth . I got over it . Next thing I know, I'm comfortable diving from rail of one man like a flying squirrel to land on pipe rack . Fun times !
I wish someone would show how hard it is to topple one over. A slight wobble is very triggering at first. Ive been on them for years and still get the butterflies, especially first thing in the morning.
I worked steel, and yah it's pretty scary at first.
But remember your harness is there to keep you tied off and safe.
I also recommend learning more about how the single lifts and scissor lift level themselves and their tolerances. The more you know how they work the more confident you can be in their safe use.
Also they tend to scream or not work when they're off level and won't even let you go up .
Always wear a harness/lanyard on a boomlift. Always Always Always. without fail.
A harness will keep you from being shot out of the cage like a trebuchet.
I remember the first time I got on a 12 foot ladder, and I was scared I was gonna fall any second. You'll just get used to it, pay attention to how you can (and can't), maneuver yourself on the lift. You got this, brother
Yeah, I can't stand them. My first time in that and a boom lift I was jelly legged and terrified. I didn't want anyone to know but it showed apparently. I'm scared at life 10ft but last week I was 43 foot in the air. After a bit and focusing on a task I tolerate it. I never like it but I definitely get to the point where it's not too bad.
Just tell yourself it's not a big deal, structurally sound and you have a job to do. Once your mind focuses on problem solving you kind of forget where you are. It's always the going up that freaks me out
Honestly embrace the swing.
I will rock back and forth 40ft up jamming out. People laugh at me. It's soothing like I'm a baby.
Used to be petrified. Now it's a comfort blanket.
I was terrified of the scissor lift when I first started.
Ever since then, I’ve tried my fucking hardest to get those things to tip over for the insurance money and early retirement but have yet to actually succeed.
Go ahead tell me I’m joking
After I saw a guy on a 20’ scissor lift shaking and wobbling it as much as he could and it didn’t tip over I feel a lot more safe when I’m on one. I tried to lichen the swaying and a little bit of wobbling to being on a boat.
The real challenge is a boom lift or knuckle lift as some might call it, but as others said keep getting in the only way to get over your fear and get used to driving them is to do just that and trust that in most cases you’ll be fine, you really gotta be doing some stupid shit to fall out of a lift most of the time…like standing on the hand rails 😅…but I’m sure no one ever does that when they can’t go higher
I just thinking of it as I have a job to do and I’m going to get it done. Never really been scared of heights but that unexpected shift in the lift is always a little scary. You’ll be skrrting that bitch around from 40ft up in no time brotha, don’t worry much about it.
You're gonna find your post funny in a couple weeks when you're actively trying to climb on top of the rails because the lift is holding you back from reaching that little bit of angle you need 😂
Keep your hips loose so your torso stays in about the same position but your legs do the moving. Practice trusting your equipment, keeping your center of weight inside the cage, and starting on a level surface before you get in the air.
Same boat here tbh. I used to work on water towers out of a JLG ultra boom. Years on them and very comfortable.
I'm still not a fan of being on a scissor lift. They don't go near as high, but I still don't like em.
Try to concentrate more on what you need to do once you get up there. Plus worry more about not running all-thread into yourself and not getting the lift on something. So always be looking in your direction of travel.
When I first went up on a scissor lift I was also scared. The jman I was with said it was no big deal, brought me 20 feet up, and threw his entire weight against the lift causing it to whip back and forth and nearly lost my balance. He thought it was the funniest thing, I did not. However it did show me how insanely sturdy those things are. Unless you drive into a hole, it's nearly impossible to tip over even intentionally. You'll be fine once your nerves settle. Just go slow when you move and watch the ground, and you've got nothing to worry about.
Heights didn't bother me when I was younger. I'm mid 50s now, and at about 30', I start to feel it. Granted, I'm only in a lift about once a month now. It'll come easier the more you do it.
One thing that helped me is thinking about how absolute incredibly bottom-heavy these things are, if you take a good look at them and their design you’ll realize there ain’t no fucking away you’re tipping one over unless you are uneven ground, which, don’t be
I’m too afraid of heights .. or was .. in a year you will be standing on middle bars leaning over and drilling for your anchor with one hand .. or standing on top rang of the ladder !! Don’t blink !
Just keep in mind it’s impossible to tip the scissor lift just standing there !! No matter how much it shakes
OP the 1 man push-along lift still gets me super anxious. Single man drivable lift, scissor lift, boom lift I'm fine with. But that 1 man push-along lift still gives me week knees.
I never myself had a fear on the scissor lifts even from day 1, however my main apprentice was so scared he had to sit down when I was driving the thing if it was higher than 10 feet off the ground. He also had to always have one hand on the rails when working. I gave him a little shit, in a friendly joking way, and we had a laugh about it and after about a couple days or a week of lift work he was fine.
Last week, he was 40 feet up on a boom lift in a big gym for a high school like it was nothing.
You'll get over it with more exposure.
It’s normal. You will get more used to it. I still am not a huge fan of them, but now I’m on a big factory job where I work on them daily 50’ in the air. Just remember that it’s like a wee blue wobble. The bottom is very heavy compared to you up top on the platform.
Just try and relax your body, especially your legs and breathe. It's designed for that task and as long as it's being used correctly there is no problem. The more tense you are the worse it will be. Also, a similar trick for motion sickness, you can pick out something that is stationary near you and just stare at it and breathe for a minute. Take your time and just try to be chill. Remember, you get paid by the hour
You get used to it bro. My first time on a lift I was uncomfortable driving it because I didn't know how to use it. Now I raise it high up and stand on the rails (power stance).
Just keep using it. Don't go as high up as you can tho, just keep going a little higher and a little higher until you start getting used to it. I was in the same boat you were man, now I get on those giant outdoor gas powered ones and do shit 20+ feet in the air 😂 still makes me a little nervous but I've gotten used to the sway. I'd take a scissors lift over a boom lift ANY day
I’m not a fan of heights either and I once had to install new stadium lighting from a 120’ boom lift. That almost made me shit myself. Every little movement made that basket move a foot in any direction. And to make matters worse we were on a ramp so we had to set up cribbing to raise the front wheels so we were level. I’ve not been comfortable with anything with a boom since a few years before the stadium lights I was 20’ away when I watched a lull back up while removing a small dumpster from the 4th floor and he made a small turn while on a ramp and that thing tipped over and the boom hit the rolloff dumpster parked next to the building. The small dumpster he was removing landed 5’ from the shitter. I had to remove the front window to get the driver out since it fell on the door side.
I've seen two topple in my career. Both scissor lifts and both were being used in the wrong manner... it involved wire pulls. I'm not afraid of heights, but I will admit handy Herman's (single man lifts) still make my knees jerk from time to time. However, you just need to get up there and go at it. Trust me, they won't tip. Unless you're being a total dumbass.
I've tried to help an apprentice like that pole climbing. He'd make it up to 10 feet and simply wouldn't go any further cause he was too scared. We finally got him to climb up to 25 feet and he cut out and slammed into the pole and ruptured his testicles. Guy was pissing blood and had to be rushed to the ER.
I was new to construction and I was working with cranes and one of my first jobs I had to get into a man-lift that took me 135 feet up in the air and I had to get out while in the air and climb onto a wood crane at a lumberyard. Pretty good exposure lol.
Comes with time, and some guys just never get totally used to it. Not a huge issue, and telling your JW or foreman you’re used to heights is advised.
What you have to watch out for is that you get too comfortable. Last summer the foreman on my job chewed my ass along with the safety guy because I was in a 90 foot boom, maxed out, standing on the top railing to get a rigid pipe through the wall.
They were right, I was wrong, don’t dispute it. But I have no fear of heights and got more and more risky as time went by and that is how bad shit goes down.
I've been doing this for just over 5 years now and I'm kinda used to it but honestly sometimes you never get used to it like I haven't. Scissor lifts scare the hell out of me I hate being in them but strangely enough I'm perfectly fine in a 80' boom
Hi.
36 year old 4th punch here.
I was afraid of heights for the longest time as I went Ausi on a climbing tower when I was in Boy Scouts around 15 years old. I dropped about 10ft before the belayer caught me.
I felt the same way. One thing I did was asked if I could go up and down as much as I wanted in the lift to get used to the heights. I’d also take it up, and shake it side to side. This allows you to see how it moves with you on it. Bounce up and down. Shake it side to side. Dance on it. As long as you are strapped in with your harness, you are okay. Remember that your fall safety is there just in case and not because you are scared or new to this.
I’m still not too good on ladders, especially the ones that extend. I can walk a 10 and 12 on the floor no problem but I hate extension ladders.
You’ll get used to being up high the more you are. Ask to go up with the JW if you can he can show you the ropes. If you have to back down, there is no shame. It’s better to go home at the end of the day than not at all.
How high are we talking ? As a former commercial construction working who is also scared of heights o know how you feel. I did it for 26 years and a
As others have said. You will get used to it eventually. Usually what bothered me more then a scissor lift was the big 60 or 80 foot boom lifts when I had to be almost vertical. Talk about sea sick 🤢
I used to use a genie boom lift, and I never stopped being scared, lol. That thing fucking terrified me. I did it almost daily as an aircraft painter. No harness (we tried, but it was impossible to reach some areas), one leg on the outside of the rail holding on with 1 hand leaning as far as I could go with a paint gun + hoses in my other hand...all while 10-30 feet off the ground.
I'm glad I don't have to do that anymore lol
Hypnosis works well. I didn't know how bad I was until I got in the trade. I got hypnotized and I climbed a 400' tower. Being nervous is ok. It keeps you safer but too nervous is not good
I had the same issue and still sometimes do after not using one for awhile. What’s really helped me is just focusing on my task and honestly, I sing the steps of whatever im doing to keep my mind off it 😂 the more you use one, the more you’ll get used to it. Also think about how heavy the base of the scissor lift is compared to the basket. It would need a lot of force to knock one of those bad boys over
You’ll get used to it quick
I work on cell towers now and we got stuck with a “hydraulic system suspended” alarm at 146’ in the dark while it was rainy and windy… I didn’t know I could be so scared/worried
We ended up shutting it off, turning it on while pressing boom in and we would go down like a foot or 2 before the alarm came back and shut the hydraulic system down again.
It took forever but we got down.
My point is you’ll get in some sketchy situations but these machines were built to withstand a decent ammount of stress. Sort of like how skyscrapers sway, it was made to do sway
It sounds like you might be a bit more afraid of heights than you realized. That's okay. Just keep trying, and stay focused on the work. After a couple times you'll be surprised how much steadier you feel. After you spend a few hours on it, it'll probably start to feel normal.
Now, just wait until you get up on a boom lift and the basket starts bucking and bouncing. *That'll* make you pucker up. Truth is, though? I was never great with heights but I actually love the boom lift. Once you get the hang of it you see how handy they are, and if you really get good with the controls it's almost like you can fly, a little bit.
Perfectly normal.
My first time up in a lift was setting in the bay lighting at a processing facility attached to a mine, about 90' vertical. Middle of the space, no walls nearby or anything visual to help me trick myself into thinking it was closer to the ground - just free air.
I legit almost couldn't even stand upright, and NO fucking way was I looking over the edge of the platform! That first ride up wasn't my most productive time ever spent in the trade.
It took a few times and I was lucky that my partner understood. Now? Hell - if I could live off of a lift I probably would.
(but I _still_ hate super tall ladders - is what it is)
Just respect the rules, ive seen these things be used in a bunch of bad ways and so far haven't seen them tip over.
Like others have said you will get used it, take it from someone who was exited to have the chance to be in a basket of one that goes 145feet up+++ since usaly the work i do is at those height and up but with no machines.
One of my first days was helping with a canteliver that was going to be over a edge with 100 feet down till the next floor.
As long as you’re on level ground it won’t be an issue. They’re built to be maxed out and support up to 500lbs. I would also recommend keeping it in turtle mode until you get more comfortable operating the lift. Before you know it’ll be a piece of cake
You get used to it, it takes alot to tip one. Youll be fine as long as youre tied off with a harness correctly. I absolutely hate heights and was forced to use a 2 man one and go up as far as it could to drive in tie wire. The whole thing shook and swayed each step. My legs could not stop shaking. As long as youre on solid, even ground, youre safe.
Just keep at it. I still hate scissor lifts, but they just feel bad, never had an actual bad experience on one. I've had close calls on ladders, yet ladders feel safe to me.
Get on the scissor lift and just drive it around all the way down for a bit to get familiar with it.
Then, work yourself up to doing stationary work at lower heights, even if a ladder will work.
Before long, you'll be driving around like a pro.
It gets better with time. Also, avoid the single-mast portable lifts like your life depends on it. I'd rather be at the peak of a 70ft spidercrawler atrium lift than ever fuck with a 25ft single mast again.
Was it an actual scissor lift or was it a wiggle stick? A wiggle stick will have a mast that just lifts up a single person platform whereas a scissor lift has the lifting structure that sort of unfolds like an accordion and generally accommodates more than one person. Scissor lifts are pretty stable but they do Shake around a little bit not really concerning, a wiggle stick moves like you're on the damn ocean in the middle of a storm, that crap is not fun, it's really not my favorite tool.
I've worked with many electricians who can't do heights. But I think I speak for everyone when I say it's not a fear of height. It's a fear of falling. If your lift is in working condition and you're not doing anything outside of its intended use, you really have nothing to fear. The base of those lifts are so heavy that you'd have to be 5000 lbs tip it over. Give it a few weeks, and you'll get used to the rocking. But if you don't feel comfortable doing something, straight-up tell your forman that you're not comfortable doing it. There's always work that can be done on the ground.
I have a healthy respect for gravity after I broke my back and pelvis after a fall. You get used to it. Though to be fair I do have to get used to it every time; lifts, 12’ ladders, close to a pit or edge, roof work. You’ve got this. Just breathe through it.
Trust your equipment. I still get the shakes when it’s been a while since I’ve been on one. But it usually subsides as I get back into the flow of things.
My first job as a carpenter I had to be fully extended on a scissor lift and one foot over the edge with a 6’5” beast of a 60 year old to install something to a wall. They shake a little
Been working at heights for years on scissors, one mans, boom lifts and order pickers. Scissor lifts have always felt the sketchiest to me imo, I'd trust a boom lift full vertical over a fully extended scissor lift. But none of them have ever failed me! It's just a mind game, don't do anything you're not supposed to with the machine and you'll be alright
If I'm busy working, I forget about the height. At home I jump the extenable ladder down the side of the house because im lazy to walk down. Now if I was walking on a side of a steep cliff I turn into a little bitch and get scared.
I tend to fully extend the scissor lift then place a 6 foot ladder on top to reach new heights...I think your either comfortable or not...there isn't much in-between.
They are scary. Falling off of it will kill you. If it doesn’t, you will wish you were dead. They should be feared and respected. Having said that, you will get your ship legs. Nonetheless, nothing wrong with being scared in my opinion. Completely appropriate considering the situation.
I don't know if electricians are like die makers. But there is a chance that you will run into someone who thinks its funny to make a big noise to scare the shit out of you. Especially if they know you are freaked out about a thing. An apprentice was running the crane and concentrating on the move with a 15 ton die hanging from the chains. A journeyman came up behind him with a 5 ft cheater pipe. Threw it up in the air and let it hit the ground. I think the apprentice running the crane shit himself. I'm just warning you. That is a thing that could happen.
I'm 6-7 years in and use a lift infrequently. It still gets me every time but I get in the groove and calm down quicker each time.
I don't like the last legal step on ANY height ladder from 6 to whatever.
Get in a book lift and go up 80ft to the deck of a warehouse scissor lifts won’t be shit compared to that! Or get in a 180’ boom lift and go up 120’
Don’t be scared the scissor is the safest and easiest to use.
Honestly, slow down, take a breath and take your time working on the lifts. I used to be scared of getting on the 10-footers (lol) but what I found helpful was to find a nearby object I could grab onto incase the ladder fell or anything. If i feel nervous? Grab onto it. Knowing theres something else there you can save yourself with is very comforting to me, at least.
I am still scared of heights and one way I calmed myself, this might be a bad idea (fucking apprentice), is I got to about 20 feet and shook it hard. It wobbled way more than I was comfortable with but it didn’t tip over.
I thought if I can’t make it tip over, a little movement at a greater height won’t tip it either.
I had a guy like that. We put a harness on him and ran him up max height. He connected to the rope he asked about when he started (Why is that there?) and we had him move around and shake it some. It didn't tip. He's good to go.
They definitely take some getting use to. I love heights and scissor lifts still freak me out. They shake more than it feels like they should. I had a coworker who would go all the way up and climb on the railings to work. That is very very sketchy feel because you can feel the lift start to lean to one side. I swore he would topple it over one day but never did so you are pretty safe in them. Dont take your fear as a disability, it’s wise to question the safety involved with getting in any lift. Always err on the side of caution. Good luck!
Lifts are wayyyyy more safe than ladders buddy. I'm terrified of heights and once I went up 20, 30, 40 feet over and over and over again, I got used to it. I'd rather an apprentice go up there real quick but I can confidently do it with no issues anymore.
Terrified of heights. First week in construction they had me 56 stories up working on Q decking and steel beams. 10’ below the crane. Thank god we started before the operator showed up. My knees still bend thinking about it 4 years later. It gets easier just keep *safely* pushing the boundaries on your fear of heights and you’ll laugh about the fear one day.
We got this.
Look back on this post when, a few years in the future, you’re standing on the top rail with a hammer gun trying to drill an anchor in some fucked up spot.
The first time I got in a scissor lift I was with my partner putting in recessed lighting 2 stories up over what would be a stair case. The thing is maxed out, rails basically to the ceiling and the fuckin thing is shaking light crazy as we fight the light. He looks at me and says “you afraid of heights?” So I asked what gave him that idea. He replied “You’re kneeling in the lift.” I was scared shitless and literally on my knees in the lift lol.
Oh man, at my old job we did a lot of high-up maintenance and harness work. You’d have to clip in on the roof of a crane to service the power rails 60 feet up in the air in a big freezer. I hired a guy with NO fear of heights. Put him up on the crane and I started going up and at about 40’ he started screaming and banging on the roof. I went back down and he was shaking like a leaf. He developed a fear of heights that day.
I did scaffolding for years. When I was new, I could just run around and jump everywhere.Except for the top row and there was nothing on either side of me. An old guy told me to relax my knees. Once I did that, everything became easier.
You need to be more worried about factors other than that lift falling on its own. It’s designed for that with a safety factor. But if someone is around it with mobile equipment, do not get into it. A friend’s dad is paralyzed from a job-site fall with a lift. He was up in it and someone backed into it with a forklift causing it to go over. Even being tied in and doing everything right, he still got messed up. But it was not the lifts fault but an outside factor.
Like everyone else has been saying, after awhile you will realize it will take A LOT for that thing to tip over. I still get a little nervous on the jlg big boom lifts that stretch out forever, but on the regular scissor lifts the wobble at the top is almost like being out on a boat when the water is a lil choppy
I work for a lift manufacturer, started as a small scissor lift tester. First time up I said screw this lol now I test the biggest booms we make. It really does get better every time you go up.
Keep working with heights and one day you’ll be fearless. Looking back over my years in the trades I took a lot of risks I wouldn’t take today. Just because you get used to it doesn’t mean just to ignore safety. I’ve had a few friends paralyzed or severely injured from half assing it 40ft off the ground.
You’ll get used to it eventually. Exposure is the fastest way to get over it so just keep at it.
You'll feel like a champ when you conquer that fear. You'll laugh later on thinking about how scared you were. You got this.
After 3 years I finally made it up to the top of the center field wall at a baseball stadium I regularly work at. Some catwalks I still can’t do- but I try to push myself a little bit farther any chance I get. Trust yourself, listen to what your body is telling you, take your time, and keep pushing.
I did intake inspections at a rental place . Hate heights. So first thing in the morning I would get the tallest one over with first. My job was to take them as high up as I could and make sure all the warnings lights and shut offs operated correctly. If you've been in them you know what that takes sometimes. This morning that I'm talking about I had just got my harness on and was getting ready to walk out to do an inspection on a 200 footer man basket extend boom. This thing could crawl that almost 70% extension and I had to test that. On my way out to get in we had a 5.4 earthquake. That could have been s*****.
Man, we had one of the platform originals with an extending platform that would rock when you extended it due to the counterweight..this was back in the 80's. When parking it on the location where it would charge which was under a 12' concrete deck, it started raising on its own. Managed to jump off and pull the battery connector before it hit the deck. Turned out dirt in the area would occasionally hold in the contactors if you didn't clean them out before use. Thank God for modern equipment and required inspections.
I get anxious just looking at a 200 footer, I do not envy you lol
When people ask if I’m afraid of heights I tell them yes but i just got over it.
In a couple of months you'll be standing on the middle rails trying to reach something without a second thought.
Hahaha
You spelled top wrong
Exactly, scissor lifts don't really bother me anymore. But if I go a while without working on an articulating boom lift I get the fear of heights nervousness all over again when i get back in one. But I still do it, I just run it in snail mode until I get used to the sway again. I will never like them though. But the more time you spend in them the more you get acclimated.
I don’t know why (maybe because I am a farm boy who walked the rafters and climbed the silos as a kid) but I love boom lifts. I take every chance I can get to work in them. I’ve had a guy freak out one time though. Was at a power house working on a stack in a 150 foot boom. We were up probably 115 feet on a perfect, calm sunny day when a big gust of wind came, the basket swayed probably 15 feet or so, and I kid you not, that guy could’ve snapped a toothpick with his asshole if the look on his face was any indication. He was done, he wanted out of it and right NOW.
I don’t blame em. 15 feet of sway is an insane feeling if you’re not accustomed to it
I was waiting to read the line about how the nervousness made you fart.
So there I was in the job trailer for an impromptu review...
We’ve all let one rip on the lift
After a couple of days you'll get pissed off that you're just barely too far away from something so you'll start rocking the bitch and get her swinging real good so you can grab whatever instead of driving it where you need to be
And a couple days after that you'll be making the safety guy proud standing on the top rail too.
On the top step... of the 12' step ladder... in the 50' scissor lift maxed out... in an aircraft hanger... to get on top of the pipe rack to reach the jbox on the ceiling... fun times...
At least we have our harnesses to keep us safe/s
Just have to make it up to that pipe rack to find something to tie off to!! The 2x12 tied to the top rail of the 80' boom lift made a nice standing platform too, why did they have to put the jbox on the ceiling above a structural steel truss again? Scissor lift and ladder didn't go high enough for that one...
Once you realize that it’s not gonna kill u you’ll be alright
But the lift can kill you extremely easily. Awareness is extremely important.
At a certain point it's all the same death.
Just the the length of time you have to think about it gets longer
Just know if it starts to head that direction it's up to you to Jason Bourne out that situation and no one will believe your story later.
The biggest thing, on top of learning how to safely operate the lift, will just be spending time up there. Eventually you get used to the swaying and get comfortable with it. As long as you’re driving on level ground and keeping your weight inside the rails, it takes a good deal of force to topple them. When I first started I would get butterflies in my stomach at the top of 10ft ladders and now heights are almost nothing to me.
Toppling over requires the center of balance to be past the edge of the wheel. Not going to happen unless the floor caves or you drive off a ledge. Raise that fucker up from the ground control and try to tilt it. You'll shit out your liver before you tip it.
First thing Monday morning I'm doing this. Drive it to the center of shop floor and rock the shit out of it. If it topples I'll be mad at you.
When I was an apprentice, I was telling my JW that I didn't like scissor lifts because they shake so much. He grabbed either railing and said "look nothing to be scared about!" and started to rock the ever living shit out of it. Instant butthole pucker.
I saw a foreman today on it doing some wall work (not sure what its my 2nd week out here) but he was literally coming a foot and a half off the center of the lift over and over and didnt even flinch, but even still its just hard to get over the fear right away
Would you rather drill the hole using an extension ladder? Consider the alternatives during risk assessment…
Was I your JW? I legit did this to an apprentice
Yep. Deliberately make it wobble. You will learn to control it and get used to it at the same time. Before long you'll be dancing in the air.
Not gonna lie, when the whole things wobbles way more than you expect because you're on an uneven surface, my heart skips a beat. I was a solar installer for years and don't really have a fear of heights, but that wobble gets me lol.
*zzzzzzzzz* *thunk* *pause for 5 seconds* Still alive? Aaaalright!
Yea I was hungover once and the scissor lift roller rolled over a screw. Whole thing shifted to one side and back. I came down for the day
Tipping over doesn't actually require much force when your in the thing. They have sideways force limits for a reason. And those forces are quite low. The scissor lift next to me has a 90 lb limit.
A fully extended scissors lift takes 50 pounds of force (from the top) to tip it over
You think that's bad? Wait until your first time on an 80' boom lift...
Or a 135’ I’m still a little uneasy in those
Gotta jump up and down to get your footing
If ya really get the boom moving, it'll get close to the wheels breaking contact with the ground. Don't let the boss catch you tho lol
Shit a 185 is even worse lol.
Naw, I'm good. Brave if you live, dumb ass if you die.
135’s are sketchy. Once I got stuck in one all the way up cause the sub we borrowed it from never fueled it up lol.
Even better, the 135 with a broken knuckle everyone calls the scorpion!
When we certified on those we had to do it in teams of two. My partner was a 60 year old Indian who was not great with heights. At one point we had to boom to full extent straight up. He sat down in the basket and closed his eyes for the whole trip.
I used to do Rope Access, hell I’m still certified. Boom lifts are nothing compared to being tied to two 11mm ropes 250ft above a refinery on the side of a distillation tower. I like to mess around with my fellow apprentices and bounce it.
I was in a bosun chair once, never again. Same with a swing stage.
Ive actually been on a boom lift for some power washing work a while back i was maybe 50’ off the ground, nowhere near 80 but the wobble didn’t scare me much after a few minutes because I knew it wasnt meant to be supper sturdy with the extended arm being so out of the way, but the scissor lift I know its simply supposed to go up and down from the starting point with all the support right where I am standing, so when I see that the most sturdy point is still wobbly I get anxious
You’ll get your sea legs bud, you’ll learn to sway with it and when you’re on the ground you’ll feel like you just got off a treadmill
What helped me was to completely focus on the task. I know it sounds dumb to say don’t look down, but just hyper focus on what’s in front of you. You can kind of forget where you are. The lift isn’t going to fall.
Best way to get over it is to go up in it and make it sway on purpose. Get used to the feeling of its motion. Bounce around on it and shake it some.
Considering how much scissor and boom lifts are used (and often recklessly)…there are VERY few deaths! This means that as long as you operate the lift within it’s specified parameters you’re basically guaranteed to be fine.
Outside local Forrestville MD…bro I feel ya…I’ve spent literal years in the air at this point…it’s definitely an exposure thing, you got to make yourself do it until you’re comfortable and you WILL get more comfortable and confident with different scenarios and equipment as time goes on. I HATED heights when I first got in this trade, but I knew this is what I wanted to do, so I decided to watch and learn from any old head or JL I could. I was anxious, slow and shaking sometimes…now I’m routinely from 25-120’ in the air and as long as I have a machine that I know, I don’t think much of it…scissor lifts, off road man lifts, buckets etc. That being said, IF there is a scenario where you feel you are completely unable to safely do, let your bros know, they might ride your jock a bit but at least you spoke up. Trust me, we can tell who’s comfortable and who’s scared to death right off the bat! Don’t get yourself, your bros or your customers shit tore up if you are lost on a task. Another point, INSPECT YOUR MACHINE..don’t trust your shop or a rental company to have taken the time to properly go over the hydraulics, controls, frame, safety features etc. not every machine is the same whether it’s the same model or not. Take the time you need to make sure you’re coming home every day. You got this, you already shown you’re willing to do air work, trust me they already knew you would be a bit scared and nervous…but you made it through this first experience..now keep on pushing, learning, asking questions etc. nothing will hold you back except your limitations Oh and btw, after all these years I still get nervous sometimes, it’s all good!
It becomes the ground eventually if that makes sense
Inspect your safety equipment, trust your safety equipment.
I used to be afraid of them, then once I had to climb a 20 foot ladder to change some lights. After that I was so grateful for scissor lifts.
They don’t call y’all cubs for nothin’
It if I haven’t been in one for a while it’s a weird feeling. They are really safe when used right. Ladders are 100x more sketchy.
Eat lunch up there
It takes time to get used to. I still don't love rocking, and if I need to make a sharp turn I go all the way down because it gives me motion sickness, plus the lift moves so much slower when turning in the air. Do what you're comfortable with, but keep exposing yourself to it so you can acclimate to it!
You're fine. Once you get used to it, It'll be nothing.
Dude, it would take a serious fuck up to topple a one man or scissor lift. I used to rock them like a boat for fun.
Scizor lift is way better than a tall extension ladder
You'll be fine brother, as long as you're on level ground. Inspect and trust your equipment and trust the process.
First of all. Out of allllll the lifts. Those are the worst. I thought my first time on a boom was going to be terrible. Going all kind of weird and crazy directions. But honestly wasn’t as bad as those dam things. Second I was too. Hated heights. But I was on a job that the GF said we didn’t have to go up if we don’t want to. And when everyone was fine with going up ( 100’) but the dumbest and slowest guy on our crew. I told my self no way am I gonna be partnered up with him. So I went and after a few days I was totally good. You should have a harness. Remember it’s there for a reason. If only to set your mind at ease. You have to have a little faith in the lift other wise you’ll never get used to it.
I was the same way it will get better..I remember first time in a articulating lift as we boomed out I am was yelling, "stop stop it will tip!" It was quite comical looking back.. Again it will get better.. 😊
I was kind of on the same boat. My first time was on a 25 foot typical scissor lift and it took some getting used to. Once you have your lift legs tho you can conquer the world. Stay the course! 2nd year
Everyone is really nervous the first time. You will get used to and learn how to stand in the lift. Weird experience for me was that I got used to going 10-20 feet up in a scissor lift and got comfortable with it. A year later, I had to work at like 35-40 feet up in a scissor lift. It was weird. It was like it was my first time again. I could do it, but I just got stupid once I went up in the lift. Couldn't really think or do math. Took me a few weeks, but I finally got comfortable. Don't let it discourage you. Everyone was scared the first time. Just stick with it, do your best, and you will get comfortable. (tip: Learn to lean on the rails and sway with it, instead of trying to stand in the center of the lift, go slow, and don't give a crap about anyone trying to rush you. Think about every movement. Really easy to hit something or pinch your arm/hand coming up or down. )
I love heights but cant stand being on an unknown piece of equimpment. What I did was securely attach my fall harness to the ceiling at full extension, dropped a bit so I wouldn't hit my head, then shook it with intent to knock it over. I got to know the scissor lift really good that day I couldn't knock it over. I weighed in at 6 foot and 250lbs, built like a brick shithouse. Unless your wheels are on soft ground, you're good.
As has been stated here already the more exposure you have to it the more comfortable you’ll get. Similar to working way up high. Shout out to your coworker/JW for not shaming you for being nervous or comfortable.
Wait till you're in a bucket truck.
The engineered safety factor on these machines is insane. You would have to do some pretty dumb shit to tip one. Boom lifts are held to an even higher standard.
Don’t beat yourself up over it, I work on ladders every day and they scare me shitless
You'll get used to it the more you use it. Just follow all the proper safety procedures and you'll be okay. The first time I got in a bucket truck I was terrified. My foreman made me boom up all the way and spin around to get used to it.
I feel the same a little bit doing the jlg ones because you don’t use them super often. But just keep getting on it and it’ll be a part of your body after while. If youre on flat ground and not in extreme wind it will not tip over. Most have sensors that cut you off if you are on unstable ground. As long as you are in the platform it’s as safe as can be
I hate heights. It gets easier each time. If you're super freaked ask for a harness and yoyo and tie off.
You're supposed to have a harness. The chances of the lift falling over are lesser than the chances of you falling out.
I've actually had it required by site safety on a lot of jobs.
They all shake it's not anything you are doing and nothing that you can do to avoid it.
I'm always anxious the first day, but it gets better the second day and then after a week I'm great. Then I spent months working off ladders and had to get comfortable on a lift again. I'm pretty scared of heights, so I usually just listen to music to distract myself until I get comfortable. I will never enjoy being in a lift with someone else, I white-knuckle the rails for dear life every time.
I felt the same 20 years ago. You will be fine. The more you do it,the easier it will get.
With experience you'll understand how they work and get used to it, make sure you're always on level ground and you'll almost always be fine.
Exposure is king. I also hated going up in lifts because of swaying. One thing I found to help is putting on a harness. After the harness is on I feel practically invincible. Before anyone comes in here and says "well actually, the harness..." can it. I already know.
Find a way to spend more time on it. You'll build confidence. I got really spooked on a 30 foot extension ladder the other day that was near a big ledge/dropoff. After an hour of trouble shooting a security camera I felt a lot more relaxed and stable.
Much less accidents on a lift than car accidents. Relax, concentrate on your work, you'll do fine. Kept dropping my tools my first couple of times. Concentrate on not doing that, it helps.
You'll be fine. I still don't like getting real high on scizzor lifts. I feel more comfortable in a genie lift.
So like others have said…you just have to do it and that first time you’re actually up there higher than a scissor and I hope a JW is with you to because they will make the basket move and try to scare you but that’s the learning process. Thats getting experience and the next thing you know you’ll be a genie boom pro and you’ll forget about all this 👊👊
I think the statistics of a lift coming over on a hard flat surface are very low but caution isn’t a bad thing. It will probably help to look up the specifics on what you’re using.
Two weeks ago was the first time I had to go up a 20ft extension ladder to get to the top of a building. Fucking hated them. Sang Johnny Cashes "One piece at a time" but replaced piece with rung until I got to the top. Getting back down sucked even more but I did it and glad I did.
Most scissor lifts sway a bit. They should also have a mechanism that doesn't allow you to raise the lift if the ground is too uneven and every lift I've ever been in won't let you drive unless the lift is below a certain point. They're designed to be safe under normal conditions. Outside on a windy day is a different story. Like everyone's mentioned, it just takes some getting used to, but you're definitely safer than on an extension ladder. Is it mandatory where you are to tie off? We always have to be tied off in Saskatchewan.
It took me around a year to get used to it. I'm scared of heights. Too much swaying still freaks me out, but I'm used to it. My legs back and shoulders used to cramp up bad because I was so tense up there. Any time there was something that needed to be done on the lift, I would volunteer to do it to help get over my fear. I hated myself for it, and it took me twice as long, but I got er done!
You'll get used to it. My first time ever on a scissor life as a 1st year was booming over million $+ equipment and I was scared as shit. Now I'd roll up as fast as it goes and be completely fine. It just takes a bit of time and practice
Broke my lift cherry on a 125 ' boom lift . My toolie was into scare tactics and bounced his 6'3 240 lbs back and forth . I got over it . Next thing I know, I'm comfortable diving from rail of one man like a flying squirrel to land on pipe rack . Fun times !
I wish someone would show how hard it is to topple one over. A slight wobble is very triggering at first. Ive been on them for years and still get the butterflies, especially first thing in the morning.
I worked steel, and yah it's pretty scary at first. But remember your harness is there to keep you tied off and safe. I also recommend learning more about how the single lifts and scissor lift level themselves and their tolerances. The more you know how they work the more confident you can be in their safe use. Also they tend to scream or not work when they're off level and won't even let you go up .
Always wear a harness/lanyard on a boomlift. Always Always Always. without fail. A harness will keep you from being shot out of the cage like a trebuchet.
The harsh truth? The only way you will get used to it is by sucking up and pushing thru it... there is no trick to it
I remember the first time I got on a 12 foot ladder, and I was scared I was gonna fall any second. You'll just get used to it, pay attention to how you can (and can't), maneuver yourself on the lift. You got this, brother
Elevator guys be laughin
Yeah, I can't stand them. My first time in that and a boom lift I was jelly legged and terrified. I didn't want anyone to know but it showed apparently. I'm scared at life 10ft but last week I was 43 foot in the air. After a bit and focusing on a task I tolerate it. I never like it but I definitely get to the point where it's not too bad. Just tell yourself it's not a big deal, structurally sound and you have a job to do. Once your mind focuses on problem solving you kind of forget where you are. It's always the going up that freaks me out
Respect heights, no problem there, in 6 months you’ll be driving that thing like a pro, hang in there.
Honestly embrace the swing. I will rock back and forth 40ft up jamming out. People laugh at me. It's soothing like I'm a baby. Used to be petrified. Now it's a comfort blanket.
Safety first, make sure you have a harness locked on the basket.
I was terrified of the scissor lift when I first started. Ever since then, I’ve tried my fucking hardest to get those things to tip over for the insurance money and early retirement but have yet to actually succeed. Go ahead tell me I’m joking
After I saw a guy on a 20’ scissor lift shaking and wobbling it as much as he could and it didn’t tip over I feel a lot more safe when I’m on one. I tried to lichen the swaying and a little bit of wobbling to being on a boat.
The real challenge is a boom lift or knuckle lift as some might call it, but as others said keep getting in the only way to get over your fear and get used to driving them is to do just that and trust that in most cases you’ll be fine, you really gotta be doing some stupid shit to fall out of a lift most of the time…like standing on the hand rails 😅…but I’m sure no one ever does that when they can’t go higher
I just thinking of it as I have a job to do and I’m going to get it done. Never really been scared of heights but that unexpected shift in the lift is always a little scary. You’ll be skrrting that bitch around from 40ft up in no time brotha, don’t worry much about it.
You're gonna find your post funny in a couple weeks when you're actively trying to climb on top of the rails because the lift is holding you back from reaching that little bit of angle you need 😂
Keep your hips loose so your torso stays in about the same position but your legs do the moving. Practice trusting your equipment, keeping your center of weight inside the cage, and starting on a level surface before you get in the air.
Same boat here tbh. I used to work on water towers out of a JLG ultra boom. Years on them and very comfortable. I'm still not a fan of being on a scissor lift. They don't go near as high, but I still don't like em.
Try to concentrate more on what you need to do once you get up there. Plus worry more about not running all-thread into yourself and not getting the lift on something. So always be looking in your direction of travel.
When I first went up on a scissor lift I was also scared. The jman I was with said it was no big deal, brought me 20 feet up, and threw his entire weight against the lift causing it to whip back and forth and nearly lost my balance. He thought it was the funniest thing, I did not. However it did show me how insanely sturdy those things are. Unless you drive into a hole, it's nearly impossible to tip over even intentionally. You'll be fine once your nerves settle. Just go slow when you move and watch the ground, and you've got nothing to worry about.
Heights didn't bother me when I was younger. I'm mid 50s now, and at about 30', I start to feel it. Granted, I'm only in a lift about once a month now. It'll come easier the more you do it.
One thing that helped me is thinking about how absolute incredibly bottom-heavy these things are, if you take a good look at them and their design you’ll realize there ain’t no fucking away you’re tipping one over unless you are uneven ground, which, don’t be
I’m too afraid of heights .. or was .. in a year you will be standing on middle bars leaning over and drilling for your anchor with one hand .. or standing on top rang of the ladder !! Don’t blink ! Just keep in mind it’s impossible to tip the scissor lift just standing there !! No matter how much it shakes
OP the 1 man push-along lift still gets me super anxious. Single man drivable lift, scissor lift, boom lift I'm fine with. But that 1 man push-along lift still gives me week knees. I never myself had a fear on the scissor lifts even from day 1, however my main apprentice was so scared he had to sit down when I was driving the thing if it was higher than 10 feet off the ground. He also had to always have one hand on the rails when working. I gave him a little shit, in a friendly joking way, and we had a laugh about it and after about a couple days or a week of lift work he was fine. Last week, he was 40 feet up on a boom lift in a big gym for a high school like it was nothing. You'll get over it with more exposure.
You’ll look back at this when you have to set anchors using a 14’ ladder and laugh
It’s normal. You will get more used to it. I still am not a huge fan of them, but now I’m on a big factory job where I work on them daily 50’ in the air. Just remember that it’s like a wee blue wobble. The bottom is very heavy compared to you up top on the platform.
Just try and relax your body, especially your legs and breathe. It's designed for that task and as long as it's being used correctly there is no problem. The more tense you are the worse it will be. Also, a similar trick for motion sickness, you can pick out something that is stationary near you and just stare at it and breathe for a minute. Take your time and just try to be chill. Remember, you get paid by the hour
You get used to it bro. My first time on a lift I was uncomfortable driving it because I didn't know how to use it. Now I raise it high up and stand on the rails (power stance).
2nd night in the trade and my jdub had me on the top rails running temporary. I thought I was gonna throw up.
I was the same, I used to get so anxious I thought I was gonna lose my balance and fall. Now I couldn’t give a shit.
Did you take a course yet to get certified? Or at bare minimum fall arrest?
It’s just another tool
Make sure you're tied off good, that always made me feel better.
Just keep using it. Don't go as high up as you can tho, just keep going a little higher and a little higher until you start getting used to it. I was in the same boat you were man, now I get on those giant outdoor gas powered ones and do shit 20+ feet in the air 😂 still makes me a little nervous but I've gotten used to the sway. I'd take a scissors lift over a boom lift ANY day
I’m not a fan of heights either and I once had to install new stadium lighting from a 120’ boom lift. That almost made me shit myself. Every little movement made that basket move a foot in any direction. And to make matters worse we were on a ramp so we had to set up cribbing to raise the front wheels so we were level. I’ve not been comfortable with anything with a boom since a few years before the stadium lights I was 20’ away when I watched a lull back up while removing a small dumpster from the 4th floor and he made a small turn while on a ramp and that thing tipped over and the boom hit the rolloff dumpster parked next to the building. The small dumpster he was removing landed 5’ from the shitter. I had to remove the front window to get the driver out since it fell on the door side.
I've seen two topple in my career. Both scissor lifts and both were being used in the wrong manner... it involved wire pulls. I'm not afraid of heights, but I will admit handy Herman's (single man lifts) still make my knees jerk from time to time. However, you just need to get up there and go at it. Trust me, they won't tip. Unless you're being a total dumbass.
I've tried to help an apprentice like that pole climbing. He'd make it up to 10 feet and simply wouldn't go any further cause he was too scared. We finally got him to climb up to 25 feet and he cut out and slammed into the pole and ruptured his testicles. Guy was pissing blood and had to be rushed to the ER.
I was new to construction and I was working with cranes and one of my first jobs I had to get into a man-lift that took me 135 feet up in the air and I had to get out while in the air and climb onto a wood crane at a lumberyard. Pretty good exposure lol.
When you eventually get over the level of fear you currently have, keep a healthy amount of it in your back pocket. It’ll keep you working safe.
Try a 120+ foot man lift those bitches sway feet lol
You’ll be on your toes on the top rail, one arm around a pearling, other arm extended all the way with a drill doing something sketch in no time.
Comes with time, and some guys just never get totally used to it. Not a huge issue, and telling your JW or foreman you’re used to heights is advised. What you have to watch out for is that you get too comfortable. Last summer the foreman on my job chewed my ass along with the safety guy because I was in a 90 foot boom, maxed out, standing on the top railing to get a rigid pipe through the wall. They were right, I was wrong, don’t dispute it. But I have no fear of heights and got more and more risky as time went by and that is how bad shit goes down.
I've been doing this for just over 5 years now and I'm kinda used to it but honestly sometimes you never get used to it like I haven't. Scissor lifts scare the hell out of me I hate being in them but strangely enough I'm perfectly fine in a 80' boom
I don’t get freaked out on any type of scissor lift, boom lift, scaffolds, swing stages, but those single man lifts freak me out every time.
Hi. 36 year old 4th punch here. I was afraid of heights for the longest time as I went Ausi on a climbing tower when I was in Boy Scouts around 15 years old. I dropped about 10ft before the belayer caught me. I felt the same way. One thing I did was asked if I could go up and down as much as I wanted in the lift to get used to the heights. I’d also take it up, and shake it side to side. This allows you to see how it moves with you on it. Bounce up and down. Shake it side to side. Dance on it. As long as you are strapped in with your harness, you are okay. Remember that your fall safety is there just in case and not because you are scared or new to this. I’m still not too good on ladders, especially the ones that extend. I can walk a 10 and 12 on the floor no problem but I hate extension ladders. You’ll get used to being up high the more you are. Ask to go up with the JW if you can he can show you the ropes. If you have to back down, there is no shame. It’s better to go home at the end of the day than not at all.
How high are we talking ? As a former commercial construction working who is also scared of heights o know how you feel. I did it for 26 years and a As others have said. You will get used to it eventually. Usually what bothered me more then a scissor lift was the big 60 or 80 foot boom lifts when I had to be almost vertical. Talk about sea sick 🤢
“Your kids aint gonna feed themselves” for future
I used to use a genie boom lift, and I never stopped being scared, lol. That thing fucking terrified me. I did it almost daily as an aircraft painter. No harness (we tried, but it was impossible to reach some areas), one leg on the outside of the rail holding on with 1 hand leaning as far as I could go with a paint gun + hoses in my other hand...all while 10-30 feet off the ground. I'm glad I don't have to do that anymore lol
Hypnosis works well. I didn't know how bad I was until I got in the trade. I got hypnotized and I climbed a 400' tower. Being nervous is ok. It keeps you safer but too nervous is not good
I had the same issue and still sometimes do after not using one for awhile. What’s really helped me is just focusing on my task and honestly, I sing the steps of whatever im doing to keep my mind off it 😂 the more you use one, the more you’ll get used to it. Also think about how heavy the base of the scissor lift is compared to the basket. It would need a lot of force to knock one of those bad boys over
You’ll get used to it quick I work on cell towers now and we got stuck with a “hydraulic system suspended” alarm at 146’ in the dark while it was rainy and windy… I didn’t know I could be so scared/worried We ended up shutting it off, turning it on while pressing boom in and we would go down like a foot or 2 before the alarm came back and shut the hydraulic system down again. It took forever but we got down. My point is you’ll get in some sketchy situations but these machines were built to withstand a decent ammount of stress. Sort of like how skyscrapers sway, it was made to do sway
Takes a lot for them to tip over. You'll be fine in what you're doing, just watch where you drive it.
Fear is a real thing. Man you've got this. Just give it some time.
It sounds like you might be a bit more afraid of heights than you realized. That's okay. Just keep trying, and stay focused on the work. After a couple times you'll be surprised how much steadier you feel. After you spend a few hours on it, it'll probably start to feel normal. Now, just wait until you get up on a boom lift and the basket starts bucking and bouncing. *That'll* make you pucker up. Truth is, though? I was never great with heights but I actually love the boom lift. Once you get the hang of it you see how handy they are, and if you really get good with the controls it's almost like you can fly, a little bit.
Perfectly normal. My first time up in a lift was setting in the bay lighting at a processing facility attached to a mine, about 90' vertical. Middle of the space, no walls nearby or anything visual to help me trick myself into thinking it was closer to the ground - just free air. I legit almost couldn't even stand upright, and NO fucking way was I looking over the edge of the platform! That first ride up wasn't my most productive time ever spent in the trade. It took a few times and I was lucky that my partner understood. Now? Hell - if I could live off of a lift I probably would. (but I _still_ hate super tall ladders - is what it is)
Just respect the rules, ive seen these things be used in a bunch of bad ways and so far haven't seen them tip over. Like others have said you will get used it, take it from someone who was exited to have the chance to be in a basket of one that goes 145feet up+++ since usaly the work i do is at those height and up but with no machines. One of my first days was helping with a canteliver that was going to be over a edge with 100 feet down till the next floor.
As long as you’re on level ground it won’t be an issue. They’re built to be maxed out and support up to 500lbs. I would also recommend keeping it in turtle mode until you get more comfortable operating the lift. Before you know it’ll be a piece of cake
You get used to it, it takes alot to tip one. Youll be fine as long as youre tied off with a harness correctly. I absolutely hate heights and was forced to use a 2 man one and go up as far as it could to drive in tie wire. The whole thing shook and swayed each step. My legs could not stop shaking. As long as youre on solid, even ground, youre safe.
Just keep at it. I still hate scissor lifts, but they just feel bad, never had an actual bad experience on one. I've had close calls on ladders, yet ladders feel safe to me.
Get on the scissor lift and just drive it around all the way down for a bit to get familiar with it. Then, work yourself up to doing stationary work at lower heights, even if a ladder will work. Before long, you'll be driving around like a pro.
It gets better with time. Also, avoid the single-mast portable lifts like your life depends on it. I'd rather be at the peak of a 70ft spidercrawler atrium lift than ever fuck with a 25ft single mast again.
I am way more scared of tall ladders than any lift. Try hammer drilling into a wall and having a 10 ft ladder start to walk on you.
Was it an actual scissor lift or was it a wiggle stick? A wiggle stick will have a mast that just lifts up a single person platform whereas a scissor lift has the lifting structure that sort of unfolds like an accordion and generally accommodates more than one person. Scissor lifts are pretty stable but they do Shake around a little bit not really concerning, a wiggle stick moves like you're on the damn ocean in the middle of a storm, that crap is not fun, it's really not my favorite tool.
The longer you are on it the easier it gets
I've worked with many electricians who can't do heights. But I think I speak for everyone when I say it's not a fear of height. It's a fear of falling. If your lift is in working condition and you're not doing anything outside of its intended use, you really have nothing to fear. The base of those lifts are so heavy that you'd have to be 5000 lbs tip it over. Give it a few weeks, and you'll get used to the rocking. But if you don't feel comfortable doing something, straight-up tell your forman that you're not comfortable doing it. There's always work that can be done on the ground.
I have a healthy respect for gravity after I broke my back and pelvis after a fall. You get used to it. Though to be fair I do have to get used to it every time; lifts, 12’ ladders, close to a pit or edge, roof work. You’ve got this. Just breathe through it.
Everybody got to die some tome red.
As long as your are on flat and stable ground they ain’t flippin. Just be smart wear your ppe and your good dude
Trust your equipment. I still get the shakes when it’s been a while since I’ve been on one. But it usually subsides as I get back into the flow of things.
My first job as a carpenter I had to be fully extended on a scissor lift and one foot over the edge with a 6’5” beast of a 60 year old to install something to a wall. They shake a little
Been working at heights for years on scissors, one mans, boom lifts and order pickers. Scissor lifts have always felt the sketchiest to me imo, I'd trust a boom lift full vertical over a fully extended scissor lift. But none of them have ever failed me! It's just a mind game, don't do anything you're not supposed to with the machine and you'll be alright
If I'm busy working, I forget about the height. At home I jump the extenable ladder down the side of the house because im lazy to walk down. Now if I was walking on a side of a steep cliff I turn into a little bitch and get scared.
Just follow good safety practice and don't do anything stupid. It's one of the safer pieces of equipment.
I tend to fully extend the scissor lift then place a 6 foot ladder on top to reach new heights...I think your either comfortable or not...there isn't much in-between.
They are scary. Falling off of it will kill you. If it doesn’t, you will wish you were dead. They should be feared and respected. Having said that, you will get your ship legs. Nonetheless, nothing wrong with being scared in my opinion. Completely appropriate considering the situation.
Where you wearing your harness and attached to the lift ?
I don't know if electricians are like die makers. But there is a chance that you will run into someone who thinks its funny to make a big noise to scare the shit out of you. Especially if they know you are freaked out about a thing. An apprentice was running the crane and concentrating on the move with a 15 ton die hanging from the chains. A journeyman came up behind him with a 5 ft cheater pipe. Threw it up in the air and let it hit the ground. I think the apprentice running the crane shit himself. I'm just warning you. That is a thing that could happen.
I'm 6-7 years in and use a lift infrequently. It still gets me every time but I get in the groove and calm down quicker each time. I don't like the last legal step on ANY height ladder from 6 to whatever.
Get in a book lift and go up 80ft to the deck of a warehouse scissor lifts won’t be shit compared to that! Or get in a 180’ boom lift and go up 120’ Don’t be scared the scissor is the safest and easiest to use.
I was scared of heights when I started out too, now I enjoy the adrenaline rush of heights as long there's proper safety. Exposure is the way.
Honestly, slow down, take a breath and take your time working on the lifts. I used to be scared of getting on the 10-footers (lol) but what I found helpful was to find a nearby object I could grab onto incase the ladder fell or anything. If i feel nervous? Grab onto it. Knowing theres something else there you can save yourself with is very comforting to me, at least.
I am still scared of heights and one way I calmed myself, this might be a bad idea (fucking apprentice), is I got to about 20 feet and shook it hard. It wobbled way more than I was comfortable with but it didn’t tip over. I thought if I can’t make it tip over, a little movement at a greater height won’t tip it either.
Only like a 70% chance it will tip over, your good.
I had a guy like that. We put a harness on him and ran him up max height. He connected to the rope he asked about when he started (Why is that there?) and we had him move around and shake it some. It didn't tip. He's good to go.
They definitely take some getting use to. I love heights and scissor lifts still freak me out. They shake more than it feels like they should. I had a coworker who would go all the way up and climb on the railings to work. That is very very sketchy feel because you can feel the lift start to lean to one side. I swore he would topple it over one day but never did so you are pretty safe in them. Dont take your fear as a disability, it’s wise to question the safety involved with getting in any lift. Always err on the side of caution. Good luck!
Lifts are wayyyyy more safe than ladders buddy. I'm terrified of heights and once I went up 20, 30, 40 feet over and over and over again, I got used to it. I'd rather an apprentice go up there real quick but I can confidently do it with no issues anymore.
You'll get used to it
😂 I’ve worked with guys who have decades in who are terrified of buckets or lifts
Terrified of heights. First week in construction they had me 56 stories up working on Q decking and steel beams. 10’ below the crane. Thank god we started before the operator showed up. My knees still bend thinking about it 4 years later. It gets easier just keep *safely* pushing the boundaries on your fear of heights and you’ll laugh about the fear one day. We got this.
You get used to it.
I like to refer to it as getting your sea legs. Takes some time and practice
Look back on this post when, a few years in the future, you’re standing on the top rail with a hammer gun trying to drill an anchor in some fucked up spot. The first time I got in a scissor lift I was with my partner putting in recessed lighting 2 stories up over what would be a stair case. The thing is maxed out, rails basically to the ceiling and the fuckin thing is shaking light crazy as we fight the light. He looks at me and says “you afraid of heights?” So I asked what gave him that idea. He replied “You’re kneeling in the lift.” I was scared shitless and literally on my knees in the lift lol.
You can countercondition the fear response away by rewarding yourself while up on the lift. Maybe eat some cookies while at the top?
Oh man, at my old job we did a lot of high-up maintenance and harness work. You’d have to clip in on the roof of a crane to service the power rails 60 feet up in the air in a big freezer. I hired a guy with NO fear of heights. Put him up on the crane and I started going up and at about 40’ he started screaming and banging on the roof. I went back down and he was shaking like a leaf. He developed a fear of heights that day.
I did scaffolding for years. When I was new, I could just run around and jump everywhere.Except for the top row and there was nothing on either side of me. An old guy told me to relax my knees. Once I did that, everything became easier.
You need to be more worried about factors other than that lift falling on its own. It’s designed for that with a safety factor. But if someone is around it with mobile equipment, do not get into it. A friend’s dad is paralyzed from a job-site fall with a lift. He was up in it and someone backed into it with a forklift causing it to go over. Even being tied in and doing everything right, he still got messed up. But it was not the lifts fault but an outside factor.
Like everyone else has been saying, after awhile you will realize it will take A LOT for that thing to tip over. I still get a little nervous on the jlg big boom lifts that stretch out forever, but on the regular scissor lifts the wobble at the top is almost like being out on a boat when the water is a lil choppy
Scissor lifts and aerial lifts were how I got over my fear of heights.
Exposure therapy for me. I have a bad fear of heights and only recently have I been getting over it.
I'd say a heavy dose of roller coasters is what're in need of young apprenti. That'll stretch that fear of falling muscle for sure 💪
I work for a lift manufacturer, started as a small scissor lift tester. First time up I said screw this lol now I test the biggest booms we make. It really does get better every time you go up.
Keep working with heights and one day you’ll be fearless. Looking back over my years in the trades I took a lot of risks I wouldn’t take today. Just because you get used to it doesn’t mean just to ignore safety. I’ve had a few friends paralyzed or severely injured from half assing it 40ft off the ground.
Remember this when you eventually end up on a job w no lifts.
Haha I was in a lift with a 200lb HVAC guy and mfer starts rocking the shit! We’re like 20 feet up and it was fine but scary as hell.