01.08.2014

Genie to comply with EN280:2013 this year

Genie will introduce changes to its products from October to comply with the latest version of European standard EN280 well before the deadline.

The new EN280:2013 standard was published in July 2013 and comes with a transition period of 18 months. A key change is the requirement that the elevated drive function on all self-propelled lifts is disabled when the chassis is tilted beyond a safe working angle.

Most scissor lifts already cut out or will not lift when they are off level by two or three degrees, while boom lifts generally do not. All boom lifts are though equipped with tilt alarms, most of which are set to sound at five degrees or less. Genie will cut the elevated drive function at these existing tilt alarm warning levels.

Brad Allen, vice president, marketing, product management and engineering said: “Customers will ultimately need training regarding the new operational characteristics of the equipment. We are communicating this information early so our customers can be prepared. The changes to the booms will be simple and easy to understand and use.”

“The updated functionality on Genie boom products will alert the operator with an audible alarm whenever they have exceeded the chassis inclination limits. If the work platform is elevated when this happens, the audible alarm will be accompanied by a visual indicator at the work platform control position indicating that the drive functions in one or both directions have been disabled. The operator will then need to assess the slope the equipment is on and follow the step-by-step instructions provided both on the machine and in the operator’s manual to lower the work platform before moving the equipment to a firm, level surface”.

Vertikal Comment

The seemingly illogical discrepancy between scissor and boom lifts for tilt alarm cut outs has been with us for many years, although it is fair to say that booms are generally more tolerant of sloped than scissor lifts in that the boom can be slewed to face the slope and platform levelled and IF used logically can be perfectly safe – however – it is a very big IF. Side slopes fully raising a retracted boom when facing up a slope along with several other off level manoeuvres are all highly dangerous and fatalities have occurred from operating boom lifts on slopes.

While this change will irritate some long term boom lift users, it does make sense and might make companies think more when planning what platform to use for certain applications.

The following are just two of many fatal incidents where boom lifts have been driven on slopes well beyond their capability.
See Jury demands tougher training
See fatal boom overturn