One of the questions we receive repeatedly is:
“How do I become certified to operate an aerial lift?” or “How do I get my operators certified to operate our units?”

There is no current “Certification” for aerial lift operators pertaining to ANSI A92.2 Vehicle-Mounted Aerial Lifts. There is, however, a description of a qualified person.

A qualified person, according to ANSI A92.2, is “a person who, by possession of an appropriate technical degree, certificate, professional standing, or skill, and who, by knowledge, training, and experience, has demonstrated the ability to deal with problems relating to the subject matter, the work, or the project.”

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So How Does One Become a Qualified Operator?

Training. Also outlined by ANSI, the dealer/installer shall offer training for the new owner/user/operator with each new aerial lift—both initially and subsequently upon request.

Training typically includes three categories; General, Retraining, and Familiarization. Read more below.

General Aerial Equipment Operator Training

General Aerial Equipment Operator Training is the most comprehensive training. It covers all the safety features of the aerial lift, purpose, and use of the manuals, inspections, responsibilities, operation, as well as fall protection training. This training may encompass a few hours to a full day. This General Training may be performed when a new unit is received or when an employer wants to provide training to new employees or employees who have not operated the unit in a long while.

Aerial Equipment Operator Retraining

Retraining is generally performed when an Operator is observed or evaluated to be operating the unit incorrectly, recklessly and/or after a near-miss or accident. This type of training may include the entire General Training or Familiarization.

Aerial Equipment Operation Familiarization

Familiarization is when there is a qualified Operator who may be unfamiliar with a different style aerial lift. A qualified Instructor will go over the most important aspects of the unit and have the Operator function the unit. This type of training may be done independently if authorized by the owner/user.

That brings us to our next point. After all the training is completed, since there is no actual aerial equipment certification, the Owner/User of the equipment makes the final determination to authorize their Operators to use the aerial lift.

The authorization does not fall to the organization doing the training; they are sharing their knowledge and providing resources to help the Operators become qualified to the satisfaction of their employers.

USSI Provides Aerial Lift Training

As a company that provides sales, service and rentals, Utility Sales and Service/USSI Rentals can provide all types of aerial equipment operator training.

With new units USSI provides an In-Service training that constitutes General Training. With rentals we provide Familiarization for the Operators of rental trucks. We can also provide General Training for companies, municipalities, and other entities that would like a refresher for their old/new Operators.

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Schedule Your Training Today

Your crew’s safety is not optional. Proper training helps protect the people who work in the bucket—and those who count on them to get home safe.

To learn more about qualifying your aerial lift operators, or to schedule a training session, contact our team here or call our offices directly:

• Wisconsin / Michigan: (888) 999-8090
• Illinois / Chicagoland: (800) 521-0246