Inspect the aerial lift and the work zone every shift before mounting cameras or antennas at height

OSHA’s aerial lift fact sheet covers the boom and bucket work common in exterior camera and antenna installs: trained operators, a pre-start inspection every shift, a work-zone check, a lanyard tied to the boom or bucket, load limits and a 10-foot clearance from overhead lines.

Source facts

OSHA’s Aerial Lifts fact sheet covers vehicle-mounted devices used to elevate personnel, such as extendable and articulating boom platforms, aerial ladders and vertical towers. Workers should be retrained after an accident, after a hazard involving the lift is discovered, or when a different type of lift is used, and employers must retrain workers they observe operating a lift improperly.

Prior to each work shift, the fact sheet calls for a pre-start inspection to verify the equipment and all its components are in safe operating condition, and for defective lifts to be removed from service until repaired. Work zones are inspected for hazards such as slopes, ditches or bumps and high wind or ice before and during operation.

In the platform, workers stand firmly on the floor, do not climb on or lean over guardrails, do not use planks or ladders as a working position, and attach a lanyard to the boom or bucket. The fact sheet says not to exceed load-capacity limits, to treat overhead power lines and communication cables as energized and stay at least 10 feet away, and notes that an insulated lift does not protect a worker if there is another path to ground.

Applicability

Use this for boom and bucket work on exterior cameras, lighting and antennas. Scissor lifts and other mobile scaffolds are covered by different OSHA rules, and state-plan states such as Michigan apply their own equivalent standards.

DSE recommendation

DSE recommends requiring a documented pre-start and work-zone inspection before any aerial lift leaves the ground on a security installation. Confirm the operator is trained on that lift type, include the camera, mount and tools in the load calculation, and locate overhead power and communication lines on the site walk so mounting positions keep the platform at least 10 feet away. Stop work when wind exceeds the manufacturer’s limit.

Verification

Keep the signed inspection with the job record and spot-check one installation crew each month: check the lanyard attachment point, platform position relative to overhead lines, outrigger setup and the operator’s training record for the lift in use.

Official reference

OSHA — Aerial Lifts Fact Sheet. Reviewed October 18, 2026.