As an employer, you’ll have the option to have your employees become certified in the tasks and responsibilities they’re going to take on. If you want to maintain a workplace that is safe, productive, and smoothly functional, certification is often well worth consideration.
One important set of responsibilities pertains to aerial lifts and scissor lifts – but what are the benefits to employers of having more employees aerial lift certified?
The Basics of Aerial Lift Certification
Aerial lift certification is a formal process that includes education, training, and testing to ensure that the candidate has all the proper knowledge necessary to operate aerial lifts, scissor lifts, cherry pickers, and similar types of equipment safely. The process takes little more than an hour and can be done entirely online. Once the certification process is complete, the employee should have everything they need in order to operate these pieces of machinery responsibly.
The Benefits of Aerial Lift Certification for Employers
Why would an employer choose to have their employees certified in this way?
- Safety. The first and most obvious benefit is safety for the workplace environment. Aerial lifts and similar lifting equipment are very advanced, but they still require responsible human operators to be operated safely. Employees who are familiar with the basic tenets of safety in this area are much more likely to operate the machinery safely. This means a lower risk of falls, accidents, and mishandling machinery that could lead to injury or even death. If you care about your employees or maintaining a safe workplace environment, this is the most important benefit of proactive certification.
- Streamlined workflows. It’s possible to teach your employees how to use aerial lifts in-house, but it’s often better to make use of an existing certification program. Guiding your employees to an online aerial lift certification service allows you to streamline this workflow, educating and training your employees much faster and more consistently.
- Productivity. Once properly trained, it’s likely that your employees will demonstrate increased productivity. With proper knowledge, they’ll be able to handle the machinery much more effectively, and you won’t have to worry about lack of knowledge or lack of confidence slowing things down. If you want your workplace to function more productively with less time wasted, certification is a strong proactive investment.
- OSHA compliance. OSHA has strict standards for aerial lifts and other pieces of heavy machinery. While it’s not necessary to go through OSHA for aerial lift certification, it’s a good idea to pursue a certification program that aligns itself with OSHA’s standards. This way, you can make sure that your organization remains compliant with government regulations.
- Insurance savings. Maintaining a workplace that’s free of accidents and injuries is indispensable for saving money on insurance. If you have fewer claims, and you make an effort to keep up a safe environment, you can save a lot of money this way.
- Employee morale and confidence. Many employees also appreciate the opportunity to become aerial lift certified – and they feel more comfortable when their colleagues have the education and training necessary to operate equipment safely. Pursuing aerial lift certification means all your employees will have greater morale and confidence.
- Team dynamics. Similarly, your employees will be more likely to trust each other and work together on collaborative objectives. Everyone is much more comfortable when the person operating the lift is formally trained on how to use it.
- Equipment preservation. Aerial lift certification can also help you preserve your equipment. Employees who use this type of heavy machinery responsibly can help it last longer and minimize the risk of damage.
- Liability mitigation. Employers also appreciate certification for mitigating potential liability issues. If you’re found liable for an employee’s injury or death, it could be devastating for your business. You’re much less likely to be found liable if you make every effort possible to mitigate accidents.
The Benefits of Aerial Lift Certification for Employees
Employees also benefit from aerial lift certification, and in several ways:
- Safety. All your employees will feel safer when aerial lift operators are properly certified.
- Confidence and morale. Certified employees tend to feel more confident and they benefit from higher morale.
- New skills and knowledge. Most employees appreciate the opportunity to develop new skills and gain new knowledge. Aerial lift certification is a fantastic opportunity here.
- Resume benefits. Many employees also appreciate having a new certification to list on a resume. Whether they choose to stay with your organization or change careers in the future, it’s a valuable credential they can show off.
In short, aerial lift certification offers many benefits to employers and the employees who undergo certification. It’s a relatively inexpensive, quick process that can help your organization run safer and smoother – and save you money in the process.
