In a recent incident, a firefighter fell off of an aerial device platform but managed to grab onto a tree on his way down.
Although this firefighter was not injured, his experience should be a reminder to us all that working on or around any aerial device requires training and special attention to stay safe.
All of us use products every day that are designed by engineers. Most products fall into one of three classes. Consumer products like dishwashers, blow dryers, and vacuum cleaners are designed to be used out of the box by anyone. Lawnmowers, snow blowers, and power tools have the expectation that the user will read the instructions and use the product in a safe manner with the proper protective gear. Industrial equipment such as construction equipment, airplanes, and fire apparatus are designed to be used by knowledgeable, trained, experienced, and skilled operators only.
Engineers approach the design of each class of product differently, and there is a different level of user involvement in each design. Although the consumer has no direct influence on the design of a vacuum cleaner, the purchaser of a commercial aircraft or a fire apparatus is intimately involved in the final design's specification. The line between each of these classes of products is critical to keep in mind-both for the design engineer and the operator. Fire apparatus fall solidly into the industrial equipment class, and it is essential that we do not allow ourselves to think otherwise.
Industrial Design Challenges
When approaching the design of industrial products, the engineer is challenged with providing extreme capabilities. Aerial device design is similar to designing aircraft in the sense that the old engineer's adage of "When in doubt, build it stout out of things you know about" does not apply. The easiest way to make something more stout is to add more material. When you add material to an aerial, you are adding weight. As you add weight to one section, the stress in the sections below it increases, and the device becomes less stable. To gain stability back, you must increase the stabilizer spread and add more counterweight. Aerial design is a constant tradeoff between strength and weight. It is this precise design requirement that drives the expectation that operators will adhere to four fundamental precepts: knowledge, skill, safe practices, and prevention.
Know Your Aerial Device
Knowledge is something you can gain by study, and this is exactly what is necessary before you ever touch your aerial device's controls. Control functions, interlocks, and load capabilities may vary widely from one device to the next-even within the same manufacturer.
When I studied for my pilot's license, I was expected to know more than just how the controls work. I needed to prove my understanding of the airplane's detailed design. I needed to know how the pedal cables controlled the rudder and what to do if they broke. I needed to know how to load the plane properly, how to calculate the center of gravity, and how the plane would respond if the load fell outside the design limits. Just like a pilot is ultimately responsible for the safe operation of his plane, an aerial device operator is ultimately responsible for the safe operation of his device. This means understanding every function, every feature, and every limitation. It also means understanding the maintenance and inspection criteria, what will happen if something breaks, and how to respond.
What this means for