Do you know what the catapult effect is?

The catapult effect on a MEWP is a whiplash effect that travels through the boom to the platform:

• If the platform is snagged, it can feel as if no movement is happening, but wheels or outriggers may be lifting off the ground. When the platform is released, stored energy creates a whiplash effect.
• The whiplash effect can also be caused if the MEWP is struck by a vehicle, machine or falling object(s).
• The further the platform is extended, the greater the whiplash effect. This can cause injuries to occupants even if they are not ejected.
• Occupants can be ejected from boom type platforms if not using the correct personal fall-restraint equipment (PFPE) which is attached to the anchorage point in the platform.
• Materials and tools can be thrown out of the platform if not correctly secured or tethered.
• An occupant ejected from the platform is at risk of death or serious injury, even if the MEWP is in the lowered/stowed position.
• Occupants who are catapulted from the platform can be injured or killed if ejected, as they can be thrown upwards or outwards into an obstruction, and /or can become trapped between the platform and another structure.

See also: MEWP Catapult Effect leaflet, H1: Fall Protection in MEWPs, Use Personal Fall Protection Equipment (PFPE) Toolbox Talk, IPAF operator training courses