Safety Knights

OSHA has not banned them, but ANSI A92.20 has banned the use of chains for fall protection. Regarding MEWPs, the only relevant standard OSHA enforces is ANSI A92.22-1969, which is outdated and doesn't mention this. However, they could potentially get you under the GDC since it's a recognized hazard in the industry. The other issue is (1) people have to actually re-attach the chains (which doesn't always happen), so that introduces human error aspects, and (2) with chains, you don't have toeboards, so you have to account for falling object protection in other ways if you have loose materials in the lift with you.

Below are two excerpts from ANSI A92.20-2018

4.6.7 Chains or Ropes
Chains or ropes shall not be used as guardrails or access gates. Verification shall be carried out by visual examination.

4.6.5.1 General
4.6.5.1.1 Any part of the protection movable for the purpose of access to the work platform shall not fold or open outwards except as specified in 4.6.5.2. The gate shall either return automatically to the closed position, or be interlocked in accordance with 4.11 to prevent operation of the MEWP until it is closed. Inadvertent opening shall be prevented. Sliding or vertically hinged intermediate guardrails that return automatically to their protective position do not need fastening and interlocking. Consideration should be given to ease of entry and exit. The access system shall permit and, by proper placement of components, promote achievement of three-point support while ascending or descending the access system.

Again Drew is right on! You may pass an OSHA Audit with your scissors lift with the chains, if they are looking at something else! However, if someone falls over or through the chain falls, OSHA will find away to cite you!, even via the GDC! That I know.

The heck with what OSHA says! Which is most safe? I think if you really look at it, the gate wins every time!

It is sort of like a "Trip Wire" for Machine Guards. I hate Trip Wires and I will tell you why in a sec! I was at a customer's the other day. I saw a washer with a chain link conveyor with a pinch point over the roller on the discharge end. I told the Safety Person, "I do not like this! You have a Trip Wire as a guard on the machine. It may pass an OSHA audit! But think about how it works. After my finger gets crushed and I am trapped in the machine I pull the Trip Wire which stops the machine. But here I am caught with my finger crushed! You probably have an amputation on your hands for an accident!" He says, "We cannot make it any safer!" I look at it for 5 seconds and say "Oh really? You can put a guard over the pinch point by putting a guard beside the roller off the side rails of the machine, I have done it before. If that does not work for you add awareness chains and signage! But do more than a Trip Wire!"

Your example and a Trip Wire are examples where something may be OSHA compliant but you have to go beyond what OSHA requires to keep people really safe!

I have 2 Genie scissor lifts and I prefer the door over the chain. The door keeps items from rolling out the back. The door swings closed by itself so it is always closed. A chain doesn't do anything for a lift in my opinion. It won't keep me from falling out, or keep material from rolling out. The only draw back to the spring loaded door, is when I am exiting the lift, I have to have a hand on the door and a hand on the lift, if I slip, the hand on the door will not let me catch myself like it would if my hand was on a fixed surface. I have slipped before and almost fell because of that.