Aerial Lift Certification: Is It Worth the Hassle?

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Business owners sometimes wonder whether aerial lift certification is worth the hassle. It’s going to pull your employees away from work, at least temporarily, and it’s not immediately clear why this certification is so beneficial or important. Is aerial lift certification worth the hassle? And if so, what’s the best way to pursue it?

The Process of Aerial Lift Certification

There are a few different ways to pursue aerial lift certification. However, the fastest and easiest way is to become aerial lift certified online.

No matter which method you choose, though, your employee will likely receive education in the form of informative materials that they can review at their leisure. These materials cover important safety standards for the safe operation of various types of aerial lift machinery. They may also recover operational controls and tips for effective, productive use.

Once the employee is fully educated, they’ll take a test to validate their acquisition of knowledge. Assuming they pass, they will be given formal certification.

Online certification for this skill is especially advantageous because of its accessibility and convenience. Anyone can become aerial lift certified online, usually in an hour or less, and they can use any device capable of connecting to the internet to educate themselves and take the final test.

The Costs of Aerial Lift Certification

As we’re evaluating the value of this particular certification, we also need to consider the monetary costs. Depending on the service you use, this certification will probably cost a couple hundred dollars. However, operator certification can be considerably less.

The Value of Aerial Lift Certification for Businesses

What is the true value of this type of certification for businesses?

Improved Safety

Arguably the greatest benefit of aerial lift certification in your business is improved safety. If all your aerial lift operators are aerial lift certified, they’ll be able to operate these machines very safely and effectively, minimizing the risk of injury and death on the jobsite. Obviously, you don’t want your workers to get hurt, both because you want to reduce harm and because you know that workplace accidents are very costly. Anything you can do to improve safety is probably worth it.

Smoother Training and Education

Aerial lift certification programs also make for smoother training and education. Instead of trying to teach every new hire how to operate these pieces of machinery internally, you can rely on an experienced third-party provider to cover the most important details.

OSHA Compliance

Most aerial lift certification programs follow OSHA standards very closely. This way, you can make sure that all your certified employees adhere to OSHA requirements and standards.

Productivity

Most businesses with aerial lift certified employees see a boost in productivity. These employees are more knowledgeable and more experienced, allowing them to operate machinery not just more safely, but also more effectively.

Employee Confidence and Retention

Employees who become formally certified gain more confidence and are much more likely to stay with your business. People like advancing themselves and feel much more comfortable in their roles when they are properly educated and trained for them.

Team Morale

In some ways, formal certification can boost morale. Your entire team may feel more confident and more positive with safe operators at the helm.

Equipment Longevity

Aerial lifts need proper care if they’re going to last. Part of the education process for aerial lifts includes routine inspections and maintenance, which can help your equipment last longer.

Limited Liability

Formally certifying your employees also limits your potential liability for onsite accidents.

The Value of Aerial Lift Certification for Individuals

We also need to consider the value of this specific certification for individual employees:

Personal and Team Safety

People appreciate working in a safe environment. Nobody wants to work in a position where they feel at risk of an accident or injury.

New Skills and Experiences

Certification is the path to new knowledge and new experiences; it’s a way to progress in this field.

Robust Workplace Capabilities

If you do only one thing every day, eventually your job will become stale. Learning how to operate aerial lift machinery breaks the routine and introduces novel responsibilities to some of your employees.

Increased Confidence and Morale

Aerial lift certification can also lead to increased confidence and morale, ultimately increasing workplace satisfaction.

Long-Term Career Value of Aerial Lift Certification

Some employees also appreciate the fact that this particular certification looks good on a resume. It can benefit their career progression for years to come.

Aerial Lift Certification: Worth the Hassle

With all this in mind, should we consider aerial lift certification to be worth the time, money, and effort? The short answer is yes. It’s very cost effective, it only takes an hour, and yet, it can confer many benefits to any individual or business that uses aerial lifts regularly.