Stuck in the Basket? Know How to Lower a CMC Lift from the Ground
When working at height, knowing how to operate your equipment is important—but knowing what to do when normal controls are unavailable can be even more important.
If an operator is elevated in the basket of a compatible CMC tracked aerial lift and is unable to bring the basket back down using the normal controls, CMC’s Live Aerial Hydraulics provide a way for a trained person on the ground to operate the aerial functions and safely return the basket to the ground.
Watch: CMC Live Aerial Hydraulics
The video below demonstrates how to activate and operate the Live Aerial Hydraulics on CMC 83HD+, 92HD+, 90HD+ and 100HD+ tracked aerial lifts.
Why Operators and Ground Crews Should Know This
An aerial-lift emergency is not the time to learn where the backup controls are located and how to use them.
Before operating a CMC lift, both the basket operator and appropriate ground personnel should be familiar with the machine’s emergency and backup operating procedures. If the operator cannot use the normal basket controls, having someone on the ground who understands the machine’s Live Aerial Hydraulics can provide another method of safely lowering the operator.
The CMC video walks through:
- How to access and activate the Live Aerial Hydraulic system
- How the hydraulic controls correspond to the machine’s aerial functions
- How the booms and basket can be controlled from ground level
- How to use the system to bring an elevated basket back to the ground
Don’t Wait Until You’re Stuck
Emergency procedures should be reviewed before the machine goes into the air.
As part of your pre-operation routine, make sure operators and designated ground personnel know where the emergency controls are located and understand the procedure for lowering the basket if the primary controls cannot be used.
Keep the machine’s operator manual accessible and review the manufacturer’s procedures for your specific CMC model. The video above should be used as a familiarization resource and not as a replacement for the operator’s manual, required training or established jobsite safety procedures.
ACT handles annual inspections, repairs and maintenance on CMC spider lifts.
If you have questions about operating, maintaining or servicing your CMC tracked aerial lift, contact the ACT Construction Equipment team for assistance.
