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Bucket Truck Testing

Bucket trucks contain aerial lifting equipment that must be built to safety standards created by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the American National Standards Institute. The equipment must also be tested annually to ensure its compliance with safety standards.

  1. Standards

    • OSHA standard 1910.67 requires annual testing for safety aspects of bucket truck lifting equipment made from wood, metal or fiberglass compound plastic. The OSHA standard requires that the hydraulic and pneumatic equipment of a bucket truck be tested to ANSI standards for critical equipment, the failure of which would result in lifting equipment free fall or boom movement.

    Tests

    • Bucket truck testing is conducted through a number of tests, including dialectic tests and functional and operational tests. Dye penetration inspection and ultrasonic testing are also completed.

    Acoustic Testing

    • Acoustic testing is used to determine the relative strengths and weaknesses of lifting booms. Sensors are attached to the lifting boom; a force of between 1 1/2 and 2 times the rated lifting capacity of the equipment is placed on the lifting boom, and measurements are recorded.

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