The rising issue of user manual accessibility: Implications for the safe operation of Elevated Work Platforms (EWPs)

Abstract

Elevated Work Platforms (EWP) have been implemented as a measure to prevent falls. However, fatalities and injuries relating to EWP use are of concern within the construction industry, with crushing risks often a significant factor in operator fatalities. With a greater number of workers using these machines internationally, it is imperative to develop policies and strategies to guarantee the safe use of EWPs. One key issue is that EWP familiarisation has been primarily centred on the user manual. However, it is unclear if user manuals are an adequate source of education and training in terms of content and readability. To address this research gap, a content analysis was used to assess the differences in content and readability among the manuals of the most used EWPs in Australia. The qualitative findings showed that there are nine safety-related themes in the user manuals, such as control warnings and in-basket safety. The quantitative analysis found that some manuals require several years of education above that recommended for a universal audience (>8 years) to be understood. This finding calls for better training and education across the range of EWP control layouts and standardisation across the methods by which the manuals convey control information to reduce the cognitive load placed on operators to remember and accurately utilise the controls of the wide variety of existing EWPs.