Boom lifts and scissor lifts are both mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs) under the A92 standards, so we teach them as one program, not two. Your trainers learn to deliver operator training by machine group and type, run the hands-on evaluation, and handle the step rental fleets trip over most: familiarization on each new make and model. It is priced per class, not per seat: one price covers the crew you put in the room.
Aerial lift train the trainer at a glance
| Item | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Where | At your site, on your boom and scissor lifts, anywhere in the U.S. |
| Who attends | Experienced operators, leads, equipment managers and safety staff you plan to designate as trainers |
| Class size | Up to 10 trainer candidates per class |
| Length | Tailored to each job |
| Machines | Group A (scissor lifts and vertical mast lifts) and Group B (boom lifts) — the ones your trainers will teach on |
| Standards | ANSI/SAIA A92.22 and A92.24; OSHA 29 CFR 1910.67, 1926.453 and 1926.454 |
| Trainer kit | Teaching presentation, trainer’s guide, written or verbal exam with answer key, student guide, practical exam guide with pre-use inspection and rescue plan, familiarization forms, sign-in sheets, certificate template |
| Trainer record | 3P Safety Train-the-Trainer certificate, valid for three years |
| Price | Priced per class (or per day), not per seat — request a group quote or call (252) 274-0583 |
What do OSHA and ANSI expect from an aerial lift trainer?
OSHA’s aerial lift rules say who may operate, not who may train. In general industry, 29 CFR 1910.67(c)(2)(ii), part of the standard for vehicle-mounted elevating and rotating work platforms, says only trained persons shall operate an aerial lift. In construction, 29 CFR 1926.453(b)(2)(ii) says only authorized persons shall operate an aerial lift.
Scissor lifts on construction sites fall under a different rule. In an August 1, 2000 letter of interpretation, OSHA said scissor lifts are not aerial lifts: they meet the definition of a scaffold, and the mobile scaffold requirements in 1926.452(w) apply. That brings in the scaffold training rule, 29 CFR 1926.454:
- 1926.454(a). Each employee who performs work on a scaffold is trained by a person qualified in the subject matter, covering electrical, fall and falling-object hazards, proper use of the scaffold and handling of materials, and its load-carrying capacities.
- 1926.454(b). Each employee involved in erecting, disassembling, moving, operating, repairing, maintaining or inspecting a scaffold is trained by a competent person.
- 1926.454(c). Retraining is required when the employer has reason to believe an employee lacks the skill or understanding needed, including when changes at the worksite or in the equipment present a hazard the employee has not been trained on, or when the employee’s work shows the proficiency was not retained.
The detail lives in two consensus standards published through the Scaffold & Access Industry Association: ANSI/SAIA A92.22, Safe Use of Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs), and ANSI/SAIA A92.24, Training Requirements for the Use, Operation, Inspection, Testing and Maintenance of MEWPs. Between them they cover operator training by machine classification, familiarization on each make and model, occupant and supervisor training, and the records that show each step happened. Our guide to ANSI MEWP training requirements walks through them. A trainer you qualify in-house has to be able to deliver all of it.
What your aerial lift trainers learn to do
- Teach operator training by group and type. Group A machines keep the platform within the tipping lines (scissor lifts and vertical mast lifts); Group B machines can put the platform beyond them (boom lifts). Types 1, 2 and 3 describe how the machine travels.
- Run the pre-use inspection and function tests the manufacturer’s manual calls for, plus a workplace inspection for drop-offs, slopes, overhead obstructions and power lines.
- Teach fall protection by machine: a full-body harness and lanyard attached to the manufacturer’s anchor point in a boom lift, and the guardrail system on a scissor lift, where OSHA’s 2000 letter found no tie-off requirement when the guardrails are properly maintained.
- Run and score the hands-on evaluation on each machine type your operators will use, with the critical items marked.
- Deliver and record familiarization whenever an operator takes on a make and model they have not run before: where the manuals are, what each control does, the safety devices, and that model’s operating characteristics.
- Train occupants and supervisors: the people who ride the platform, and the people who direct the work.
- Plan for rescue and emergency lowering so the ground crew knows the auxiliary controls on each model.
Why qualify your own MEWP trainers?
Rental lifts change from job to job, and every unfamiliar make and model needs familiarization before an operator runs it. A trainer on your payroll can handle that the day the lift arrives, train a new hire before their first shift on the platform, and retrain an operator after a near miss, without waiting on an outside trainer. The same trainer kit and evaluation sheet also keep one standard across your crews and sites.
What do your trainers leave with?
A trainer kit built on 3P Safety’s own course material, ready for every operator class they run after we leave:
- A teaching presentation for the operator course
- A trainer’s guide with the class plan and how to run the exam and the practical
- A written or verbal exam with a separate answer key
- A student guide for the operators
- A practical exam guide: machine identification, pre-use inspection, a rescue plan, and the scored evaluation sheet
- Familiarization forms for each make and model, sign-in sheets, and a certificate template
Each trainer who completes the program receives a 3P Safety Train-the-Trainer certificate, valid for three years. It can list the machines they trained on.
How the on-site class runs
- Scoping call. The make, model and type of each lift, how many trainer candidates, the start time and check-in, and your site’s orientation and PPE rules.
- What you provide. A classroom with a screen, the lifts with their manuals, and a clear area for the practical.
- Classroom. The standards, classifications, stability, fall protection, rescue planning, and how to teach each topic.
- Hands-on. Pre-use inspections, function tests, emergency lowering, and evaluation technique on your machines.
- Candidate exam and practical evaluation. Each candidate takes the exam and is evaluated on your equipment before we document them as a trainer.
How long does aerial lift train the trainer take?
Length is tailored to each job: the number of candidates, the machine groups and types in scope, and how much hands-on time your site allows. Boom and scissor lifts are covered together as one MEWP program. We scope it on a short call and schedule it around your production.
What does aerial lift train the trainer cost?
Priced per class (or per day), not per seat: one price covers the crew you put in the room, and travel is built into the quote. What moves it: the number of trainer candidates, the machines in scope, and the days on site. Request a group quote or call (252) 274-0583.
Train the trainer, or operator training?
If you would rather we train and evaluate your operators directly, see aerial and scissor lift training. Train the trainer fits employers that rent often, run several crews or sites, or want familiarization and retraining handled in-house. You can also combine them, with operator training now and a trainer class so the program stays in-house. If your crews also drive forklifts, see forklift train the trainer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there an OSHA certification for aerial lift trainers?
No. OSHA does not certify aerial lift trainers. Its rules require operators to be trained (1910.67) or authorized (1926.453), and on construction sites, where OSHA treats scissor lifts as scaffolds, workers are trained by a qualified person and those who move or operate them by a competent person (1926.454). The 3P Safety Train-the-Trainer certificate documents your trainer’s training and evaluation.
Do boom lifts and scissor lifts need separate trainer courses?
No. Both are MEWPs under ANSI/SAIA A92, so one program covers Group A and Group B machines. Your trainers are evaluated on the machine types they will teach on.
Can our in-house trainer handle familiarization on rental lifts?
Yes, and that is one of the best reasons to have one. Familiarization covers a specific make and model: where the manuals are, what each control does, the safety devices, and that model’s operating characteristics. Your trainer delivers it and records who received it, when, and on which machine.
Who should attend aerial lift train the trainer?
Experienced operators, leads, equipment managers and safety staff who already run the machines well. Up to 10 trainer candidates per class.
Does an aerial lift trainer qualification expire?
OSHA sets no expiration date for aerial lift trainers. The 3P Safety Train-the-Trainer certificate is valid for three years; plan a refresher sooner if your fleet or the work changes.
Do occupants and supervisors need training too?
Under the A92 standards, yes. Occupants who ride the platform and supervisors who direct MEWP work have their own training, and your trainers learn to deliver both along with operator training.
What do we need to provide for the class?
A classroom with a screen, the lifts your trainers will teach on with their manuals, a clear area for the practical, and the PPE your site requires. Tell us each lift’s make, model and type when you book.
Book an aerial lift train the trainer class
Tell us your machines, how many trainer candidates you have, and where your site is. Request a group quote or call (252) 274-0583, and we will bring the course to you.