Safety Design, Use, and Research of Mast Climbing Work Platforms

Mast climbing work platforms (MCWPs) have been increasingly used in many countries, especially for large construction projects, primarily because MCWPs will allow for flexible adjustments to the working height, and increase working efficiency over traditional scaffolding approaches. MCWPs may also help reduce ergonomic issues among construction workers. National and international standards on the design and safety of MCWPs have been established. Guidelines for good practices and certified training for workers have been available. However, MCWP incidents of catastrophic failures have still happened in recent years. To help conduct further safety studies of MCWPs, a systematic review of the related regulations, standards, guidelines, incident investigations, and reported research activities was conducted. The review enhanced the understanding of the issues associated with MCWP safety and the causes of catastrophic incidents. It also identified scientific gaps in this research area. The review findings may help improve the standards and guidelines and help develop more effective intervention technologies.