You're safer, by far, sitting in a barber's chair than you are riding in an aerial platform

It's hard to imagine that the aerial platform industry has developed a machine that will take workers up to a dizzying height of approximately 300 feet. Its harder to imagine that the vast majority of people that work on the complex hydraulic systems on these machines have little, or no, training. Ironically, the barber that cuts hair, and the beautician that gives pedicures, is required by state law to receive a pre-determined number of hours of classroom training, pass written and practical tests, and receive state licenses before they can take a pair of scissors to your hair, or a clipper to your fingernails. However, the people that service, repair, and overhaul aerial platforms, are not required to attend classes, pass tests, or receive any type of certification, even though the smallest error in workmanship can cause widespread death and destruction. Imagine if one should collapse over a busy freeway, or perhaps over a school!

There is one small consolation, OSHA does require operators of these tethered flying machines to receive some sort of training. 

It is obvious that substandard workmanship performed by untrained workers has not resulted in enough death and destruction to warrant any type of action by OSHA. Perhaps things will change when poor workmanship causes a failure that brings one of these machines down on top of a school bus full of children. One can only hope and pray that this does not happen.       

I share because I care.