Bucket Truck Safety Training

This course provides workers with a comprehensive understanding of bucket truck operations and the safety practices required to protect themselves and others on the job. Learners will explore the types of bucket trucks, the components that make them function, the hazards they present, and the procedures that keep both operators and ground personnel safe.

• Overview of the two main types of bucket trucks—articulating and telescopic—including their differences, advantages, and appropriate use cases
• The role of insulated bucket trucks when working near energized power lines or other live electrical sources
• Requirements of a company safe use program, including written site risk assessments, rescue plans, and employee training, as recommended by ANSI
• How to conduct a thorough pre-trip inspection covering the engine, tires, boom, bucket, and all operational controls
• Site assessment procedures, including evaluating ground stability, identifying aerial and ground obstructions, and establishing a safe work zone with cones and signage
• Required personal protective equipment (PPE) for bucket operators, including harnesses, hard hats, high-visibility vests, and insulated PPE when working near electrical hazards
• Function and operation of lower cab controls—PTO switch, emergency brake, outrigger releases—and upper bucket controls, including the joystick and emergency stop
• Step-by-step operating procedures for safely raising and lowering the bucket, including harness attachment and outrigger deployment
• Prevention strategies for the three most common bucket truck incidents: falls, rollovers, and electrocution
• Safe work practices for ground personnel, including maintaining safe distances from the work zone, avoiding blind spots, and knowing when to use lower-level controls in an emergency
• Minimum approach distance requirements when working near live electrical parts

By the end of the course, you will have learned:

• The difference between articulating and telescopic bucket trucks and when to use each type
• When and why an insulated bucket truck is required
• What elements must be included in a company safe use program
• How to perform a pre-trip inspection of a bucket truck and its operating environment
• How to properly set up, operate, and shut down a bucket truck, including deploying outriggers and using both lower and upper controls
• What PPE is required for operators and ground workers, including additional protections needed near electrical hazards
• How to recognize and prevent the most common bucket truck hazards—falls, rollovers, and electrocution
• The responsibilities and safe behaviors expected of ground personnel working in or near a bucket truck’s work zone