Commercial Fixed Wing
Maintenance Airframe; Maintenance Powerplant
Situational Awareness
Ground Event / Encounter Object
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; General Maintenance Action
Equipment / Tooling
Was reported to the supervisor and made aware of issue. While performing work on Aircraft X; and performing [maintenance procedure]; removal of electronic module of rudder travel limitation unit; a safety rail was dropped from the lift. The lift has a safety rail that is used while extending platforms from the main lift platform; keeping the mechanic from falling. The rail fell off from the attaching holes and struck the rear fuselage part of the aircraft; leaving a 1 inch in length by 1/8 inch in width gash. Event occurred because of the windy conditions up on the lift during the night. The safety rails have no way to keep themselves from falling all the way off the lift. All lifts that have removable safety rails should have a way of attaching safety rails to the main platform. This way if they come out of the holes where they attach to the moving platforms; they won't fall onto aircraft or personnel under lift.
Air Carrier Maintenance Technician reported a personnel lift safety rail failure caused damage to aircraft.