No, unless a rigorous risk assessment carried out as part of planning the job indicates that this is the safest and most effective means of accessing a particular location, taking into account the availability on site of other more suitable access equipment and the practicability of providing the same within the required timescales for the task to be carried out. This will need to be taken into account during the installation process.

The employer should ensure that all Operators using the equipment are trained to operate the MCWP, with full knowledge of the controls of the equipment, safety systems and emergency procedures, risk assessment guidance and they are able to carry out pre-use/daily inspections and perform the emergency descent. The employer should also ensure that all Operators receive adequate machine-specific familiarisation, which should be conducted by a competent Demonstrator with the correct certifications, to ensure operators understand the specific machine controls and safety systems.

Demonstrators are persons, with full knowledge on the operating commands of the equipment, they are able to perform the emergency descent, carry out pre-use/daily and weekly inspections and ensuring that these take place.

In addition, they are trained in the demonstration of MCWP to others in a documented scheme, to ensure Operators understand the specific machine controls and safety systems.

The responsibility for determining the training needs of persons in respect of safety, and for making the necessary arrangements for training, rests with the individual employer. In the case of self-employed persons, the responsibility rests with themselves.

IPAF training programmes include MCWP Operator and MCWP Demonstrator, and its successful completion at an IPAF-approved training centre leads to a PAL Card, the highest international standard of quality training.

It is not normally necessary for personnel working from a vertical lift to wear fall protection equipment, other than in exceptional circumstances. 

During installation, alteration and dismantling

The work platform of an MCWP is provided with guard-rails and toe boards to protect the occupants from falling. Consequently the use of harnesses is not required during use of MCWPs unless any part of the guard-rail system has been removed by a competent person (e.g. to enhance access to the façade of a building), in which case a risk assessment should be carried out to ascertain the need for, and specification of, fall arrest/work restraint equipment. The risk of falling during installation, alteration and dismantling should be addressed in the installation, alteration and dismantling method statement.

In the event of a risk assessment requiring an anchor point for a harness, the manufacturer should be consulted.

Before attaching fall protection equipment to the work platform, the user organisation‑appointed person should ascertain both the location and suitability of anchor points.

All MCWPs used out-of-doors or otherwise exposed to wind whilst in service shall be regarded as being affected by a minimum wind pressure in accordance with:

Minimum design wind data, in service
Freestanding or MCWP during erection/dismantling: 12,7m/s (Wind velocity), 100N/m2 (Wind pressure)
Tied MCWP: 15,5m/s (Wind velocity), 150N/m2 (Wind pressure)

Wind forces are assumed to act horizontally at the centre of the wind area of the exposed structural parts of the MCWP.

The CAP (Competent Assessed Person) assessment programme is intended to provide up-to-date guidance for platform engineers on compliance with regulatory requirements and to offer documented evidence that individuals can be regarded as competent persons to plan, manage or carry out thorough examinations of powered access equipment within the context of current legislation. This is achieved through a rigorous assessment.

The much-coveted CAP (Competent Assessed Person) Card is proof of passing the CAP assessment and the engineer's ability to plan, manage or carry out thorough examinations of powered access equipment. CAP Cards are valid for five years.

The London Low Emission Zone (LEZ) applies to vans above 1.205 tonne unladen weight and to all diesel engined lorries over 3.5 tonne. IPAF has clarified that truck mounted platforms continue to be exempted from the LEZ. Van mounts are not exempted. The LEZ does not affect self-propelled booms. More information on the LEZ

In July 2014, the Greater London Authority (GLA) released a Supplementary Planning Guidance 'The Control of Dust and Emissions from Construction and Demolition'. This document contains information outlining the new engine emission standards for NRMM in London under chapter 7, ‘Cleaner Construction Machinery for London: A Low Emission Zone for Non-Road Mobile Machinery’.

The Non-Road Mobile Machinery (NRMM) regulations have been active since 1st September 2015 and in order to comply with the GLA’s NRMM Low Emission Zone (LEZ) policy there is a requirement for developments/sites to keep an inventory of all NRMM used on site in the designated zones. The two designated zones are Greater London, and the Central Activity Zone (CAZ) and Canary Wharf; these can be viewed on the map of the NRMM Low Emissions Zone: http://nrmm.london/. The central London areas have a tighter emissions standard applied to them.

https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/planning/implementing-london-plan/supplementary-planning-guidance/control-dust-and

IPAF Members can contact for more guidance on the LEZ, CAZ and NRMM.