See the Member Services and Benefits section.

See the Become a Member section.

IPAF is registered with the UK Financial Services Authority as an industrial and provident society (No. 30998R) and therefore must have two levels of membership:

• Full members who have full voting rights and full access to all member services, and
• Associate members (associations, company associates, press, individual associates and small users) who do not have full voting rights, but have full access to all member services. 

Council Directive 2009/104/EC concerning the minimum safety and health requirements for the use of work equipment by workers at work OJ L260/5 Article 9 states: 

"Without prejudice to Article 12 of Directive 89/391/EEC, the employer shall take the measures necessary to ensure that:
(a) workers given the task of using work equipment receive adequate training, including training on any risks which such use may entail;
(b) workers referred to in the second indent of Article 6(b) receive adequate specific training."

Article 6(b) states: "in the case of repairs, modifications, maintenance or servicing, the workers concerned are specifically designated to carry out such work."

IPAF’s PAL Card (Powered Access Licence) is the proof provided to all persons who successfully complete training and testing on an IPAF machine-based course.

In order to deliver IPAF training courses, you need to be employed by an IPAF training centre or become a registered IPAF independent instructor member.

To become an IPAF instructor, you must meet the following criteria:

• 36 months’ MEWP operating experience 
• IPAF Operator Licence held for 6 months minimum
• IPAF Demonstrator Licence held for 3 months minimum
• IPAF MEWPs for Managers course successfully completed
• Evidence of Acceptable Instructional Techniques training (3 days minimum)
• Successful completion of an approved Harness Instructor course
• Evidence of IPAF MEWP-specific Instructor training (4 days minimum) 
• Evidence of HSE required standard for First Aid at Work training level
• Successful completion of IPAF Instructor Examination
• Mentoring

To become an independent instructor member, please e-mail the IPAF Training Operations Coordinator.

If operators want to add a category to their PAL Card, they need to successfully complete the IPAF approved Theory Test Paper. In addition to this, they must achieve the required standard when operating each of the machine categories that they wish to add on to their PAL Card.

If demonstrators want to add a category to their PAL Card, they must do the operator theory test and practical test on that category, then do the demonstrator course.

If you have lost your PAL Card (Powered Access Licence) you will need to order a replacement, there will be a fee for a replacement card. Please see the Lost PAL Card page.

Contact an IPAF training centre. Only operators or demonstrators who have been filling out their log books (hard copy or digital via the IPAF ePAL app) will be eligible for a renewal test. Those who have not been filling out their log books will not be eligible for a renewal test and will have to re-sit the full operator/demonstrator course again.

All renewals must be done before the expiry date. Otherwise, an operator will have to do a full operator course and a demonstrator must do the full operator and demonstrator courses.

From 1 July 2022 all MEWP operators applying for a renewal course will be required to show ten (10) entries as evidence of their experience recorded in their log book (either hard copy or digital via the IPAF ePAL app). Subsequently, in order for an operator to be able to take a MEWP Operator renewal course they will need to show:

• From 1 Jan 2023 evidence of a minimum of twenty (20) entries
• From 1 Jan 2024 evidence a minimum of thirty (30) entries
• From 1 Jan 2025 evidence of a minimum of forty (40) entries
• From 1 Jan 2026 onward: evidence of a minimum of sixty (60) entries over 5 years

For regions where the PAL Card operator licence has a two-year expiry period, operators must have evidence of 24 entries in order to qualify for a renewal course.

Yes, provided that there are suitable facilities and equipment. Please discuss with your selected training centre.

The International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) scheme is an operative record scheme approved by many sites worldwide including Build UK and individuals holding an IPAF qualification should be welcomed on Build UK sites.

See references from the Build UK Training Standard and ConstructionSkills.

The PAL Card is increasingly recognised worldwide. However, the employer and usually also the self-employed have a duty to know and abide by the legislation of the country they are planning to work in. IPAF may be able to assist with a summary of the legislation for countries in which we operate (please contact the IPAF head office in the UK). Ultimately it will be down to the site manager or equivalent at the differing work sites in each country to decide whether they are willing to accept the training you have received. IPAF's increasing worldwide reputation means that the PAL Card’s acceptance is growing daily.

Safety awareness relevant to MEWPs is an integral part of the IPAF course and therefore previous safety awareness is not necessary for the operator, demonstrator and instructor courses.

Some sites do however require a health and safety test prior to working on their site. See: http://www.cskills.org/supportbusiness/healthsafety/test/index.aspx

IPAF suggests that the operator should have the issued card on his/her person at all times when working with MEWPs and the employer should keep the certificate.

Yes, however, this may affect the length of the course and/or the candidates’ likelihood of passing.

It is possible for the candidate to re-take the course the following day. However, it is recommended that the candidate, employer and instructor discuss the reasons for failing prior to a re-take so that any appropriate corrective action can be taken. A failure of the theory test means that the applicant will have to re-sit the entire course on another day.

If the theory test has been passed but the practical test(s) failed, the applicant would be required to retake the practical test(s) within 90 days of passing the theory test. Failure to retake the practical test(s) within 90 days of passing the theory test would mean the applicant would need to re-sit and pass the theory test prior to taking the practical test(s).

Practical tests not taking place immediately following the theory test must be undertaken within the subsequent four-week period.

After the four-week period, in order to renew or upgrade a licence, an operator must successfully complete the IPAF Renewal/Upgrade theory course and test, which is shorter than the theory part of the main operator course.

If the practical part of the course has been rescheduled due to poor weather etc., then practical tests not taking place immediately following the theory test must be undertaken within the subsequent 90 day period.

PAL Cards remain the property of International Powered Access Federation Ltd.

The log book is an operator’s record of machine usage/experience. The printed log book has been replaced with the digital log book through the ePAL app.

Responsibility for ensuring a PAL Card is current remains with either the operator or the employer (this will vary depending on their contractual relationship). The relevant training centres will however often endeavour to remind the operator or employer. Users of the ePAL app will be notified when their licence is expiring.

An expired operator or demonstrator PAL Card cannot be renewed and will require full re-training and testing.

There are four basic types of underbridge unit:

1. Gantry type: IPAF category = Special

2. Static boom type: IPAF category =  Static Boom (1b) 
Type 1: Travelling is only allowed with the MEWP in its transport position. Group B: MEWPs where the vertical projection of the centre of area of the platform at the maximum chassis inclination specified by the manufacturer may be outside the tipping lines. 

3. Mobile boom type: IPAF category = Mobile Boom (3b)
Type 3: Travelling with raised work platform is controlled from a point of control at the work platform. Group B: MEWPs where the vertical projection of the centre of area of the platform at the maximum chassis inclination specified by the manufacturer may be outside the tipping lines.

4. Boom type with travelling with raised work platform controlled from a point of control at the chassis (Type 2): IPAF category = Special.