Guidance for where a Thorough Examination cannot be carried out on a MEWP, MCWP or Construction Hoist due to COVID-19

This document is intended to provide practical guidance on safety measures to minimize exposure to COVID-19 for anyone using MEWPs, MCWPs or Construction hoists for work activities.

This document is intended to provide practical guidance for IPAF-approved Training Centres to minimise the risk of exposure to COVID-19 when undertaking training on MEWPs, MCWPs and Hoists.

The IPAF Annual Report gives an overview of the year's activities and achievements.

The aim of IPAF’s Innovate event 2019 was to address key industry issues in order to develop potential solutions that would improve the safe and effective use of Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs), formerly known as AWPs. At the event, industry stakeholders worked together in small groups to develop achievable solutions which could positively impact the issue at hand. This paper provides a summary of each topic that IPAF offers to the industry to support improved safety.

The IPAF Powered Access magazine is the federation’s UK annual journal and one of its most successful publications.

The mobile elevating work platform (MEWP) may be significantly different than the MEWP the operator was trained on, even if the MEWP is of the same group and manufacturer.

‘Walking the MEWP’ is the term used when manoeuvring or travelling a mobile elevating work platform (MEWP) using the platform controls from the ground by walking alongside or near the MEWP. This includes those that use an ‘umbilical cord’, radio/remote control or fixed point of control at the chassis.

Mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs) can be used in confined areas, or near overhead structures. When travelling or when elevated there is a risk that the operator or the platform occupant may come in contact with an overhead obstruction. This could result in crushing or entrapment of that person.

Mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs) are not advertising displays. MEWPs are designed to take persons, tools and equipment within the platform to enable the occupants to work safely at height. Attaching a sign or banner to a MEWP will potentially make the MEWP unstable. This can cause an overturn and result in serious injuries to people and damage to property.

Ground conditions are critical for the stability of the mobile elevating work platform (MEWP). Unsuitable ground conditions can result in the MEWP overturning with potential loss of life.

Why is a rescue plan important? Planning is critical to a prompt rescue of someone who has become trapped and timing can make a very significant difference to the injuries sustained – in some cases, the difference between life and death.

A mobile elevating work platform (MEWP) must be inspected daily or at the start of each shift to make sure it is: safe to use and will not cause an injury to the platform occupants or other personnel.

Krafthand Media has published this year's edition of the German-language IPAF-Journal magazine. The circulation of 40,000 copies is distributed through IPAF member companies and training centres to customers, course participants and other interested parties, as well as through the recipients of bd-baumaschinenendienst and GaLaBau magazines to companies in the construction industry.

IPAF’s Global MEWP Safety Report 2016-2018 presents key findings from the federation’s analysis of accident statistics gathered through its worldwide accident reporting project, which has incident reporting from 25 countries around the globe.

Effective assessment of ground conditions is essential to assist with safe installation, setting up and operation of construction plant.

The IPAF training categories, with abbreviations and brief explanations.

Be street smart! Manage vehicle and pedestrian traffic. Create a safe working zone.

Always check ground loading and use the IPAF calculator to identify if spreader pads are required, determine the correct size of spreader pad.