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.
Added 11 May 2020
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Technical Guidance
COVID-19 Safe Training Advice - IPAF Training Centre resuming MEWP, MCWP and Hoist training
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.
This guidance is intended to assist companies to demonstrate the independence, impartiality and integrity of the 2nd party inspection/examination bodies that they employ.
Normal and auxiliary control systems built into a mobile elevating work platform (MEWP) will allow the operator to bring the platform of the machine safely to ground level under controlled conditions. It is extremely unusual not to be able to lower the platform using these controls or for all of these systems to fail. The following is an example of a rescue plan for people who work at height using a MEWP.
Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs), also known as Aerial work platforms (AWPs), are probably the safest way of doing temporary work at height. Stay safe
when near to power lines/conductors. Electrocutions were the single largest cause of fatalities to MEWP/AWP operators in the US in 2012.
A secondary guarding device is a piece of equipment which can be fitted to a Mobile Elevating Work Platform (MEWP), also known as aerial work platform (AWP), in addition to the primary guarding systems and is intended to further reduce the risk of entrapment and/or provide an alert that an entrapment situation has occurred.
Scissor lifts are not designed to hold banners. Attaching banners to a scissor lift will increase the surface area and create a "sail board” effect which will destabilize or potentially turn over a MEWP.
All MEWPs/AWPs rely on the condition of the ground on which they stand for their stability. This applies equally to those which require the use of jacks or outriggers and those which operate free on wheels. It is essential that an assessment of ground conditions is made before travelling, using or setting up a MEWP on any surface.
IPAF's eLearning provides a flexible and enhanced online learning experience for the mobile elevating work platform (MEWP) operator, MEWPs for Managers and MEWP Supervisor (North America only) training programs. It provides the same high-quality theory training as in the classroom and can be completed on a range of devices anytime, anywhere, at your own pace.
