IPAF Summit Panel Discussion

The IPAF Summit 2024, hosted at the Scandic Hotel in Copenhagen, Denmark, that was attended by more than 300 industry professionals, began with a heartfelt and thought-provoking speech by newly elected IPAF President, Karel Huijser. The presentations kicked off with an energetic joint effort by Amanda Tan, IPAF Asia Regional Development Manager, and Diego Bustamante, IPAF Latin America Regional Manager/North America Project Coordinator. Amanda and Diego, representing a new generation of leaders and introducing the summit theme of “Empowering the Next Generation”, highlighted the diverse backgrounds and global coordination within the IPAF team, spanning 14 time zones.

  • IPAF will officially launch its 2019 global safety campaign at the giant bauma construction equipment showcase near Munich, Germany, 8-14 April 2019. IPAF’s stand is confirmed as 711 in C4 hall of the exhibition site, and will also feature a sophisticated MEWP simulator, which proved very popular at IPAF’s events in 2018.

  • The speakers for this year’s IPAF Summit in Dubai, UAE, on 6 March have been announced, with Matt Fearon, Genie President, and Peter Schrader, MD of Zeppelin Rental, among the names confirmed. Those wishing to attend the IAPAs dinner and presentation ceremony are reminded the early-bird discount expires on 31 January.

  • Representatives of the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) have attended an important cross-border forum on health & safety hosted at the EU Parliament in Strasbourg, France, concerned with sharing best practice and comparing regulatory regimes in Germany and France.

  • IPAF has agreed an official memorandum of understanding, committing to close co-operation with one of India’s leading occupational health & safety bodies, which was signed at the OSH India safety event in Mumbai at the end of November 2018.

  • Representatives IPAF had a busy week in Shanghai, presenting at the International Rental Conference and exhibiting at bauma China, meeting members, health & safety representatives and others in powered access, a rapidly growing industry in China.

  • An exclusive site visit to the Manlift MEWP rental depot in Dubai, UAE – rarely opened to the public – has been announced as part of the programme for the IPAF Summit 2019, Meanwhile the nominations deadline for the 2019 International Awards for Powered Access (IAPAs) has been extended until 14 December 2018.

  • With the new ANSI standards set for publication on December 10, new guidance for companies or individuals that are seeking to become compliant with North American standards has been published by IPAF, with specific reference to how new CSA/ANSI standards will affect manufacturers, dealers, owners and users of MEWPs.

  • IPAF’s globally recognised PAL Card operator training has launched in a new language and new territory – with member firm Riwal now delivering the operator course in Russian to training candidates in Atyrau, Kazakhstan.

  • Booking is now open for the annual IPAF Summit, which in 2019 will be held for the first time in the Middle East, and at the same time nominations for the International Awards for Powered Access (IAPAs) have opened via www.iapa-summit.info

  • Haulotte, the international MEWP manufacturer, has reached a historic agreement that sees it become one of the first sustaining members of IPAF, which was formally signed at the Europlatform 2018 conference in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on 11 October.

  • Members of the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) command unparalleled influence on global industry regulation and standards, safety messaging and technical and training expertise, as analysis of this year’s Access 50 power list shows that together the organisation’s largest member companies control well in excess of half a million Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs) between them.

  • IPAF has published an important document, the IPAF Three-Year Strategic Plan. We created it to help all of us understand the major objectives for the organisation over the next three years, and to measure and demonstrate our progress towards those goals.

  • Tim Whiteman, CEO of IPAF, joined a webinar to discuss the capabilities and potential of VR and simulators in assisting training for safe operations while working at height, hosted by Engineering News Record (ENR). ‘Upping the Game: The Evolution of Virtual Reality Technology’ in the Construction Industry’ is now available to view online.

  • Major construction projects are driving accelerated uptake of MEWP operator training in countries such as Denmark, where international contractors are insisting that all powered access users hold certification from an accredited IPAF training centre.

  • Don Kenny, CEO of Loxam Powered Access Division (formerly Lavendon Group), has been confirmed as the keynote speaker for the annual Europlatform conference, which will be hosted by IPAF at the Europa Hotel in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on 11 October.