FAQs

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.

Yes, ePAL requires an internet connection to log in, however once logged in you can view your licences and experience offline. Sharing of licences and logging experience requires an internet connection.

As of March 2020, new Huawei phones no longer use Google services and cannot access the Google Play store.

At present, the Android ePAL app is only available through the Google Play store and is not available on Huawei’s AppGallery store.

Your digital licence will show all of the categories that you have been trained in. If you wish to get trained in additional categories, contact an IPAF training centre.

Your additional categories can be added to your existing licence, but these will be backdated to the original training date. Alternatively, ePAL allows multiple digital licences.

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.

To use ePAL’s digital logbook to record your operating experience, first create the machine, you will need to do this for each new machine you use. Then create your manual work log entry and fill in any relevant details.

All existing PAL Card holders can use the new ePAL app, they simply have to create an IPAF ID account and claim their licence either by scanning their PAL Card on their phone using NFC (like a contactless payment tap) or manually typing in their licence number. As long as their profile details match their licence details, it will be linked and visible within ePAL.

A MEWP should be inspected, and the inspection documented, every morning prior to use. The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) 1998, Regulation 9 states that: 

• "Every employer shall ensure that lifting equipment which is exposed to conditions causing deterioration which is liable to result in dangerous situations is-" 
• "Thoroughly examined-" 
• "In the case of lifting equipment for lifting persons or an accessory for lifting, at least every 6 months."

See the Become a Member section.

Once created, you can only edit a machine or worklog.

IPAF Safety Guides (Operator Safety Guide or Site Safety Guide) are available to view in ePAL under the ‘Experience’ section. Make sure you have created your first machine then the ‘Safety Guides’ button will show.

For further help, please raise a support ticket through ePAL under the ‘More’ section, at www.ipaf.org/support or email support@ipaf-pal.org.

Your digital licence will show once it has been processed by IPAF and the training centre. Please wait for your notification (email or SMS) that it is ready.

For further help, please raise a support ticket through ePAL under the ‘More’ section, at www.ipaf.org/support or email support@ipaf-pal.org.

Please double check your junk folder for an email from IPAF or your messages. If you still do not see an email or SMS from IPAF, please raise a support ticket at www.ipaf.org/support or email support@ipaf-pal.org

Open ePAL and click ‘Login’, then select ‘forgot my password’ and follow the steps provided. For further help, please raise a support ticket at www.ipaf.org/support or email support@ipaf-pal.org.

If you require a physical PAL Card after completing your IPAF training and receiving your digital licence, you will need to contact the IPAF training centre that trained you to order a physical PAL Card - the training centre will charge a fee for this.

To find the training centre contact details, open the ePAL app and go to the ‘Training’ section.

Yes, ePAL allows you to display multiple IPAF issued licences and qualifications.

Please raise a support ticket through ePAL under the ‘More’ section, at www.ipaf.org/support or email support@ipaf-pal.org.

Please raise a support ticket through ePAL under the ‘More’ section, at www.ipaf.org/support or email support@ipaf-pal.org.