Resources and recording of the webinar that took place on 21 May 2020, with presenter Chris Wraith, Health & Safety professional.

This document is intended to provide practical guidance on safety measures to minimise 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 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.

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.

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.

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.

Use Spreader Pads! Always check ground loading and use the IPAF spreader pad calculator.

Working at height is a high-risk activity, take care of your people and be responsible for safety with IPAF's help. IPAF has a range of Andy Access posters, in multiple languages, to help your workforce, covering important mobile elevating work platform (MEWP) and mast climbing work platform (MCWP) safety topics. All to help keep operators safe and prevent accidents.

IPAF has created a film warning people not to cut corners when using MEWPs to carry out temporary work at height, launching it at its Asia Conference & Showcase 2018 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Presentations from the IPAF Asia Conference (17 & 18 July 2019, Intercontinental Hotel, Hangzhou, China).

Before using a MEWP you must be trained to the applicable MEWP classification and be familiarised on the specific machine. Familiarisation is required on any MEWP that is significantly different in weight, height, length or complexity to the MEWP on which training took place. The operator, supervisor, ground person/rescuer, service engineer and demonstrator all need adequate familiarisation to undertake their duties.

Presentations from the IPAF MEWP Safety & Standards Conference (16 May 2019 at the Changsha International Construction Machinery Exhibition, China).

The International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) has a collection of logos that can be used by members and non-members, these are detailed on this page. The official IPAF Logo and IPAF.org logo are registered trademarks and can only be used by IPAF or with prior permission from IPAF. As such they are not available for download.

Exhibitions, trade fairs and other such shows can be challenging environments in which to operate Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs). Special consideration is required when displaying or demonstrating at such events.

The aim of IPAF’s Innovate event 2018 was to address key industry issues with the goal to develop potential solutions to improve the safe and effective use of Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs), formerly known as AWPs. To enable this, at the event, key industry players worked together in small groups to deliver achievable solutions which could positively impact the issue at hand. This paper provides a summary of each topic.

This strategy paper has been created following an industry-wide consultation into new eXtended Reality (XR) technologies including virtual reality (VR) and MEWP simulators. IPAF members worked with IPAF to produce a policy document on how virtual reality systems can be effectively and safely harnessed to train MEWP operators.

Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs) provide a safe means for people to conduct temporary work at height. When buying a pre-owned MEWP, it must comply to the safety legislation and meet the relevant standards in the location where it will be operating before it can be used. Every MEWP must be supplied in a safe working condition, with all safety devices functional.