First speakers named as IPAF Summit & IAPAs set for sell-out

The first speakers have been confirmed for the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) Summit, to be held in London, UK, on 23 April 2020. The International Awards for Powered Access (IAPAs) presentation dinner will be held on the same day, and the final remaining places at both are on course to sell out quickly.

Held in conjunction with KHL, the annual IPAF Summit & IAPAs event is a highlight of the worldwide powered access calendar. This year the event returns to the UK for the first time since 2017 and will be at the Millennium Gloucester Hotel in Kensington.

The overall theme of the conference is “Safety and Sustainability in a Changing World”. In the face of generational change in the workforce, rapidly evolving technology, the growing climate crisis and globalization of powered access standards, how can our industry ensure safety while navigating such challenges?

Speakers include representatives from the powered access industry and health & safety bodies; their presentations will address these topics and provoke debate on the key issues facing powered access.

The speakers confirmed so far are: Bob Whitfield, formerly of the Disney Corporation, who will present an insight into the way Disney uses access equipment on site; Tim Morris of JLG, who will talk about advancing technology and sustainability; and Dr Shaun Lundy, Chair of the Occupational Safety and Health Consultants Register and Visiting Scholar at the University of Greenwich, who will offer his thoughts on the safety implications of a changing workforce. Oana Samoila, Marketing & Sales Specialist at Bravi Platforms, will speak about good “safety storytelling”, and Suzannah Nichol, Chief Executive of Build UK, will talk about how some of IPAF’s key projects and priorities align with those of her organization.

There will also be a panel discussion about sustainability and the global climate crisis and what it means for the powered access industry, an overview of the Global MEWP Safety Report based on IPAF’s ongoing worldwide accident reporting project (www.ipaf.org/accident) and a preview of the 2020 IPAF Global MEWP Rental Market Report, exclusively compiled for IPAF by market intelligence specialist DuckerFrontier.

In the evening of the IPAF Summit, a gala dinner will be held to celebrate the winners of the various IAPAs categories; the panel of judges has now met to draw up the shortlisted entrants for each award. The following day there will be a limited number of places on an informative powered-access site visit, with details yet to be confirmed.

Peter Douglas, CEO & MD of IPAF, who will host the IPAF Summit program, says: “We have a really engaging line-up of speakers beginning to take shape, addressing all of the key issues facing our industry today; more announcements on confirmed speakers will be made in due course.

“At the same time, and with the IAPAs category shortlists now confirmed, people are showing great enthusiasm to be part of this event and places are booking up more quickly than ever before. I urge anyone hoping to join us in London in April to reserve their place without delay, as we anticipate that the event is set to be completely sold out very soon.”

To find out more about the next IPAF Summit & IAPAs, including the full list of award nominees, further announcements about confirmed speakers, the powered access site visit and to book one of the last few remaining places, visit www.iapa-summit.info