The Statement of Best Practices of Personal Fall Protection Systems for Aerial Work Platform Equipment is an industry initiative to develop an educational document to clarify when and how to use PFP systems on AWP equipment. It was developed for use in the US and is based on ANSI standards. 

The Statement of Best Practices of General Training and Familiarization for Aerial Work Platform Equipment is a first-of-its-kind industry initiative to develop an educational document to clarify what is required for general training and model-specific familiarization of aerial work platform (AWP) equipment. 

Originally broadcast on November 8, 2017. Tony Groat, IPAF's North America Regional Manager, looks at the proposed standards (ANSI & CSA) for Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs) in the US and Canada.

In consultation with manufacturers, contractors, rental companies and other interested parties, IPAF has produced this good practice guide listing some of the key points that should be taken into consideration by rental companies and their customers when managing any type of Mobile Elevating Work Platform (MEWP).

The IPAF Operators’ Safety Guide for Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (also known as Aerial Work Platforms) is a pocket-size publication that sets out the recommended working practices for the safe operation of MEWPs/AWPs over a wide range of applications, from initial checks, through transport and positioning on site, to carrying out the required tasks.

Attach Your Lanyard. Always attach the lanyard to an anchorage point in boom type MEWPs.

Mast Climbing Work Platform (MCWP) Thorough/ Frequent Examination form.

The purpose of this guidance is to develop a standard approach to the generation and circulation of safety alerts in the MEWP industry.

This guideline sets out recommendations to ensure that MCWPs are installed, maintained, examined and used in a safe manner.

Mast Climbing Work Platform (MCWP) Handover Certificate

Mast Climbing Work Platform (MCWP) Load Chart

Have you been familiarized? Familiarization prevents incorrect use.

Check your MEWP! Conduct a pre-use check to make sure the MEWP is safe to use before starting work.

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.

It is essential that MEWPs are secured and managed correctly to ensure that only competent and nominated personnel operate the equipment in accordance with the employer’s safe system of work. All MEWPs should be stored in a safe and secure manner when left unattended.

This guidance is intended to assist companies to demonstrate the independence, impartiality and integrity of the 2nd party inspection/examination bodies that they employ.

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.

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.

This publication gives guidance to the organisation that has control of the planning, management and use of the MEWP on-site.

Do not jump out of the platform. Always enter and exit the platform using three points of contact.

Danger keep well clear. When using pedestrian controls stand clear of the MEWP and return back to the platform when safe.

Caution with guardrails. Be careful not to trap your fingers when lowering or raising guardrails.