As part of their Street Smart campaign, a safety walk demonstrating the key risks involved in conducting temporary work at height using Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs) alongside roads or in public places will be among the main draws on the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) stand at Vertikal Days 2019 at Donington Park near Derby, UK, 15-16 May.
IPAF’s Street Smart safety campaign for 2019 outlines the dangers of using MEWPs on or next to roads. With the risk of being struck by a passing vehicle such as bus or truck, prior planning is needed so the MEWP can operate safely.
Andrew Delahunt (above), IPAF’s Technical & Safety Director, says: “These accidents are almost always catastrophic. It is critical to segregate the working area to have separation from traffic. Operators should ensure they are seen by using signs, cones, beacons and high-vis clothing.”
IPAF will also be showcasing a version of the PAL+ advanced operator assessment on a virtual reality (VR) MEWP simulator, as well as its updated MEWPs for Managers training in eLearning. Meanwhile IPAF’s larger-than-life Andy Access safety champion will also tour the show meeting visitors and exhibitors and posing for selfies, as well as directing traffic towards IPAF stand 404B.
IPAF will also offer visitors to the stand a comprehensive range of safety and technical guidance, including updated H1: Harness and F1: Familiarisation leaflets, and will be promoting the newly published Global Powered Access Rental Market Report for 2019, exclusively compiled by global business intelligence experts DuckerFrontier, which can also be ordered online at www.ipaf.org/reports
Tim Whiteman, CEO & MD of IPAF, comments: “MEWPs are designed to safely conduct temporary work at height in just about every environment, including on roads or in public places. However, being hit by a bus or truck while operating a MEWP is a leading cause of serious injury or death, according to our accident analysis.
“Vertikal Days offers the perfect platform to highlight the key points of the new IPAF safety campaign to an engaged audience of powered access users and managers.”
