Leading manufacturers are being invited to commit a pledge to help ensure all operators of boom-type mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs) use the correct full-body harness and correct lanyard at a special signing hosted by the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) on 5 September during the BICES event in Beijing, China.
The harness pledge signing is due to take place in the afternoon of the second day of the 4-7 September event, on IPAF’s outdoor stand N221.
Those manufacturers invited to sign the pledge, which renews and reinforces a mass pledge signed at the IPAF Asia Conference & Showcase 2017 in Changsha, China, include Sinoboom, DingLi, JLG, Terex Genie, Haulotte, Zoomlion, Sany, LGMG, JiangHe and Shandong Chufeng.
BaiRi, IPAF’s China Representative, comments: “Already we have the support of IPAF members in making the correct type of full-body harness and adjustable fall-restraint lanyard available to all operators of boom-type MEWPs in China and the wider region.
“The pledge is a renewal of that commitment and to ensure that the operators are properly trained and understand the importance of wearing a harness and lanyard at all times and in the correct way.
“It is important all operators and occupants of boom-type platforms wear a harness and lanyard as per the guidance in IPAF’s global H1: Fall protection in MEWPs technical guidance, which has been recently updated and is available in multiple languages, including English and simplified Chinese.
“This is important to prevent occupants falling from boom-type MEWPs, which according to IPAF’s global accident reporting and analysis via www.ipaf.org/accident is still one of the leading causes of serious injuries and fatalities when using MEWPs.
“A harness and lanyard should be worn to protect against the catapult effect, where occupants are ejected from the platform while driving, loading or unloading the MEWP, where the MEWP is snagged on an object or structure, or when the MEWP is struck by another machine or road vehicle.
“We must as an industry strive to reduce and eradicate these common causes of accidents when using MEWPs, and wearing the correct harness and fall-restraint lanyard in all boom-type platforms is key to this.”
As well as the high-profile pledge-signing, IPAF’s stand in the highly recognisable yellow and black spider tent will offer safety and technical guidance including updated H1 harness leaflets, F1 familiarisation information and new exhibition safety guidance.
IPAF will also feature specific safety campaign information including a demonstration of how to select and wear a harness, the dangers of the catapult effect, and how to work safely alongside roads and in public places with MEWPs, which is IPAF’s global safety campaign for 2019.
Visitors to the IPAF stand N221 in the outdoor area can also watch special safety awareness videos and order copies of the IPAF Global MEWP Rental Market Report 2019, exclusively compiled by DuckerFrontier, which this year features a special China Market Focus, and may collect free stickers, leaflets, publications and Andy Access safety posters for MEWPs and mast-climbing work platforms (MCWPs).
