The International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) has welcomed new risk-assessment guidance for the aerial work-platform industry.
The ‘Statement of best practices for workplace risk assessment and aerial work-platform equipment selection’ was released last month by industry organisations the American Rental Association (ARA), the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), the Scaffold & Access Industry Association (SAIA), and IPAF.
The new guidance highlights best practices regarding workplace risk assessment and selecting the most appropriate aerial work-platform equipment for the job at hand. It is based on American National Standards Institute criteria.
Commenting on the guidance, IPAF chief executive Tim Whiteman said: “Before you use an aerial work platform, think about how you would use it and what could go wrong. This is risk assessment – it is the best way for management to prevent accidents.”
Approved training centres of IPAF and its US subsidiary AWPT (American Work Platform Training) provide a course that trains managers and supervisors to prepare for and safely coordinate various types of aerial work platform on site. The course covers topics such as daily inspections, fall protection, and hazard awareness and prevention.
More details on the ‘AWPs for managers’ course can be found at www.awpt.org/a4m
The risk-assessment guidance document is available for free download via the ‘Publications’ sections of www.awpt.org and www.ipaf.org
