The International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) was formed to promote safety in the use of mobile work platforms and other powered access equipment of all kinds worldwide. Chief among these initiatives are their safety and training courses.
Broadly speaking there are four categories of IPAF classes:
Finding employment in a role that requires you to use any of the nine categories of MEWPs in the UK would be difficult without certification in an IPAF approved safety training programme.
Council Directive 2009/104/EC, article 9, sets out the safety and health requirements for using MEWPs and related devices. It requires all subject employers to receive ‘adequate training’, including safety training.
To that end, most employers will require a Powered Access License (PAL) card before hiring anyone for a role involving a MEWP. PAL cards in turn require the bearer to have successfully completed an IPAF-approved course.
That depends chiefly on what kind of MEWP you are or will be called upon to use in your role, and the level of responsibility your role calls for. Different courses have been developed for different MEWPs, including:
Each course addresses the safe operation of particular pieces of equipment, and gives students the skills and experience they need to see to both their own safety, and to ensure that of their co-workers and subordinates (if any).
Last updated: Tuesday 19 June 2018 13:59:01