Mobile Elevated Work Platforms, or MEWPs, are extremely convenient and beneficial. They can provide access to some of the most inaccessible areas of a worksite, and they can make otherwise impossible jobs possible. However, for all of their benefits, it is essential that those using MEWPs understand how they work, realise the potential dangers involved in working with them, and can mitigate for possible hazards through the use of proven and effective safety procedures.
IPAF training offers the knowledge and skills that are required by MEWP operators not only to ensure their own safety but to ensure the safety of those around them. As with any jobs and tasks that require working at height, working on a MEWP not only means potential danger for the operator but for everybody else around the platform too. By ensuring that your employees have the proper IPAF training, you can ensure their safety, the safety of other workers, and even the safety of third parties that could otherwise be injured.
There are inherent dangers involved in working at heights. The greatest danger is that of falling. Whether a MEWP is offering access to a first or third floor level, there is the potential for serious injury and worse, if the operator falls from the platform. IPAF training provides full training to ensure that operators can avoid these hazards. Training courses are conducted off-site, are arranged through accredited training centres, and result in the provision of a PAL card to the operator, which shows that they have received suitable training.
The vehicle itself can pose a hazard if it is not stationed and used properly. IPAF training courses teach operators how to analyse site conditions. They can determine whether a MEWP is the right choice for a job and whether using this type of vehicle will pose any additional hazards. The operator will also learn how often they should conduct additional safety checks, for example over what period of time and whether it is necessary following bad weather, and they will learn the risk assessment that is required in placing and using a MEWP in the usually difficult conditions of a worksite.
Safety harnesses and lanyards, protective headwear, and other protective gear are essential for working on these types of equipment, and IPAF training not only teaches participants when safety equipment should be used, but also the best type, the most appropriate use, and whether others should be required to wear similar safety gear if they are working around the MEWP.
Even with careful planning and effective risk assessment, accidents can still happen, and this means that there is still potential for accidents and injury even when a MEWP operator is fully trained in how to safely use this equipment. Emergency protocols should be put in place, and they should be followed in the event of an accident, and it is the responsibility of the MEWP operator to ensure that this is the case. Without proper training, or without proper procedures, there is a significant increase in the chances of serious injury.
The Safety Maintenance Company Limited offers IPAF and other health and safety training courses, enabling you to ensure that all of your employees and workers are adequately trained and have the appropriate skills to ensure the safe use of convenient Mobile Elevated Work Platforms.