IPAF 2018 by ForConstructionPros.com

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INTERNATIONAL POWERED ACCESS FEDERATION 24 » INDUSTRY STAKEHOLDERS

MAKE THEIR PREDICTIONS FOR THE NEXT DECADE AND BEYOND

E LE VAT I NG S AFE T Y Fall 2018

SHOULD LADDERS FROM U.S. BE BANNED JOBSITES?  10

What the alternative could look like for your company

An AC Business Media Supplement, 2018

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The world authority in powered access.

HALF-HEARTED TRAINING IS FINE. AS LONG AS YOUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;RE OK WITH HALF-HEARTED SAFETY. Life is full of shortcuts. But running mobile elevating work platforms without trained, tested operators is a dead end. Train right. Insist on the PAL Card. Find a training center near you at IPAF.com.

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THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT FOR THE JOB

o you know what kills the most construction workers every year? It’s falls from height. They are the single biggest cause of fatal accidents in construction throughout the industrialized world. Most of those fatalities just should not happen. As our cover story indicates, ladders are a big part of the problem. So what can be done? Two things: Workers need the correct equipment to do the job safely, and supervisors need to stop workers from taking shortcuts that are dangerous. This means planning work in advance, understanding that reaching out from the top of a ladder is dangerous, and deciding on the best way to get the work done – before work starts! Part of the solution is choosing the right equipment – Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (also known as MEWPs or AWPs) are often the right equipment. They provide a stable work platform in exactly the right place for as long as is needed. It sounds obvious, but that’s often all that is required to let the worker do a better job. But – and this is an important caveat – MEWPs are safe in the hands of trained operators. In untrained hands they can be a risk to the operator and bystanders. MEWPs are now a standard part of most construction sites; let’s use them safely and correctly to get the job done. Yours,

TA BL E OF C ON T E N T S

4 IN THE NEWS The latest information and reports from IPAF and the powered access industry.

10 THE BIG DEBATE A panel of experts discusses whether ladders should be banned on U.S. jobsites.

20 RESOURCES Find out how to receive free safety materials from IPAF.

21 ANSI STANDARDS UPDATE New standards are back on track after hitting a snag on their way to being published.

22 BRIDGING THE GAP Why it’s important to provide training in a manner the operator understands.

24 SPECIAL REPORT Industry stakeholders reveal their visions for powered access in 2028 and beyond.

28 ON THE HORIZON Ebbe Christensen, newly elected chairman of IPAF’s North American Regional Council, aims to increase and inspire membership across the region.

30 TODAY’S TECHNOLOGY A look at tilt and load sensor design changes.

31 EDUCATION The importance of retraining operators and how to approach the process.

32 FOCUS ON MCWPS Mast-climbing work platforms are finding new markets.

34 SPREAD THE WORD Let Andy Access help you get the word out on the safe use of MEWPs.

ORDER EXTRA COPIES OF THIS MAGAZINE FROM:

IPAF USA

225 Placid Drive, Schenectady, NY 12303 Tel: 518-280-2486 | Fax: 518-689-6800 usa@ipaf.org | www.ipaf.org

Tim Whiteman, CEO International Powered Access Federation www.ipaf.org PS IPAF is a not-for-profit organization created 35 years ago to promote the safe and effective use of MEWPs and MCWPs. Please visit www.ipaf.org for free resources and more information about us.

IPAF Elevating Safety is published by AC Business Media. This material is intended to provide general guidelines for safety and best practice in the use of powered access equipment. Under no circumstances should the material be used as an exclusive source of technical and safety information. The publishers disclaim liability for any loss, damage, injury or cost incurred.

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IPAF HEAD OFFICE

Moss End Business Village, Crooklands, Cumbria LA7 7NU, UK info@ipaf.org | www.ipaf.org | Matt Brereton, editor

IPAF NORTH AMERICA MEMBERSHIP OFFICE

800 Roosevelt Road, Suite C-312, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137 Tel: 630-942-6583 | Fax: 630-790-3095 usa@ipaf.org | www.ipaf.org

AC BUSINESS MEDIA

201 N. Main Street, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538-0803 800-538-5544 | Fax: 920-542-1133 | www.ForConstructionPros.com Eric Servais, publisher Tel: 800-538-5544, ext. 1244 | eservais@acbusinessmedia.com Jenny Lescohier, editor Tel: 800-538-5544, ext. 1237 | jlescohier@acbusinessmedia.com

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IN T HE NE W S

INTERNATIONAL AWARDS FOR POWERED ACCESS

WINNERS REVEALED IN MIAMI Dubai Named as Location of IPAF Summit and IAPAs 2019 Around 300 industry professionals gathered on March 8 in Miami to honor the winners of the 2018 International Awards for Powered Access (IAPAs). Jointly organized by Access International and IPAF, the IAPAs celebrate best practice and excellence in the powered access industry. Those assembled at the Hilton Miami Downtown were also the first to learn that the next edition of the awards ceremony will be held in Dubai, UAE. 2018 IAPA winners, and judges’ comments, were as follows: • Access Rental Company of the Year: UNITED RENTALS, US • Powered Access Pioneer: SHANGHAI HORIZON EQUIPMENT & ENGINEERING, CHINA • Contribution to Safe Working at Height: HAULOTTE, France, for its ACTIV’Lighting System • Product of the Year – Mast Climbing Work Platforms/Hoists: SCANCLIMBER, Finland, for its Counter Balanced Extension system for MCWPs • Product of the Year – Scissor Lifts and Vertical Masts: HEMATEC ARBEITSBÜHNEN, Germany, for its Helix 1205 mast boom • Product of the Year – Selfpropelled Booms & Atrium Lifts: NIFTYLIFT, UK, for its self-propelled HR21 4x4 (Mark II) • Product of the Year – Vehicle/ trailer-mounted: RUTHMANN, Germany, for its T650 HF • Project of the Year: UP MAKINE, TURKEY, for its work on the NEW ISTANBUL AIRPORT

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• Innovative Technology: CONTROL DYNAMICS, US, for its PIRANHA LOX SYSTEM INTERLOCK HARNESS • IPAF Training Center of the Year: A-PLANT, UK • IPAF Training Instructor of the Year: PETER WALLACE of NIS Training in the UK • Access Photograph of the Year (sponsored by Facelift): NEIL LAWRENCE, ORION PLATFORMS, for his picture of St Margaret’s Church, City of London, UK

2,000 rental locations. He is regularly consulted by financial institutions and equipment manufacturers. His book, Service Success, published in 1994, has become a bible for anyone interested in the rental business. His expertise has long been recognized in the industry. In 2006 he was inducted into the American Rental Association’s Hall of Fame, and in 2013 was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the European Rental Association. The independent, impartial judging panel spent a full day considering the more than 100 entries received. The IPAF/Access International judges made decisions based on the Lifetime Achievement Award merit of each entry and were excluded A renowned expert from entering their company for any on the rental indusaward. The 2018 judges were: try since establishing • Chris Bowers, former senior his own consultancy in vice president at NES Rentals, 1997, Dan Kaplan spent now retired; 15 years as president of • Chris Carmolingo, regional vice Hertz Equipment Rental BlueLine Rental; Kaplan grew • president, Corporation, during which Ib Steffensen, director and execsales from time he grew sales from utive board member at BMS of $58 million to over $500 Denmark; $58 million million and expanded from • Nick Selley, business developto over $500 55 domestic locations to ment director at AFI Group and million and 140 locations worldwide. IPAF president; expanded from • Tobias Ritzenhöfer, direcIn his years as a consultant he has worked tor of engineering at Teupen 55 domestic with rental companies all Maschinenbau. locations to over the world, helping • Euan Youdale, Access 140 locations International editor, was nonthem with their strategies worldwide and performing operationvoting chair of the judging panel. al reviews of more than

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IPAF MAKES MEWPS AVAILABLE IN

GLOBAL BIM LIBRARY

A selection of 3D virtual Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs) and Mast-Climbing Work Platforms (MCWPs) is now available in the National Building Information Modeling (BIM) Library with more to follow, thanks to the efforts of experts from the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF). BIM is increasingly recognized and employed around the world by architects and project managers when designing new buildings and considering how they will be constructed and maintained. Three-dimensional computer modeling allows a 360-degree view of any structure even before it is built, and allows for better project planning and to map out the construction and maintenance process in the virtual realm. Now IPAF has developed scalable 3D BIM MEWPs and MCWPs that can be used to visualize their use in the construction of new buildings or the conservation, repair or maintenance of existing structures before work gets underway. This allows for easier selection of the correct type of machine as well as correct height and outreach so that managers can plan work more effectively, save money and reduce the risk of misuse on site. IPAF has had seven virtual models produced and accepted into the UK-based National BIM Library for use in modelling projects around the globe. These completed models are: MCWP; Vertical Lift; Mobile Boom – Telescopic; and Mobile Boom – Articulated; Static Boom – Spider type; Static Boom

– Vehicle-mounted; and Static Boom – Trailer-mounted. The models are each based on a typical, generic design as opposed to specific makes or models of machine, but all are adjustable for height and outreach, so they can be used to identify what type and capability of equipment is required by adjusting the specifications to suit the intended task and checking things like reach and clearance. Tim Whiteman, CEO & MD of IPAF, comments: “Architects and project planners now have access to scalable 3D models of MEWPs and MCWPs that can be used to design construction or maintenance work at height more effectively, and in particular to identify the capabilities and limitations of specific types of equipment before that work begins. It has taken a particularly creative approach to come up with these BIM models, which others have previously attempted but were thwarted by the sheer variety of different shapes, sizes and capabilities of equipment available in the market. “This is certainly in line with IPAF’s core mandate – promoting the safe and effective use of MEWPs and MCWPs worldwide. I am sure the new virtual models will prove valuable as BIM is increasingly being adopted for a whole range of applications in countries around the globe.” The new IPAF MEWP and MCWP models can be found using the search term “International Powered Access Federation” on the National BIM Library at www.nationalbimlibrary.com/search

IPAF LAUNCHES MAJOR GLOBAL WEBSITE UPGRADE The International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) has launched a major upgrade of its website, featuring a complete design overhaul, more interactive menus and an intuitive interface that automatically picks up a user’s region and language settings. The new version of the www.ipaf.org site has been redesigned to make browsing and searching easier. The website is more responsive, offering a unified experience across devices, and there are new features including an enhanced members-only section and a function that allows users to search for their nearest accredited IPAF Training Center by location. The new website reflects the expansion of IPAF globally and multilingually. The website is available in ten language variants – universal English, English US, English GB, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and simplified Chinese. Tim Whiteman, CEO and MD of IPAF, comments: “The goal of the new website has been to make it easier for the visitor to find the information they need or to guide them to find it. New features include a map-based search tool to find IPAF-approved Training Centers near you. “The Resource Library is home to all of the IPAF publications, guidance documents and safety campaign material that members and non-members told us they regard as valuable. With filters on these sections its easier than ever to find what you’re looking for. Content is also auto-filtered based on the region of the visitor, which can be manually set, and there is a new smart site search, making it easier to find the right content quickly. “The members’ area has also been completely overhauled, making it much easier to find documents such as IPAF Council and committee minutes and to access member-only resources such as official IPAF logos they can use on their own websites and stationery.”

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IN T HE NE W S

IPAF Report:

CONTINUING BOOM FOR MEWP RENTAL MARKET The global Mobile Elevating Work Platform (MEWP) rental market is booming, with the sector once again outstripping wider construction and sustained recovery in places such as Spain and Brazil that suffered during economic downturns, according to the latest market analysis from the IPAF. At the end of 2017, the worldwide rental MEWP fleet size

reached an estimated 1.35 million units, compared to 1.25m estimated at end 2016 – a year-on-year increase of around 8%, according to IPAF’s Powered Access Rental Market Report, exclusively compiled by leading global research intelligence company Ducker Worldwide. The US rental market continued to power ahead, growing by around 4% in terms of fleet size with the total number of units surpassing 580,000. Rental rates continued to increase slightly

and in terms of outlook similar growth is expected for 2018. The European MEWP rental market also had another positive year in 2017; for the second year in a row all indicators were positive in all 10 European countries under study, with most markets experiencing strong overall revenue growth. Growth in South East Asia is being driven by China, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand in particular, while the boom in the Middle East is nowhere better exemplified than in the UAE, which experienced continued growth in fleet size and rental activity, driven in no small part by the global 2020 Expo world trade show. Meanwhile, the Latin American MEWP rental fleet grew as a whole but more slowly than in most other markets. Positivity was underpinned in particular by the sustained recovery in Brazil, which prior to 2016 experienced several difficult years during which the market declined through a period of economic and political turbulence. The Powered Access Global Rental Market Report is compiled by Ducker Worldwide exclusively for IPAF and based on interviews with rental companies and other industry experts globally. Research for this year’s report was conducted in April 2018. The new report is available to purchase now, while the 2017 report can be purchased at a 50% discount and older editions downloaded free from www.ipaf.org/reports

Latest Andy Access posters contain MCWP-specific advice The latest selection of award-winning Andy Access posters has now been released by IPAF, taking the total number in the series so far to 20. IPAF is advising employers to download one poster a month and to make them part of their company’s ongoing safety messaging. The latest messages include three for Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWP) operations – Caution with guardrails; Setting up on a slope?; and Correct MEWP selection – and for the first time there are also posters specifically for Mast-Climbing Work Platforms (MCWPs): Don’t overload the platform; and Do not interfere with ties. The latest updates bolster IPAF’s

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popular series of safety posters, which last year was recognized by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) in the UK. The posters are all available as a free download to anyone wishing to access them at www.ipaf.org/ AndyAccess and have been translated into eight languages including Chinese. There is also a series of accompanying Toolbox Talks being developed, which can also be downloaded for free from the IPAF website www.ipaf.com/resources

Looking in more detail at some of the latest messages, IPAF’s “Setting up on a slope?” Andy Access poster reminds managers and operators to carefully assess gradient and ground conditions and to ensure outriggers and spreader pads are on level and stable ground before carrying out work, while the “Don’t overload the platform” poster cautions against exceeding the specified weight limit on MCWPs. IPAF Andy Access posters and Toolbox Talks series are available free to download from www.ipaf.org/AndyAccess and www.ipaf.org/resources Find out more about IPAF’s global safety campaign at www.ipaf.org/campaigns

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SAFETY STARTS WITH EVERYONE Skyjack and all OEMs can help organizations such as IPAF collect as much data they need. It’s only through this collective data that they can identify trends within the industry and work together with industry leaders to find solutions. The International Powered Access Federation (IPAF), encourages its members to uphold professionalism within the industry and encourages their members, including Skyjack, to report data on incidents involving their machines. This helps IPAF anonymously catalogue incidents across the industry and track trends pertaining to safe and unsafe use. According to one report, “the fatal injury rate (FIR) for Mobile access equipment declined in 2016, despite the fact that the total Mobile Elevating Work Platform (MEWP) rental fleet and number of rental days worldwide increased significantly over the same period.”

Setting a Standard The IPAF training program, in compliance with ISO Standard 18878, helps set a standard throughout the industry and provides successful trainees an internationally recognized Powered Access License (PAL)

Card, safety guide, log book, and certificate. This program is wildly recognized and taught in third party certified training centres across the globe. A list of IPAF authorized training centres can be found on ipaf.org. The work put in by standards committees, OEMs and owners to provide a safe working environment still needs to be aided by the operator abiding by proper safety protocols on site. Ensuring that operators are completing their daily prechecks before using the machine, and reporting any non-conformities keeps the machine in a state for safe operation and helps the owner understand the state their equipment is in for ongoing maintenance.

ELEVATE – more than telematics A way of streamlining the daily pre-check process for the operator is through the use of technology on jobsites. In the case of Skyjack, the new ELEVATE telematics solution provides step-by-step prompts for pre-checks based on the machine being operated on. This integration is aimed at eliminating missed checkpoints and ensuring that owners and rental companies have the opportunity to receive information on their machines in real time, which in turn helps reduce future issues. For more information please go to skyjack.com/elevate.

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www.skyjack.com

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IN T HE NE W S

SOARING TRAINING DEMAND Update to IPAF’s global AND GLOBAL REACH TAKES auxiliary controls decal

IPAF TO NEW HEIGHTS IPAF has experienced another year of global growth, seeing membership rise by 6.6% year-on-year, a 7.8% increase in turnover and global training delivery up by around 4%. The figures – detailed in IPAF’s Annual Report 2017, published in eight languages including for the first time in Chinese – show membership increased from 1,240 at the end of 2016 to 1,322 last year, extending IPAF’s footprint into 66 territories worldwide, including five new countries: Algeria, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq and Latvia. Demand for IPAF training soared last year, with 164,662 people successfully completing an IPAF course in 2017 – 3.7% more than the 158,727 that did so in 2016. Significant training growth was experienced in the Gulf States, which were 27.2% up on the previous year’s figure (which in turn was 49.3% higher than 2015). Training demand in Latin America was 21.8% higher, reversing a downward trend seen in previous years, while the UK saw an increase of 5% in the year. During November 2017, IPAF issued the 1.5 millionth PAL Card operator licence since the initiative began – at year-end there were almost 725,000 valid PAL Cards in circulation worldwide. IPAF invested in new staff, better technology and training systems and participated in events in more countries than ever before, including three in mainland China – hosting the IPAF Asia Conference & Showcase in Changsha, attending BICES in Beijing and supporting the inaugural APEX Asia event in Shanghai. Speaking at the IPAF AGM in Miami, Tim Whiteman, CEO & managing director of IPAF, said: “IPAF’s reach and influence has extended further, and we now deliver our training to an ever-increasing number of MEWP and MCWP operators and managers in almost 70 territories worldwide. “IPAF’s mission since its inception in 1983 has always been safety and the preservation of life. Today, as then, falls from height are the number one workplace killer. There is a safe way to carry out temporary work at height: Properly trained and supervised operators using the correct powered access equipment for the job – that’s the message IPAF is still spreading around the globe, 35 years on.” The full report is available now in English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, simplified Chinese and Spanish, and can be downloaded free from www.ipaf.org.

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IPAF has confirmed it has updated one of its most widely used global safety decals for use on Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs) – launching a redesign of the decal that is applied to machines to indicate where the auxiliary lowering controls are located. Andrew Delahunt, IPAF’s Technical & Safety Director, says: “The new design has been developed in consultation with IPAF members via its technical committees, and provides an easy-to-comprehend and clearly visible reminder to operators, managers or supervisors of MEWP operations as to where the auxiliary lowering controls are on the particular machine being operated. “The existing decal design has been subtly improved and continues to be aligned to international safety standards; we urge manufacturers, dealers, distributors, rental companies and owners of MEWP equipment to update the machines in their fleets with the new decal at their earliest convenience. “The decal was initially developed by IPAF after our CEO Tim Whiteman observed an experienced operator had difficulty in finding the auxiliary lowering controls while carrying out a routine pre-use inspection. Despite the fact this particular operator had carried out thousands of such inspections before, a temporary ‘blind spot’ meant he was forced to consult the owners’ manual in order to find the controls. “Obviously, any such delay in a situation where the auxiliary controls are required while someone urgently searches for them is undesirable, necessitating clearly labelled controls so a supervisor or colleague on the ground knows what to do and can step in quickly if the machine loses functionality or cannot be operated from the platform. “IPAF’s auxiliary lowering controls decals have become widespread in our industry, and have no doubt been a useful aid in numerous situations where temporary work at height has gone wrong or posed a risk to operator safety. “IPAF advises that a clear rescue plan must be in place before using the MEWP. A rescue plan will include all the actions required to recover the platform in the case of machine malfunction by using the auxiliary controls, and equally importantly how to operate the MEWP from the ground in an emergency. Visit www.ipaf.org/contact or check www.ipaf.org for the full range of stickers, safety messages and Andy Access posters available free of charge.

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T HE BIG DE B AT E

SHOULD LADDERS from US BE Jobsites? This traditional means of working at height can be dangerous, but getting American workers to adopt safer powered access alternatives comes with its own particular challenges B y Jenny Lescohier, edi t or

o anywhere building work is being done and you will likely find a ladder. Dating back at least 10,000 years, ladders are even older than the wheel and definitely some of the oldest man-made technology still in use. But despite their ubiquity and endurance, ladders are often not the best tool for the job, especially in this day and age when there are so many safer alternatives for low level access. According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention, a study by PhDs Socias, Menendez, Collins and Simeonov examined ladder falls and discovered that:

»» 43% OF FATAL FALLS in the last decade have involved a ladder »» AMONG ALL WORKERS, 20% OF ALL FATAL FALLS involved ladders »» AMONG CONSTRUCTION WORKERS, 81% OF FALL INJURIES treated in U.S. emergency rooms involved a ladder Statistics aside, it’s clear the use of ladders comes with some hazards. But should we stop using them? Should they be banned from US jobsites? We asked a panel of industry experts what they think. Following is an excerpt from that discussion.

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Jenny Lescohier, editor, Elevating But the message has less to do Safety: Ladders are a low-cost and with safety and more to do with how efficient tool – how much are they fast we can get the job done. The bigused on today’s construction jobsites gest obstacles we face are a) we’ve and should they be the first choice always done it this way, and b) we to gain temporary access to work at already have the ladders. height? Trying to get rid of ladders based Tony Groat, manager, IPAF North on a safety message is a nice idea, America: I believe ladders should be but people really want to hear about the last choice for gaining access to efficiency, getting the job done fastwork at height on a construction site, er with some profit. In Europe, where and we need to raise awareness of the the use of ladders is far less than in assumptions and decisions made in North America, studies have shown their use. A proper site risk assessment it is three times faster to do work off a is required and must identify hazwork platform than a ladder because ards, evaluate risk and develop control you’re unrestricted, you can use both measures. This includes selection, prohands. Based on inefficiency alone, vision and use of suitable equipment ladders are a one of the most archaic to perform the task. common devices on our sites. While often not suitable equipment Phil Holwell, senior director for the task, ladders are used commonof engineering at JLG Industries: ly on many construction sites for the Ladders are used everywhere, mainsimple reason that they are a low cost ly due to their portability, but they’re option, readily accessible, versatile, also often used because operations are practical and effective in the correct being done out of sequence; somework environment, body comes in and providing tempohas to use temporary In my experience, rary access to work ladders are perceived access like a ladat height. In my der to work around as a “tool of the experience, they or work trade”, requiring little something are perceived as a in a space where to no training as one is work should have “tool of the trade”, in every household, so already been done. requiring little to everyone assumes Obviously, a ladder no training as one is in every houseis a simple, portathey know how hold – so everyone ble way of getting to use one. – Tony Groat assumes they know to height. Some ladhow to use one. ders are getting more TJ Lyons, Eastern Region EHS and more complex – with wider bases director at Total Facility Solutions: and platforms at the top – as they try There are more ladders than we need to address safety concerns, but then on today’s jobsites, that’s for sure, and they’re not as portable. it’s troubling to me. In 2011, I develThere’s nothing wrong with a oped the “Ladders Last” program for ladder for a lot of jobs, but the risk Turner Construction Co. in New York, assessments of those jobs is crucial. NY, with the aim of educating those One of the important elements is how in construction that ladders are ineffilong are you going to be on that ladcient and often dangerous. That was der? Fatigue is a key issue. Standing a real game-changer and still a sucand balancing on a step is tiring and cessful program there. Ladders should leads to fatigue, and if the ladder is always be considered a last resort. being used for too many hours, that’s (Continued)

Jenny Lescohier is the editor of IPAF Elevating Safety.

Tony Groat is the manager of IPAF in North America.

TJ Lyons is the Eastern Region EHS director at Total Facility Solutions.

Phil Holwell is the senior director of engineering at JLG Industries.

Elie Nassif (MOL) is the provincial specialist, construction, at the Ontario Ministry of Labour.

Eric Medley is the director of sales and marketing at Bauer Ladder.

•

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T HE BIG DE B AT E

when people take shortcuts. Coming down and missing the bottom step is one of the most common mistakes that leads to injury and it’s very often related to fatigue. Elie Nassif (MOL), provincial specialist, construction at the Ontario Ministry of Labour: Ladders are quite commonly used on today’s construction jobsites, mostly for access and egress. Workers do also work off ladders – especially step ladders. They should definitely not be the first choice to gain temporary access to work at height. There are other means, both in terms of immediate safety – providing better protection against falls – and in terms of ergonomics. Scaffolds and mobile elevating work platforms are definitely a better choice than ladders, both in terms of access and egress and for doing the work. Granted, there are situations where ladders are easier to use – such as when the location is too tight to allow other means of access. However, a work plan and hazard assessment are advisable prior to deciding to use ladders on an ongoing basis. Some of the concerns are fall protection, proximity to overhead power lines (especially when moving the ladder from one location to another), plus fatigue and ergonomic considerations. Lescohier: What are the primary hazards associated with using ladders and how can they be mitigated? Groat: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 20% of fatal falls were from ladders in 2009 and another study identified that 50% of all ladder-related accidents were due

OSHA states that training of the personnel using ladders can prevent 100% of the accidents.

to individuals carrying items as they climbed. As simple as ladders appear to be to use, ladder violations are always in the top ten OSHA violations cited, and the sixth highest in 2017. OSHA states that training of the personnel using ladders can prevent 100% of the accidents. Falls are the leading hazard and electrocution is another potential hazard. Falls are mostly caused by the use of faulty ladders, the improper set-up of a ladder, the incorrect use of a ladder, and selecting the wrong type of ladder for the task. Eric Medley, director of sales and marketing at Bauer Ladder: Overreaching is a problem, and it’s an issue of the operator not being patient. It’s the same with missing the last step. If the user knows the proper way to use the ladder and has the patience, it’s not a dangerous tool to use. Holwell: Hazards are common with any jobs working at height. With ladders, those hazards often center around floor conditions and whether the ladder is secure on the floor or ground surface. The process of climbing up and climbing down, often with hands full, becomes a fatigue issue. The constant repositioning leads to shortcuts. It’s more common on the small jobs. When you get to larger, professional businesses that are taking an ethical approach to how they look after their people, even the client doesn’t want to have safety incidents on their site or on their project, so they’re doing a proper risk assessment and at least a review of the available alternatives. Risk assessment for a ladder really should take into account whether it’s a temporary (Continued)

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T HE BIG DE B AT E

job, will the work at height require movement where the to the company employing the workers. The cost of incidents operator needs both hands? and the damages are escalating, so it’s less acceptable and Lyons: By about 2:30 in the afternoon, someone workmore costly to use a ladder in a professional scenario. ing on a ladder all day is just physically exhausted and not Lescohier: What are the employer’s requirements and paying much attention, so they miss the bottom step. Don’t responsibilities when placing workers at height? kid yourself, that’s due to fatigue. People always talk about Groat: In addition to compliance with hazard-specifelectrocution as a common hazard, but it’s really fatigue. ic standards, all employers have the duty to provide a work Ladders are a dangerous device as designed and if you are environment “free from recognized hazards that are causnot paying enough attention a fall will land you in the ER ing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm”. 25% of the time. Nassif: In Ontario, the employer must A US Consumer Lescohier: Have incidents with be adequately protected by the highest Product Safety ladders increased? If so, why? ranked method that is practicable; guardGroat: A US Consumer Product Safety Commission report rails would be the first priority, followed Commission report states that over the by a travel restraint system (which would states that over last ten years the amount of ladder-related the last ten years not allow the worker to reach any edge or injuries has increased 50%. Ladders seem opening from which s/he may fall, followed the amount of to be an easy, fast and economical soluby a fall restricting system (which is a type ladder-related tion to gain access to work at height. The of fall arrest system that would limit the fall injuries has concept of completing work fast to make distance to 0.6 m (2 ft), a fall arrest system, increased 50% money permeates our culture. We think, then a safety net. Should the worker be “Should I reach a little further or add exposed to a fall and be using a personal time to climb down and move the ladder?” or “It’s a little fall protection system or be protected by a safety net, there short of what I need, but I’ll make it work…” We’re creatare two sets of training that ing a culture focused on doing more with less, and it has the worker must have: consequences. Are proper risk assessments being comChief prevention offipleted prior to all tasks being performed? Are the correct cer (CPO)-approved training tools being selected/provided for the task? Do workers foldelivered by a CPO approved low the work methods defined in the risk assessment or do training provider and operational failures interfere with safe-use planning? Can Training provided by the a worker be expected to work standing on a ladder all day, employer on the specific sysand maintain balance while climbing up and down? tem the worker is using. Lyons: Based on my observations, I’d say we have In addition to the above, fewer ladder incidents because we’re using fewer ladders. should a fall arrest system Around 2011-12, the idea of phasing out ladders came be in use, the employer must about, and I suspect ladder use has declined since then. develop written procedures The real area to look at for ladder fatalities is in residential for the rescue of a worker construction. Those folks don’t pay the needed attention to whose fall would have been safety and are very production driven. Large commercial arrested by the system in use. companies have time to stop, have the revenues to look at Lyons: In the US, we’ve alternatives and then pay for them. That’s not something typically blamed the workyou can easily do in the trades. er for a fall, for making a mistake, but in most cases, The cost of incidents and the damages we provide workers with a are escalating, so it’s less acceptable poor tool and expect them to make the most of it. In the and more costly to use a ladder past 15 to 20 years, howevin a professional scenario. SAYS USE SAFER er, we’ve started focusing on ALTERNATIVES FIRST Holwell: If anything, the use of ladders is probably as the tools and equipment that prevalent as it has always been, relative to smaller compamake it safer for the workers nies, due to their functionality, ease of use and low cost. What vs. workers having to make has changed is the use of ladders is becoming less acceptable a decision to be safe. The on construction jobsites around the world, to the client, and job of a general contractor

‘Ladders LAST’

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In the past 15 to 20 years... we’ve started focusing on the tools and equipment that make it safer for the workers vs. workers having to make a decision to be safe.

is to find ways to work faster and easier, which by default, will often be safer. Holwell: In the UK, the “Shattered Lives” program has been a real drive toward awareness of the impact of severe injuries in the work place. That initiative, Health and Safety (Offences) Act 2008, introduced in 2009, increased the fines available to the courts and also introduced the ability to imprison individuals for H&S offences (not just for fatalities). Ultimately, it really elevated the knowledge about the hazard of falls from height. Previously, the company could be sued for negligence, now individual managers can be sued and sent to prison. It helped push proper risk assessments and got employers to pay close attention to any work at height, and to any traffic on the jobsite. That documentation is now required by law. I can foresee a time when the legislation will change in the US too. There are already locations where more stringent laws are being applied… like New York where unionized work forces are pushing for safer ways of working. New ANSI standards for MEWPs are now mirroring the most stringent requirements in the world, as opposed to being less stringent in the US. That being said, I think there are signs that people being injured in the workplace is becoming less acceptable, and as global companies are more and more careful about ethical business practices, and also pushing and driving for safer work practices, the culture will find a way of improving standards that have to be met without going to punitive legislation. Lyons: Fatalities in the UK have dropped due to the Shattered Lives program – focus on falls. It’s produced remarkable results. Here in US, when someone falls off a ladder, no one goes to jail for it, but in the UK, the employer is held liable. And it’s not just ladders but all falls from height. If everyone knew they were going to be held liable, I think we would all look a lot closer at falls in the US. And we learn from tradition.

Today’s young apprentices are on jobs with people who learned the trade in the 70s and 80s. It’s going to take some time to get rid of tribal learning, our passing of old ways down from generation to generation. We’re trying to get it in the minds of our youngsters starting in the trades that maybe you shouldn’t be using a ladder. Lescohier: What are a user’s/employer’s responsibilities when selecting the right equipment for a task? Holwell: There is legislation around the standards that some of the equipment has to meet but typically, there should be a risk assessment of the job being done. OSHA would say, ladders last. There are best practices, different ways of mitigating risks, and if you can’t eliminate the risk, mitigate it by lowering its severity. Near miss reporting is also important. Employers should be recording times things nearly happened, recognizing what the hazards were and eliminating the risk before something happens. Nassif: The employer’s responsibilities reside in the adequate choice of the most suitable system to use, making sure that the workers are adequately trained and supervised and that written rescue procedures are in place. The worker’s responsibilities are to follow the instructions provided by the employer and the training with respect to inspection, maintenance and use of the system. Lescohier: How is that accomplished? What are the tools available to assist a contractor in making the right decisions? Nassif: The employer needs to do a hazard assessment and a job planning to this effect. Health and safety associations provide related services. There are also private consultants offering their services. Unions also provide education to their members in this regard. Information on the Ministry of Labor’s website may be used for guidance. Lescohier: Do regulations support or prohibit use of certain equipment to gain access? Groat: According to the Ministry of Labour, Ontario Ladder Safety in Construction, July 2011, “Ladders should only be used to work at heights as a last resort, when location restrictions prevent the use of a work platform.” BC Worksafe says “they should only be used if safer alternatives such as scaffolding and mobile elevating work platforms have been assessed first and are not reasonably practical for the task.” Nassif: Yes, the Ontario Regulation for Construction Projects allows the use of ladders, scaffolds, elevating work platforms, ramps and stairs to gain access. They put stringent conditions for the use of cranes (for instance) to gain access. More restrictions are placed on working off ladders: work is encouraged to be conducted off a work (Continued)

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To be a viable ladder replacement, machines have to be light and maneuverable enough to get to the site, be able to be transferred in smaller and lighter vehicles, and easily moved around the inside of the workplace.

of missing that bottom step or working at the top of a set of steps. There are a wide range of options in the market including our own Eco Lift, which features an energy storage system that enables a very light hand crank action to elevate the platform to 5 and 7 feet, and the LiftPod, which uses a hand drill to power it. That machine, available in 7ft and 14ft. lift heights with respective weights of 200 and 320 lbs., can be broken down to 50-lb. parts for easy transport. Both options allow workers to elevate their tools as well as some materials. – Phil Holwell Medley: We’re seeing ladder manufacturers place a greater emphasis on platform ladders than ever before, where the user has a place to stand while they work. All of us are also working toward taking some of the weight out of extension ladders wherever we can, in order to minimize injuries associated with ladder handling, which is more prevalent than falls from ladders. As a manufacturer, we have a responsibility to create a product that We’re seeing ladder addresses the needs of our customers in the manufacturers place a safest way possible. greater emphasis on Holwell: To be a viable ladder replaceplatform ladders than ever ment, machines have to be light and before, where the user has a place maneuverable enough to get to the site, be able to be transferred in smaller and lighter to stand while he works. vehicles, and easily moved around the inside of the workplace. From the operator’s perspecplatform or scaffold as these provide more room for the tive, they require little effort, greatly reducing the fatigue worker, are more stable and sound from an ergonomics of moving and positioning the machines. There’s room for perspective. Working off ladders should be the last resort. tools, workers can go up and down hands-free, there are In all instances, the user of the equipment or tool must no steps to miss, and there’s a rail around the platform, comply with the manufacturer’s operating manual in terms keeping the workers in a safe position, not standing on of use, maintenance and inspection of the equipment. a step. Far from reducing productivity, replacing ladders Lescohier: What other options do contractors have to with personnel lifts significantly increases productiviplace their workers at temporary work at height? ty due to reduced fatigue, correct height and positioning, Lyons: We need to start a conversation about other the ability to freely use both hands and to move around options and the whole idea of hand-powered lifts, which the platform, the use the tool trays, and the rated platform can be thrown in the back of a pickup truck, cranked by capacities of 330 lbs. hand, etc. There are many opportunities for these low-levLyons: Going back to tribal knowledge… we’ve done a el access methods. poor job of educating people about alternatives to ladders. Holwell: The vast majority of ladder applications We need to be encouraging contractors to look at their are in four- to 20-ft. working heights. Most jobs typicalinefficiency. We know you can work faster and easier from ly require getting a device that will go through a standard a lift vs. a ladder, but we formed our discussions incorrectdoorway, won’t damage flooring, and can go in and out of ly. All people want to hear is what’s in it for them. Will it personnel elevators. There are a variety of powered and make the job safer? Honestly, that’s not a big instigator of non-powered platforms that all have these things in comchange for most firms. If the “ladders last” conversation is mon. They eliminate the risk of not being able to hold on based on increasing profit and schedule, they’ll listen very while moving materials up and down the ladder, the risk closely. p

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SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS A

t JLG, we continually strive to make our operations and the equipment we manufacture safe. This supports our core belief that everyone deserves to leave work each day in the same condition in which they arrived. When it comes to JLG products, the emphasis on safety begins at the design engineering phase and transcends through our manufacturing and test facilities to ensure the highest of safety standards are maintained. Self-governance is critical throughout our organization; however, we also adhere to the Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs) regulations for North, South and Central America, developed and published by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Changes to A92.20 are expected to be published in the coming months and have been the catalyst of much discussion within the equipment industry. Equipment manufacturers will have one year from the date of publication to incorporate the required changes into their aerial products and training materials. As the industry leader, JLG was first to market with a number of product safety enhancements, many of which we anticipate will be incorporated into the new standard. Changes to A92.20 are expected to include: • SUSTAINED INVOLUNTARY OPERATION: Hand-operated controls in the platform will be required to protect against sustained involuntary operation. This will result in additional protection systems at platform controls. • LOAD SENSING: Machines will be required to actively monitor load and interrupt normal operations and sound an alarm if overloaded. This will result in new systems to monitor platform loads. • WIND FORCE REQUIREMENTS: To be rated for outdoor use, machines will need to meet stability requirements that include 28-mph winds. This may require reduced platform capacities and/or increased weight for additional stability. • PNEUMATIC TIRE REQUIREMENTS: Stability considerations for failure of pneumatic tires will be added. As a result, many machines will only be available with solid and/or foam-filled tires. • TILT SENSING REQUIREMENTS: Machines that could previously only operate on level surfaces will be used on

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slopes but are required to have a tilt sensor alarm and function cutout. The system will disable boom and drive functions if the incline surpasses the slope limit. • ENTRANCE GATES: Flexible devices, like chains, will no longer acceptable entrance gates, and toe boards will be required on all areas of the platform. • PLATFORM RAILINGS: The railing height requirement will be raised for small indoor scissor lifts. To fit through standard doorways, folding rails will replace fixed, nonfolding rails on select models. We are proud that JLG MEWPs currently include: SkyGuard®, JLG’s enhanced control panel protection system as standard equipment on all booms, foam-filled or solid tires on all MEWPs and scissors equipped with self-closing gates and toe boards, many with fold down rails. Our focus on safety doesn’t stop when a machines ships. A strong emphasis on operator training is supported through a full range of training opportunities at our Training Center and Proving Grounds in McConnellsburg, PA or at the job site. In addition to product changes, JLG expects familiarization and training requirements to be updated as part of the new ANSI standard. The Manual of Responsibilities, which currently has multiple versions, may become a single document covering responsibilities for all MEWPs. Training requirements on the machines are expected to expand to cover not only operators, but also occupants. Supervisors will likely be required to receive training on MEWP selection, applicable rules and regulations, potential product hazards and knowledge of the operator’s manual. Safety and safe machine operation must always be a priority. While the new ANSI standard will bring a number of changes to the way aerial equipment business is conducted, it’s important to keep in mind the focused intent—improved safety. And when it comes to safety improvements, everyone wins. JLG will continue to be the MEWP industry leader through continuous product improvement, innovating new technologies and enhanced training programs that keep workers out of harm’s way. For more information, visit jlg.com/ANSI. p

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OR DE R Y OUR S UP P L IE S N O W

IPAF offers RESOURCES Free safety materials include posters, key rings, decals, videos and more

s the global not-for-profit organization promoting the safe use of MEWP and MCWP equipment, IPAF offers a full palette of safety materials that are available free to readers. These range from posters, key rings and guidance notes, to decals, videos and ITEM DESCRIPTION

online resources. TO ORDER, simply fill out the form below and fax back to 630-790-3095, email usa@ipaf.org, call 630-942-6583 or visit www.ipaf.org

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KEY TAGS Pre-use inspections

Complete form and return for FREE valuable resources!

POSTERS Machine categories Spread the load! Atrium lift machines

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TECHNICAL GUIDANCE Personal fall protection in aerial work platforms Familiarization Working near power lines Name and Mailing Address:

ess l body harn Wear a ful t lanyard in with a shor platforms. e typ boom

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h ipped wittilt ine is equ This mach r overloading and sensors fo when limits stop r’s manual. ctions will Certain fun ed. Read the operato are exceed IPA Check the

en plates MEWPs wh . Spreader ers boom-type used with ted on their outrigg or Ps that have sary. other MEW fully supp all used with tes they are not neces s should be sment indica der plate Note: Spreaunless a risk asses outriggers

Technical guidance is available at the Resources section of www.ipaf.org: • Statement of Best Practices of General Training and Familiarization for Aerial Work Platform Equipment • Statement of Best Practices of Personal Fall Protection Systems for Aerial Work Platform Equipment • Statement of Best Practices for Workplace Risk Assessment and Aerial Work Platform Equipment Selection • Best Practice Guidance for AWPs: Avoiding Trapping/ Crushing Injuries to People in the Platform • Guidance on Selection of Anti-Entrapment Devices for AWPs

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IPAF Elevating Safety 2018

F spreader

org pads.ipaf.

e load! Spread thshould always be

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Many IPAF safety videos are online at the Publications & Films section of www.ipaf.com or on our YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/user/IPAForg/videos: • Don’t get MAD, stay away from live lines • Pre-start inspections for vertical lifts and boom lifts • Spread the load! • Training saves lives! • Spot the mistake! • Only dummies don’t wear harnesses on booms Andy Access posters are free to download at www.ipaf.org/andyaccess

8/13/18 1:55 PM

S TA ND A R D S UP D AT E

Standard Delays:

The Broken Record Back on Track

By Tony Groat, IPAF Nor th America Manager

“T

“

ANSI A92 MEWP Standards are finally close to publication, after another last-minute delay to allow committees to better explain why some of the latest round of comments were rejected.

he changes are significant and to the MEWP manufacturers to address. will require reading, underA92.22 is known as the safe-use standard standing and implementing and, as the name implies, it specifies requireany requirements to meet your responsibilments for application, inspection, training, ities as stated in the suite of standards,” is a maintenance, repair and safe operation of statement that bears repeating. MEWPs. MEWP owners must properly mainWhile it may sound like a broken record, tain the MEWP; users/employers must ensure the new ANSI A92 Mobile Elevating Work all personnel whom they direct to work with Platform standards are finally close to publicaor on MEWP operations are qualified to pertion. The latest hurdle was that procedurally form all of the tasks required; and operators there was insufficient or inadequate documust be trained in compliance with this stanmentation as to the rationale for why some of dard regarding the inspection, application the last round of comments were rejected. and operation of MEWPs (including recogniWhile all comments were vetted and a tion and avoiding of hazards associated with rationale for each decision was expressed their operation). by the committees, the documented reasonA92.24 is known as the training staning was not always detailed enough to allow dard and provides methods and guidelines those outside the committee to understand to prepare MEWP training materials, defines — Tony Groat and impact their vote to approve or reject administrative criteria, and delivers elements the new standard. It was a lesson learned required for proper training and familiarand addressed as the comment documentation was ization. This is much more detailed than the prior updated and sent to the A92 consensus body for standard offering 11 topics that must be addressed revote. in general operator training. This vote was scheduled for conclusion by June Training must be delivered in a language the 28. The draft was then due to be sent to ANSI for trainee can understand and the user must ensure its final approval and to ascertain that the standard the operator of a MEWP is physically and mentaladheres to a set of requirements or procedures known as ly capable to operate the MEWP safely. The content of the “ANSI Essential Requirements: Due process requirements theory (classroom/online) and practical (hands-on) trainfor American National Standards”, which govern the consening, qualification for trainers, requirements for classroom and sus development process. practical evaluations, and documentation are newly stated When publication actually occurs, industry stake-holdrequirements. Training now also includes occupant knowlers will have 12 months to become compliant with the new edge and supervisor training. standards for the design, safe use and training of MEWPs. IPAF urges all MEWP industry professionals to take One year after publication is known as the effective date of advantage of the next 12 months to take action to ensure they the standard, the date after all must comply with the requirewill be compliant on or before the effective date. IPAF can ments defined in the standards. help companies or individuals get compliant, through training, Clearly manufacturers must address the requirements in technical or safety advice and through its range of technical the A92.20 design standard. This standard contains the strucand safety leaflets, posters and campaign materials. p tural design calculations and stability criteria, construction, safety examinations and tests that shall be applied before a Tony Groat is manager of IPAF North America, member of MEWP is first put into service. Users and operators do not the ANSI A92 main committee and sub-committees, and vice have any responsibilities within this standard and can leave it chair of the CSA B354 technical committee.

”

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BR IDGIN G T HE G A P By Tony Groat, IPAF Nor th America Manager

Reaching An Understanding T

raining is an essential tool for employers to meet their duty to provide a workplace safe from harm. Government regulations and industry standards require that employees receive training so that work will be performed in a safe manner. Training is defined in new industry standards as the instruction to enable the trainee to become a qualified person regarding the task to be performed, including knowledge regarding potential hazards. Training is the foundation of learning and combined with experience, creates the knowledge and skills to become qualified to perform specific tasks. Training and instruction involves imparting information, a definition that implies the information is presented in a manner the recipient is capable of understanding. In 2007, OSHA issued an OSHA Training Standards Policy Statement that says “employee training required by OSHA standards must be presented in a manner that employees can understand.” The following is an excerpt from the OSHA policy: “In practical terms, this means that an employer must instruct its employees using both a language and vocabulary that the employees can understand. For example, if an employee does not speak or comprehend English, instruction must be provided in a language the employee can understand. Similarly, if the employee’s vocabulary is limited, the training must account for that limitation. By the same token, if employees are not literate, telling them to read training materials will not satisfy the employer’s training obligation. As a general matter, employers are expected to realize that if they customarily need to communicate work instructions or other workplace information to employees at a certain vocabulary level or in a language other than English, they will also need to provide safety and health training to employees in the same manner.” In the US, a growing Spanish-speaking population has raised awareness of the need to provide training in Spanish. Similarly,

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IPAF Elevating Safety 2018

Training is a vital part of workplace safety and must be delivered in a manner employees can comprehend

the population in the Quebec province of Canada benefits from training in French. While these are well-known issues in the respective regions, each worker must receive training that they can understand. Language, literacy, comprehension issues must be identified and addressed prior to training. OSHA policy states “if a reasonable person would conclude that the employer had not conveyed the training to its employees in a manner they were capable of understanding, then the violation may be cited”. This training requirement is now part of the Canadian B354.8 and US A92.24 Mobile Elevating Work Platform (MEWP) training standards. B354.8 requires users “to identify and provide training in a language that the trainee understands” and A92.24 requires users to “ensure that training is presented in a manner that trainees can understand.” The OSHA policy statement offers guidance on how to apply “training in a manner employees can understand.” “As a general matter, employers are expected to realize that if they customarily need to communicate work instructions or other workplace information to employees at a certain vocabulary level or in a language other than English, they will also need to provide safety and health training to employees in the same manner.” MEWP operator training is a requirement. IPAF theory training is available from both instructor-led and online courses. It’s likely that online courses will be easier to offer in many languages, while instructor-led training is available in multiple languages. Furthermore, employers can offer instruction in learning the English language to non-English speaking employees. p

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S P E CI A L R E P OR T

The Future of Powered Access

Industry stakeholders make their predictions for the next decade and beyond B y Jenny Lescohier, edi t or

Is Your Company Ready for 2028?

o one can argue the world is changing very fast, on every level, and the rental and powered access industries are no exception. From equipment technology to training methods to the equipment operators themselves, nothing remains static. And for those who make their living from the sale, rental or use of powered access equipment, it’s fascinating to consider what direction the industry will take next. These matters were discussed by a panel of experts at the IPAF Summit in Miami last spring; following is an excerpt. Editor’s note: Comments have been edited for space and clarity.

Andy Studdert, former CEO, NES Rentals: What do think will be the biggest change in the powered access industry over the next ten years? Norty Turner, CEO, Riwal: I think construction in 2028 will be very much autonomous. We’ll get there in stages, but the design of how a construction project comes together, and how we will build will be increasingly important. There’s a lot of disruption coming, and it will bring a tremendous opportunity for the powered access industry. Michael Kneeland, CEO, United Rentals: I’m a day dreamer, so hold on here, but I think between the internet of things and artificial intelligence, we’re going to see a change in the way we approach our business and particularly, the customer. They’re putting sensors into almost everything that is possible now. They’re putting them in dry wall, just to determine temperature and moisture. They’re putting them in your clothing. So as machines take in information and learn, artificial intelligence will help us help our customers do better, quicker, safer… and I think for us, we have to be prepared to incorporate that into our daily business. Dan Kaplan, CEO, Daniel Kaplan Associates: We’ll see a total change in the rental industry in ten years. It will be dominated by extremely large players and a severe reduction of independents. Small companies located within a 15-miles radius of a national chain outlet stand no chance. They won’t be able to compete with the national accounts, who will offer pricing and

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IPAF Elevating Safety 2018

service that nobody can match… they’ll be so sophisticated, so good. It’s not going to be simple. You’re going to have to bring up the standards of what you’re doing to compete. The question is whether you can get to those standards unless you’ve got scale. Scale really matters. And you have to have the money to get there. Nick Selley, group business development director, AFI, and President of IPAF: I take a slightly contrarian view. I think there will be significant change, but I also think the services actually delivered will have to change. The population is changing, and a lot of people are now very comfortable using the internet. Uber is a classic example… how it’s disrupted the taxi market. The rental industry potentially may suffer the same fate, to some degree. How that will happen I’m not entirely certain at this point, but I think we have to be prepared that the traditional models we’ve all enjoyed that have remained fairly static will have to change and adapt to customer behavior. Studdert: What will be the major disrupters? Turner: I feel the way things will be built is going to be different. Technology that enables 3D printing, for example. Obviously, there will still be work done at height; jobs won’t change, the solutions will. So the solutions that will come down the pike, as far as access in construction, will be disruptive. I’m not suggesting access will go away, but the way things are built is changing. I think robotics are going to be disruptive but they will also provide an opportunity for us as well. In the future there will be boom lifts that don’t have a basket, just a robotic tool with arms on the end to put things in place. Kneeland: From a disruption standpoint, I don’t think we really know yet. For one thing, we have multi-generational customers. We’ve got Joe, who wants to sit down to lunch and talk it over, and then you’ve got Bob, a technical guy who wants

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IPAF OUTLINES CONSULTATION ON VIRTUAL REALITY AND PLATFORM SIMULATORS Earlier this year, the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) launched a global consultation to establish the possibilities for powered access training and safety guidance afforded by new technology such as virtual reality and platform simulators. VR is now a reality and IPAF’s worldwide network of almost 700 approved training centers are looking for guidance on how best to incorporate VR and the newest generation of simulators into training the more than 175,000 operators that obtain a PAL Card every year. IPAF launched a major consultation exercise with all training centers to see how best the technology can complement IPAF’s existing training program. For many years, simulators have been used as an effective means of training pilots in both the military and civil aviation sectors and have also been used to drill workers in high-risk environments such as the off-shore oil and gas industry. As the technology has become more sophisticated, mobile and affordable, the use of simulators and VR is becoming more established in the Mobile Elevating Work Platform (MEWP) realm. IPAF’s mission statement is to promote the safe and effective use of powered access worldwide. With this in mind, IPAF believes the use of VR with simulators for training MEWP operators is a positive development and should be welcomed. Tim Whiteman, IPAF’s CEO & MD, says: “There are lots of complex and potentially dangerous situations that can be experienced in a totally safe environment in the virtual realm that would be difficult or even impossible to recreate safely in most other training environments. “Our aim is always to find ways in which modern technology can complement our existing eLearning and classroom-based training for operators and managers. Who better to take advice from, than the more than 1,000 accredited IPAF instructors around the world? information fed straight to his computer so he can make decisions. Then you’ve got the millennials, who really don’t want to talk to anyone, unless they’ve got a problem, and they want to be in control of all of it. I think we have to sit back and ask, are we experimenting enough? I look at the rental industry as a disrupter. Yes, construction is going to change, technologies are going to change. I also think we need to be able to disrupt ourselves, and do something completely different and unheard of. I think over time, we’ll evolve, and the rate of change is getting exponentially faster. At United, we want to be like Uber. We’re running some processes that are trying to break the mold, but we haven’t gotten there yet. If you think about Uber for a moment… What they did was tackle the pain point of trying to find a taxi when it’s either hot, cold, or soaking wet, and then dealing with the payment process. It offered complete simplicity and that’s what they sold, and it made them grow so fast. Selley: It’s about finding a big mechanism that makes it easier to transact. One of the benefits of Uber is they offer an easily quantifiable service. In rental, we’re renting a very expensive asset and we’ve got to do a credit check because we

“The consultation exercise has been addressed to all relevant stakeholders within IPAF’s membership – manufacturers, training centers, rental companies, contractors, simulator developers and operators. “IPAF welcomes this technology and immediately endorses the use of VR simulators as a good training tool for MEWP operators, when used in addition to the current IPAF theory and practical training programs.” For more information about the IPAF VR and sim platform consultation and to give us your views, please email training@ipaf.org won’t give a $100,000 unit out to just anyone. There’s a defined risk, we know what the cost is, but renting on a weekly basis costs a fraction of the actual acquisition cost. I’ve not seen any model to transact something like this on an ecommerce basis that fully works. I know United has got a system, I know we have got a system, but the industry still has a long way to go. Studdert: That’s true, our transactions are a bit more complicated than pick up and drop off.

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F U T UR E OF T HE INDU S T R Y Euan Youdale, editor of Access International: How will the manufacturing sector look in ten years with so many new players coming into the industry. What effect they will have? Turner: I was at Bauma China a couple years ago, and there were 106 Chinese aerial work platform manufacturers. The maturity arc of our industry continues to progress and as it does mature, that will drive more consolidation from manufacturers. Those that will be strong in ten years will be those that will innovate, and how they go about innovation is critical. The ability to understand those jobs and bring forth innovative solutions will dictate success. Kneeland: We’re on the cutting edge of what’s possible. Even the futuristic “exosuits” you see, where you’re like a robot, are already real, the military uses them, and metal facilities are using them. I could easily see a hover craft coming as a form of access. I’m sure the military is doing something very similar to that already, to elevate their people. Drones are another way of elevating things, and moving materials around. We have to be cognizant of what technology is out there and challenge ourselves. It’s not only the manufacturers. Tim Whiteman, CEO, IPAF: IPAF represents the interests of small, medium and large rental companies and manufacturers. What advice would you give me about starting up a MEWP rental business?

Turner: Get good access to capital because you’re going to need a lot if you’re going to compete. Great people are also critical. These are pretty basic things but without them, you won’t succeed. The rental business takes a lot of capital – we don’t make one dime until we buy a rental fleet – so that’s absolutely critical. And then how you go about knowing your customer, and how you incorporate digital technology to get to know your customer is going to be absolutely critical. Selley: Scale is one way to go, but the market has always been relatively fragmented. You either have to be small and/or relatively niche, or go for significant scale. The problem is there is no middle ground. Once you go to the middle ground, you need the infrastructure within the organization, which is nonrevenue generating, to support the net worth that you’ve built. You almost have to be a one-or-two-depot operation, and keep your small niche and stay local, the mom-and-pop type, or you have to be a rental company of scale. Maria Hadlow, editor of Lift & Hoist International: We’ve been focused on construction, but do you see any changes in the use of aerial work platforms in US industrial markets over the next ten years? Will that market grow or cease to exist? Kneeland: When I think about what it is that we really do, it comes down to safety and productivity. I think aerial

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work platforms have plenty of life left in the industrial sector in a lot of ways. To “Those that will start with, a lot of industrial companies be strong in ten still own their assets and we know they years will be don’t utilize them to the extent that they those that will should. So it’s really a waste on their balinnovate, and ance sheet and I think there’s a growth opportunity there. Again, it comes down how they go to safety and productivity. It will evolve, about innovation and as long as we can communicate is critical.” what those needs are, and then invest in — N o r t y Tu r n e r them, there will be more opportunities. Clearly, there’s a market in the industrial sector, with plenty of legs left. Turner: There’s a real focus on safety in construction, and my experience is the focus is even higher in the industrial sector. As technology comes forth with robotics and so on, and we have the ability to get a person out of harm’s way, aerial work platforms will be fully embraced in industry. The industrial sector is also a more predictable environment, much more so than construction. If we have the ability to adopt some of those technologies that rely more on controlled environments, the potential in that market will be even greater.

Studdert: Ten years from now, what talents will be required from executives to run these companies? What will be different from the talents that are required today? Kneeland: A new leader needs to understand the generational gaps and how they can help, as well as hinder you. You have to be active listening and open-minded, much more so now because there has been a leap, a whole generation that grew up studying and working on a computer and playing games on a screen. Their social life is nothing like the social life I had growing up, it’s completely different. As a result, they have different needs. They need to be purpose-driven, for one thing. They ask, the company I’m going to work for, what does it mean? How does it contribute to a better society? That’s very important for that group. A new leader has to really understand that things are moving fast and they have to be able to adapt and listen, really listen. If they can’t, they’re going to wake up one day and not have a whole lot of people around. Turner: We are all digital immigrants on this panel. The digital natives are going to assimilate into power and they’re going to take the exec positions. Those executives that are going to be able to manage change are going to be really critical. Things are changing fast now, by 2030 it’s going to be lightning fast. p

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O N T HE HOR I Z O N

IPAF North American Regional Council Chairman

Ebbe Christensen

AIMS TO INSPIRE & GROW

MEMBERSHIP B y Jenny Lescohier, edi t or

“

Growing our membership is the ultimate win, but with so many industry entities out there who should be members, it’s a very ambitious goal. No market is more competitive than North America. It’s a big place, so it’s a big task.

”

Ebbe Christensen

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PAF North American Regional Council (NARC) Chairman Ebbe Christensen says he sees himself as coach of a team of highly skilled players whose primary goal is to increase membership and awareness of IPAF programs. “The NARC is like a soccer team, if you will,” he says. “My role as coach is to make sure the team plays well in all positions. My job is to get the whole team playing together, because only then can we get something done.” He continues: “Growing our membership is the ultimate win, but with so many industry entities out there who should be members, it’s a very ambitious goal. No market is more competitive than North America. It’s a big place, so it’s a big task.” The NARC selected Christensen, president of ReachMaster, to succeed Teresa Kee of United Rentals as chair at its most recent meeting in Miami last March, held in conjunction with the IPAF Summit & IAPAs. Tony Groat, IPAF’s North American general manager, who convenes the IPAF NARC, says: “We are very pleased to welcome Ebbe as our new chair; he is a long-time supporter of IPAF and a fierce advocate of safety and training best practice; he will undoubtedly continue to be a force for good and an agent of change in the North American powered access industry as he takes up his new role.” According to Christensen, the mission of the NARC is, quite simply, to direct IPAF’s global efforts in North America. “We’re essentially an advisory board to the IPAF global organization,” he explains. “IPAF’s goals are uniform on a global level; we help apply them here in North America.” He adds: “When you take a generic message and want to make it global, you run into different cultures and legislations. Instead of applying a standard handbook-type approach to all markets, the regional councils take all the principles, info and efforts and convert them to a form and shape that will get better acceptance in North America. As the old saying goes, you should always meet your customer in your customer’s world.”

Getting a sense for it Christensen says one of his primary objectives for his term as chairman of the NARC is to usher in the long-awaited new ANSI standards, which are in their final round of hearings and should be published this fall. “One of the most important changes to the standards centers on load sensing technology, which will have a huge impact on the industry. In the past, it was the nature of the beast that machines were able to do more than their official capacity. Under new loadsensing requirements, there will no doubt be some confusion because machines will no longer operate if overloaded.” To help alleviate this confusion, IPAF came up with a sticker, which is currently available at www.ipaf.org/en/ resource-library, which can be applied to each machine, indicating whether or not it’s equipped with load sensing.

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“For a while after the new ANSI standards are enacted, there will be machines in fleets that have load-sensing capabilities and machines that don’t, which could easily confuse operators going from machine to machine. There’s definitely going to be some work for the North American Regional Council to do in helping the industry get used to the new standards.”

going on in the industry right now and there are a lot of gray areas, but our main mission, which transcends everything we do, is to get people home safely at the end of the day. For that to happen, everyone needs to get involved and participate on a local level. “I hope we can inspire more people to get involved,” he concludes. “There is still so much that can be improved.” p

Getting motivated Christensen notes that every member of the NARC is an industry stakeholder with a lot of professional responsibilities, a fact that greatly enriches the wisdom of the council but also creates challenges. “We’d like to have the council’s three Ts: their talent, their time and their treasure. Everyone comes from different branches of the business, bringing their talent and knowledge. We also want their treasure, or money, in that we need everyone to travel to meetings in order to be involved. We want there to be two face-to-face meetings per year, because once we’re together in the same room, we can get more things done. Not everything is easy to discuss over the phone. Once you commit to a meeting in person, you’re committed to those shared objectives.” With this philosophy in mind, IPAF will introduce a new meeting this fall in the form of a workshop. Innovate 2018 will be held Oct. 16-17 in Houston, the workshop will pinpoint ten subjects impacting the industry now and into the future. The two-day event will separate participants into work groups focused on each of the ten subjects, with the goal of achieving an open dialogue and coming up with real solutions to challenges facing the powered access industry. From there, results will be presented and hopefully concrete goals will be established. More information about the event and details of how to reserve your space are available now at www.ipaf.org/innovate.

The main message “If I could say one thing to our North American membership and potential members, it would be: Get involved,” Christensen says. “We have so much

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T E C HN OL O G Y F O C U S

TILT & LOAD

Sensor Design Changes Platform load-sensing and tilt sensor systems will mandate changes in the functionality of the MEWP when manufacturer limits are exceeded B y Tony Gr oa t , manager, IPA F Nor th A merica

hen the new will only delay your work ANSI A92.20 schedule as that machine is design stanfunctioning properly. dard is published, it will usher To raise attention of these in many new requirements potential issues, IPAF has for MEWP manufacturers. developed an awareness Many of the new requirecampaign to place a ments may be unseen by sticker on MEWPs designed users and operators, but a with these new systems. few will directly impact the IPAF encourages those operation of MEWPs that are with MEWPs designed to manufactured to meet the the new standard to place new standard. this sticker on the MEWP to Platform load-sensmake users and operators ing and tilt sensor systems aware it is equipped with will mandate changes in the new sensors, and to read the functionality of the MEWP operation manual to underwhen manufacturer limits are stand how it is required to exceeded. function. Most machines will A load-sensing system actively monitor platform may also function difload and will not operate ferently from one with normal control functionMEWP to anothality if overloaded beyond er. As an example, rated capacity, except emergenone manufacturer cy controls. Users and operators may activate load will need to plan the work and sensing only when IPAFâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new sticker alerts operators to tilt and load identify the actual weight of all the rated load limit sense technology. Download it at www.ipaf.org persons and materials being is exceeded, while another might have a placed in the work platform. light when 90% is reached, light and alarm In addition to the existing required audible alarm for tilt at 95% and function loss at 100% of rated load. sensor/alarm, MEWPs shall now be prevented from continuaAlternately, a MEWP designed to prior standards may actution of travel in the selected direction upon reaching the limits ally operate and lift the overloaded platform with all functions. of the inclination of the chassis specified by the manufacturer. This, however, can place persons in danger if operated when These changes are NOT required on any MEWP designed overloaded or driven on slopes that exceed the manufacturerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and manufactured in compliance with prior standards in place. requirements. This will result in a machine that looks like prior machines but While they improve operator safety, these systems will that will not operate the same. A call for service to address it not require operators to employ better planning as the machines functioning when you overload or exceed allowable tilt limits limit the ability to exceed tilt and rated load requirements. p

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E DUC AT IO N

MEWP Operator REtraining:

A Vital, Never-Ending Journey To keep knowledge and skills up to date, and to comply with the new Standards, IPAF PAL Card holders must renew their license every five years by Tony Gr oa t , mgr, IPA F N A

f a Mobile Elevating Work Platform (MEWP) operator has been trained, is there ever a need for that operator to undergo training again? Before you answer the question, consider if you had to reapply for your driver’s license tomorrow, could you pass the test? How much have you forgotten from courses you have taken in the past? IPAF’s MEWP operator training is not simply the knowledge of how to make the machine move. A qualified MEWP operator must know the requirements for application, inspection, training, maintenance, repair and safe operation of the equipment, while the capabilities and recommended safety guidance and standards are changing and being updated all the time. Consider the fact that a MEWP operator is required to maintain the appropriate minimum approach distance from energized power lines, yet 50% of persons electrocuted during MEWP operations are in contact with a power source. They obviously knew how to make the equipment move, yet they didn’t meet the requirements for safe operation. The current ANSI standards require retraining based on the user’s observation and evaluation of the operator. Further, it requires the user to monitor their performance and supervise their work to ensure the use, application, and operation of the aerial platform is in conformance with the provisions set forth in the standard. So what is retraining? The new ANSI standards define retraining as the required instruction based on the user’s observations or evaluations to maintain a previously trained person’s status as a qualified operator. The CSA B354.8 training standard states that “retraining might require complete

New ANSI standards define retraining as the required instruction based on the user’s observations or evaluations to maintain a previously trained person’s status as a qualified operator.

theory and practical training or partial refresher training based on the evaluation of the operator.” The new ANSI standards require that the operator’s evaluation can be accomplished through visual observation at a minimum, and shall be documented for retention by the user. Additionally, the new standard defines examples of situations when retraining “would be” necessary (”might be” in the Canadian standard). These include: • a) E xpiration of the operator’s valid training period; • b) Deterioration of the operator’s performance; • c) The operator’s extended period of time with no operation of a MEWP; • d) T he operator’s introduction to new or significantly different MEWP technology; • e) The operator has been involved in an accident or near miss with the MEWP. In addition, the new MEWP training standard (A92.24) offers several informative appendices for documentation of knowledge and practical (hands-on) evaluation sheets. While the annexes are not mandatory, they do provide a level of detail that should not be ignored in any documentation. So, while the new training standard identifies all of the requirements for operator training and familiarization, that knowledge must be maintained to ensure the person is qualified to safely and efficiently operate the MEWP prior to authorization to operate. This requires ongoing evaluations and retraining as necessary. p

www.ipaf.org

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F OC U S O N M C W P S

MCWPs Find

NEW MARKETS

Sophisticated engineering and soaring productivity is boosting the mast-climbing sector

he client base for mast-climbing work platforms (MCWPs) is growing. The machines, automated access platforms that lift operatives with their equipment and materials to their exact working position, are commonly used on high-rise buildings, where they deliver impressive productivity benefits compared with traditional “tube-and fittings” scaffolding. How impressive? Well, IPAF research suggests that trades such as bricklaying show a 30% to 50% increase in productivity when workers use MCWPs, while time savings of up to 80% are possible for erection and dismantling. There is now growing demand for MCWPs in more specialist sectors, according to Angel Ibanez, IPAF’s global representative for MCWPs. “Mast-climbing work platforms have been used in the off-shore industry and others, such as paper mills and steel mills. They have many applications and are more efficient and safer than scaffolding,” he explains. “But they have to be promoted properly in the industrial sector. Since the recession, many rental companies that previously focused only on construction have decided to diversify and have started paying closer attention to this kind of equipment.”

industrial sector is open to paying higher prices, so pursuing this market can be beneficial for rental companies.” He continues, “We’re seeing applications for MCWPs in markets such as big civil engineering jobs, where they’re used on complex refurbishment projects such as chimney repairs. We’ve also seen the machines on ‘starchitect’ projects, which use singular designs and therefore require bespoke access solutions.” Ibanez points to AGF Access Group’s work on Montreal’s 3.4km long Champlain Bridge, where MCWPs were used alongside hoists and other forms of powered access. “MCWPs can be adapted for these projects, though it does require a high level of engineering expertise,” says Ibanez. “Generally, the modular design of MCWPs means they are easily adaptable, according to the height and width of the project.” Ibanez says MCWPs offer an extremely safe way of working but must be properly installed and used. “In terms of the responsibility rental companies are assuming, they must pay a lot of attention to the training of the technical installers and the workers,” he says. “All those aspects still need to be more developed. In the North American market, there’s still huge room for growth.

It’s not for everyone

Obstacles to adoption

“If a rental company can think outside the box, they can offer solutions for industry. Mast-climbing work platforms are very flexible, and adaptable to various shapes and sizes,” Ibanez explains. “At the same time, in terms of business, the

In order to make a successful go of supplying, Ibanez suggests rental companies need to be specialized with a strong technical background. They must be properly trained, and must know exactly how to approach the final customer, offering

IPAF RESEARCH SUGGESTS…

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not just a machine but a complete solution for specific building. “This is challenging because most rental companies willing to get into this business need to make an investment in hiring technicians or engineers,” he states. “Another issue with MCWPs is that operators think they’re easy machines to use, so complacency can be a problem,” says Ibanez. “They’ll sometimes forget about projections from the building. Operators also think they can modify the machines. “Overloading is another area of concern. Every machine comes with a load chart which operators must follow. But sometimes it’s ignored,” he says. Accidents with MCWPs are not common compared with other forms of access, but IPAF is trying to learn about what the root causes are when they do happen. “Operators can submit information confidentially using the IPAF website, which we will share with the MCWP sector,” Ibanez says. “Many accidents are not reported, as companies don’t want the publicity, but it’s how you learn.”

Market maturity The maturity of MCWPs markets varies around the globe. In Northern Europe, manufacturers have recently developed much larger MCWPs, with capacity ranging from 1.5 to ten tons, and working platforms that may be 158 feet wide. Extensions up to 6.5 feet are available, allowing access to facades with projections such as balconies. The maximum working height is around 984 feet. Italian and Spanish manufacturers produce lighter equipment, with platforms typically between ten and 98 feet wide, and capacity from 661 pounds up to 3.5 tons. In North America, gasoline-powered MCWPs have load capacities up to ten tons, and can be 148 feet long. The fastest growing regions for MCWPs are the Middle East, China and South East. p  MCWPs are applicable in many settings, but their use requires technical understanding and training.

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S P R E A D T HE W OR D

IPAF’s poster campaign offers end-users and rental companies visual cues to drive home safety messages

little character called Andy Access is driving home safety messages about the correct use of aerial work platforms (AWPs), also known as mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs), in a simple and direct way. Contractors, end-users and rental companies can download free poster artwork for use in their daily operations, as part of IPAF’s Andy Access campaign. Posters that provide an easy to understand visual safety message form the basis of this campaign. Each poster illustrates a specific safety message on how to use AWPs/MEWPs correctly. Andy Access was born out of an initiative by IPAF members to do more for safety and bring out issues to reach the main users of AWPs/MEWPs. “Andy Access is the smart operator,” explains Andrew Delahunt, IPAF’s Director of Technical & Safety. “Andy knows MEWPs are safe, but only through specific MEWP training and safe working practices. Listen to Andy for safety messages on wearing the harness and attaching the lanyard, avoiding electrocution, and setting-up the machine on solid ground. “Risky Rick represents the old way of doing things,” Delahunt continues. “He does his job as best he can, but

has time and resource pressures. So he might cut corners, not make a risk assessment before starting a job, not inspect the machine before use or even overload the platform with extra material. “Rick is about getting the job done, no matter the cost. Andy identifies the risks, then protects himself and uses safe working practices,” says Delahunt. The Andy Access posters communicate important safety messages highlighted by the results of IPAF’s global accident reporting project (www.ipaf.org/accident). They also reinforce the key messages covered in IPAF’s training programs. Ideas for more Andy Access safety themes can be e-mailed to technicalofficer@ipaf.org Download the posters now and keep checking back for more updates at www.ipaf.org/andyaccess p

Andy Access is a character who shows the right way to perform work at height. Each poster illustrates a specific safety message and can be downloaded for free.

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