Information gathered in a worldwide project to report accidents and near misses has led IPAF to make a major update in a comprehensive training course on how to load and unload MEWPs and other plant equipment safely from trucks or trailers.
The latest analysis of global data gathered by the International Powered Access Federation via www.ipaf.org/accident shows that most accidents resulting in lost-time injuries and fatalities during delivery of MEWPs happen during loading or unloading.
As a result, IPAF has overhauled its Load/Unload course. The new training materials were unveiled to instructors in a professional development seminar Nov. 11.
Peter Douglas, IPAF CEO and MD, said that last year IPAF updated its worldwide accident reporting and analysis project. The update led to a new, comprehensive, Global MEWP Safety Report.
Douglas also said that earlier this year IPAF updated and relaunched its Incident Reporting Portal to try to gather even more data about near misses in addition to accidents.
“Statistically the most likely people to be involved in a MEWP-related incident are those loading and unloading, and these operatives are key to our industry,” Douglas said. “Analyzing data has allowed the updated training course to directly address those issues that affect people loading or unloading, and provide knowledge and recommended protocols to help prevent accidents.”
Douglas noted that IPAF emphasized the accident reporting project because gathering and analyzing good data about accidents and near misses is the only way to identify high-risk situations, uncover underlying causes, and address them through training.
Paul Roddis, IPAF training manager, said, “The IPAF Load/Unload course has been reviewed off the back of the accident statistics showing that the people most likely to be harmed in a MEWP-related incident are delivery drivers. We believed that there was more the course could offer in terms of equipping and protecting operatives loading and unloading MEWPs, and we wanted to do more to help protect them. This updated training course does exactly that.”
To address the need for updated training, IPAF set up a working group of members of the IPAF Training Committee, led by Martin Wraith, an IPAF auditor and qualified training instructor, as he also has significant experience within the haulage industry.
Roddis said that the revamped training is still an instructor-led theory course, though it has a completely new look and feel. He said that it incorporates information directly from the incident-reporting portal so that the training addresses the most common problems and risks anyone loading or unloading machines might face.
“In terms of visual enhancements, the new course incorporates a new IPAF fleet of delivery vehicles starting with a 4x4 with trailer, a 3.5t flat-bed van, a 7.5t beaver-tail, as well as a 26t rigid and a 40t articulated HGV trailer,” Roddis said.
All information covered in the course content conforms to EN 12195 Load-restraining on road vehicles — Safety and references both the IPAF best practice guidance Load and Unload and Loading And Unloading MEWPs on the Public Highway.
Roddis adds: “This is an excellent new course to complement those that IPAF Training Centers already offer. It is highly recommended learning for anyone operating, hiring, maintaining, delivering or managing MEWPs; there is a great deal in the training course that is applicable to a range of plant machines, including dumpers, diggers, telehandlers, rollers or forklifts.”
Roddis thanked Martin Wraith and all who sat on the working group, along with the IPAF UK country council, training committee and network of training center staff and instructors.
Find out more about IPAF’s globally recognized training program or find an IPAF training center at www.ipaf.org/training
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