IPAF grows safety and technical team

Mike Ashton, IPAF’s new International Safety & Technical Advisor.

The International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) has appointed Mike Ashton as its new International Safety & Technical Advisor.

Ashton has over 25 years of business management, safety, engineering and training experience from around the world. 

Ashton joins the organisation after serving as the business development manager for Lift Industries - a Terex’s Australian distributor for insulated travel towers and crane borers.

Based in Queensland, Australia, Ashton’s new role at IPAF will see him report to Brian Parker, IPAF Head of Safety & Technical.

Parker said, “We’re delighted to appoint Mike following a rigorous search process and are confident he’s a perfect fit with the IPAF team and culture. He has valuable experience in the UK, Middle East, Australia and New Zealand powered access markets, and he will bring his obvious diligence and expertise to the role.”

During his long career in the working at height industry, Ashton has also previously held positions at equipment specialists AWD, the Elevating Work Platform Association (EWPA) of Australia, Access Service Australia Rapid Access in the UAE, and AFI-Uplift, Nationwide and PTP Aerial Platforms in the UK.

Speaking of Ashton’s role at IPAF, Parker said, “The primary responsibilities of Mike’s role will be to use his skills and commercial expertise to advise, support and develop the safety and technical aspects of IPAF’s business around the world.

“Key functions will be to summarise complex safety and technical ideas, prepare how-to guides, white papers and manuals, create and edit content for internal or external documents, and to assist in identifying strategies and opportunities for safety and technical initiatives.

Ashton said, “I have a long a varied career in powered access, covering engineering, training and business development roles here in Australia, the Middle East and the UK. 

“When I saw this role advertised, I felt it was an ideal opportunity for me. I hope to be able to lend my knowledge and expertise to assist IPAF in delivering important projects in terms of standards development and implementation, safety awareness and guidance, the global incident reporting project or the IPAF ePAL app for operators of MEWP and MCWP equipment. I’m looking forward to this new challenge immensely.”

IPAF CEO and Managing Director Peter Douglas, has also welcomed Ashton to the team.

Douglas said, “I am delighted IPAF is able to announce this important addition to the Safety & Technical department – I’m sure that we have found the ideal candidate in Mike and he will fit in well to the IPAF culture, bolstering the team to help deliver significant progress against some of our key objectives.”