IPAF incorporates high level audit scheme

Build UK has welcomed the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) as only the third UK Trade Association member to recognise the Common Assessment Standard as part of its audit scheme.

Jo Fautley, Build UK, at IPAF Elevation 2018 conference.

IPAF has incorporated elements of the Common Assessment Standard into its IPAF Rental+ audit, meaning MEWP rental members that are certified to the Common Assessment Standard will be exempted from answering certain questions, further reducing duplication across the industry. IPAF joins a growing list of more than 20 organisations now using the Common Assessment Standard.

Build UK reviews the Common Assessment Standard every year to ensure that it continues to meet the pre-qualification requirements of the construction industry, and Version 3.0 will be published on 31 March. The Common Assessment Standard is a construction-industry-wide prequalification system and Martin Wraith, IPAF Rental+ Scheme Manager, and Richard Whiting, IPAF UK Market General Manager, have worked to ensure that the key elements of the IPAF Rental+ audit align with it.

Recognised standard 

IPAF Rental+ is the standard for quality and safety in the MEWP rental industry. In 2018, the IPAF UK Country Council mandated that all new and existing UK hire rental company members should be audited to meet the required standard as a condition of continuing membership. IPAF rental member companies are annually assessed against the minimum requirements, which include Safety Systems in Procurement (SSIP) accreditation alongside IPAF’s own stringent criteria to improve industry safety. MEWP rental members in the UK must be annually assessed to meet the IPAF Rental+ standard as a condition of continuing IPAF membership. 

Peter Douglas

Peter Douglas, CEO and managing director of IPAF, said, “This alignment means that those IPAF members certified to the Common Assessment Standard will reduce duplication when completing their annual IPAF Rental+ audit. All our other members going through the rigorous IPAF Rental+ audit process will have been assessed to the industry standard, giving contractors that hire equipment and services from our specialist powered access rental members the assurance that they are committed to the highest standards of professionalism and safety. This will mutually benefit our members and the many projects that require the Common Assessment Standard for contractors and operators on site.”

Jo Fautley, deputy chief executive, Build UK, commented, “We’re delighted to see IPAF recognising the Common Assessment Standard within its IPAF Rental+ audit process. With a growing list of organisations including major contractors and clients using the Common Assessment Standard, this will further reduce duplication for the supply chain, saving them time and money which is more important than ever in the current economic market.”

● For more information on Pre-Qualification and the Common Assessment Standard, please see BuildUK.org/Pre-Qualification; or visit www.ipaf.org/Rental for more information on the IPAF Rental+ scheme.