IPAF releases ANSI-related guidance

The updated ANSI A92 suite of design, safe use and training standards is set to be published in the U.S. on December 10, with an effective date of December 2019.

The International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) has issued important guidance to help companies and individuals easily identify key changes, to understand their responsibilities and to begin planning to become compliant.

Four IPAF white papers identify key changes to terminology and definitions, requirements for owners and operators, guidance and requirements on risk assessments, equipment familiarization and requirements for operator and supervisor/manager training that will affect all manufacturers, dealers, owners and users of mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs), formerly referred to as aerial work platforms (AWPs), in North America.

IPAF is offering all manufacturers, dealers, owners, operators and managers of powered access machinery a comprehensive summary of the key changes in the forthcoming US ANSI standards, as well as the corresponding key changes in the CSA B354 standards, which were published in 2017 and came into effect from May 2018.

”IPAF urges all users and dealers of MEWP equipment in North America to consider how IPAF’s operator training program can assist compliance with the standards,” the Federation said. “Operators are advised to obtain an IPAF PAL Card, while supervisors of MEWP operations can become compliant with some of the key new requirements in the standard through successful completion of IPAF’s MEWPs for Managers training course.”

IPAF has issued four separate guides, one for dealers and one for users each addressing the ANSI standards for the U.S. and the CSA standards in Canada. They focus on the new requirements and impacts on a user and a dealer, including important new requirements for MEWP occupant knowledge and MEWP supervisor training.

Tony Groat, IPAF’s North America manager, who sits on drafting committees for both the ANSI and CSA standards, added: “While we still await the publication of the ANSI A92 standards, their Canadian counterparts have now been in effect for some months. It is very important that all owners and users of MEWPs be aware of the key changes in these updated standards and implement plans to become compliant if they haven’t already.

“Both suites of new standards will require all companies and individuals to be compliant within one year of the effective date of publication – as the ANSI standards will broadly be in line with the CSA equivalents, then it makes sense for firms and their employees to get to grips with the key changes now.”

Andrew Delahunt, IPAF’s director of technical and safety, noted: “The updated ANSI standards will lead to a safer work environment when using powered access equipment to work at height.

“It is not just operators that need to know about safety when working at height – those supervising the use of MEWPs must also be able to plan, conduct proper risk assessments and adequately supervise safe behaviors.

“All users, operators, dealers and training centers have new responsibilities, so the latest IPAF guidance in relation to the new North American standards will doubtless prove very useful in highlighting what is required to become compliant and safe.”

The new guidance documents are available free to download in pdf format on IPAF’s website.