PAL cards can now be checked online

A valid PAL (Powered Access Licence) card issued by IPAF (International Powered Access Federation), or by its North American subsidiary AWPT, is proof that the cardholder has been trained to operate the stated powered access equipment safely and effectively.

IPAF has launched the online verification tool in response to requests from site and safety managers for a quick and easy way to check if a card presented to them is genuine.

The yellow, plastic PAL card already contains several security features: the front side carries the cardholder's name and photograph and it also shows the expiry date and the machine categories the cardholder has been trained to operate. The reverse side features an IPAF logo printed as a hologram to minimise counterfeiting risks, and the cardholder's signature.

Tim Whiteman, IPAF's chief executive officer said, "PAL Cards are valuable because there are many job sites where operators without a valid card will not be allowed to operate powered access equipment, and there have been a small handful of cases involving forged PAL Cards. The online verification tool gives site and safety managers added security and confidence in the system."

IPAF's PAL Card operator training programme is certified by TÜV as conforming to ISO 18878. More than 80000 PAL Cards are issued each year through a network of over 400 IPAF-approved training centres worldwide. PAL cards are valid for five years.