All Health & safety Articles

The National Access & Scaffolding Confederation (NASC) in the UK has published new safety guidance to highlight the use of collective forms of fall prevention - such as advance guardrails and powered aerial platforms - during erection and dismantling of scaffolding.

The US access industry needs to ensure that Spanish speaking workers in the construction industry have access to the same training materials as other workers, said JLG's David Baxter at a recent US safety conference.

The International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) is convening an ‘Executive Summit’ on on aerial work platform operator training in Chicago on 11 November.

Joseph Feldstein, manager of MSA's fall protection technical services, has been presented with an award for distinguished service from ASSE (American Society of Safety Engineers) a safety organisation with over 30000 members.

The Arboricultural Association in the UK has published an operator's guide to safe use of mobile elevating work platforms during tree surgery. The publication is the Arboriculture MEWP Operators Guide (AMOG) 2008: Safe Use of Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs) in Arboriculture.

The UK's National Access & Scaffolding Confederation (NASC) is encouraging its members to anonymously "whistle blow" on principal contractors who continue to opt for non-regulated scaffolding companies.

The International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) is drafting a new standard for transport platforms in Europe. Its Transport Platform Working Group (TPWG) of the International Mast Climbing Work Platform Committee has elected a task force to lead the effort.

PASMA, the Prefabricated Access Suppliers' and Manufacturers' Association, in the UK has published pocket guides to make on-site inspection of mobile access towers easier and more effective.

ClickSafety.com has delivered two million safety training courses online

The International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) is distributing a free video that graphically depicts the dangers of operating a boom-type access platform without wearing a full body harness. The video shows the "whip-lash" effects on a crash dummy in the basket of a Skyjack self-propelled boom while driving over an obstacle.

In an industry where trained aerial platform operators are a must, a 1999 ANSI standard on familiarization is making head waves

Safe use guidelines for users of MCWPs (mast climbing work platforms) in the US have been prepared by IPAF and Kevin O'Shea of Mastclimbers LLC with input from a number of interested organisations.

OSHA, the US government health and safety body, has advised the US mast climbing industry to develop its own standard for the design and use of mast climbing work platforms.

Following an incident where a 73 year old school caretaker successfully claimed damages for severe injuries sustained after falling from a step ladder, the chairman of the UK Ladder Association reiterated the importance of appropriate training.

The International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) has been asked by aerial platform manufacturers to produce a code of practice for all those involved in exhibitions after an electric scissor was blown over by the wind on the first day of the Vertikal Days show in the UK.

Kevin O'Shea, who leads the training activities of Mastclimbers LLC in Atlanta, Georgia, US, draws parallels in the US mast climbing market to that of the UK 10 to 12 years ago. "We have a weak design standard coupled with weak regulation for implementation. Unregulated use is dangerous," he tells AI.

Miller by Sperian has launched the Falcon 6m retractable life line. The 6 m line weighs 1.5 kg and is designed to provide gentle fall arrest in a few centimetres because of its quick reaction brake mechanism.

UK rental company, A-Plant won two awards at Hire Association Europe's Hire Awards of Excellence: best contribution to health and safety, sponsored by Bosch and excellence in training sponsored by ConstructionSkills.

Having participated in a working group which focused on trapping accidents, Balfour Beatty has issued a document about the procurement and operation of MEWPs (mobile elevated work platforms) which IPAF (International Federation of Powered Access) feels is misleading.