02.10.2014
Nationwide Best Practice Forum
UK based Nationwide Platforms held its sixth Working At Height Best Practice Safety Forum today
Over 90 customers attended, taking the total number of delegates to well over 110, with many of the UK’s largest contractors represented. The event included several conference and breakout meeting room presentations and discussion groups, along with a number of structured demonstrations.
A key focus of the event was ground conditions - one of Vertikal.net’s hot topics – including a presentation by Tim Watson on behalf of the UK Strategic Forum for Construction, which is due to publish its 73 page guide to managing ground conditions in respect to lifting equipment, this month. More on this in the next Cranes & Access magazine.
Another subject that was raised repeatedly was the IPAF accident statistics, with contractors encouraged to look at them, learn from them and contribute to them.
Here are a few photographs from the event.
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Nationwide Platforms MD Jeremy Fish opens the event
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A demonstration of safety devices on delivery trucks and safe loading/unloading
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A telescopic load height measuring stick to help prevent bridge bashing
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The MEC Titan 60S was a popular demonstration
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A demonstration of shifting wheel point loadings on self propelled booms surprised a fair few delegates
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Individual wheel loadings increased by up to 1.5 tonnes depending on boom slew position
Vertikal Comment
While the powered access industry has a tremendous safety record, a great deal more can be achieved by the industry working more closely with major users, and developing a two way positive dialogue that is constructive rather than competitive.
IPAF is quite active in this regard, but rental companies can also contribute a great deal, and are often able to attract delegates to events like this, who currently do not attend IPAF meetings or seminars. We often underestimate how much there is to do in regards to awareness and knowledge of aerial work platform usage.
dave979
does anyone believe the walkways on the trailer has/will ever be used
Big Vern
As a Best Practice Forum was in process I can only assume that some assessment was made for the ground conditions to remove the need for any spreader pads.
The IPAF “Ready Reckoner” is for guidance purposes only. Those responsible for assessing the ground and identifying the correct size of spreader plate to be used with any MEWP must do so in accordance with the manufacturers’ instructions and best practice guidance.
teddyboy
Would be interesting to know the loading under the foot of the Titan, a heavy machine it looks. The photo shows it set up on the pavement with no spreader plates, yet the tarmac on a footpath is rarely over 3 inches thick with little or no hard subase.