17.09.2019
Access Link discuss IPAF Rental+
The Access Link, the UK/Ireland association of independent regional access companies, held its quarterly meeting at the Lion Quays Hotel and Spa in Oswestry, Shropshire last week.
IPAF audit and quality control manager Stephanie Nolan Byrne outlined the latest developments with the IPAF Rental Plus standard, which was followed by a Question & Answers session, during which a number of members expressed discontent with aspects of how IPAF has handled the scheme and its audits to date and a suggested a number of proposed improvements to improve it. Nolan Byrne explained the reasoning behind some of the aspects of the audit, and noted the suggestions and input for further consideration in the ongoing development and evolution of the standard.
Please register to see all images
Access Link meeting hosted by Skyjack UK
Chris Womack - representing Womack Access - was warmly welcomed to the company’s first meeting, having been recently elected as a member. Two more members were also elected during the meeting, KDM in Northern Ireland and Blulift in Limerick, Ireland. Both companies will attend the next meeting, which will be hosted by Haulotte on the 15th January.
Please register to see all images
John Ball of Velocity Rental Solutions/The Access Link (L) and Chris Womack of Womack Access
The meeting was hosted by Skyjack UK, which brought along a range of aerial lifts for demonstration at the venue. During the meeting, Skyjack product and business development manager David Hall also presented the company’s latest products and developments, particularly in the areas of electronics and tracking information.
Vertikal Comment
It is interesting to hear of the Rental Plus debate and concerns, especially given that the Access Link membership was out in front in making it a mandatory requirement for its members, with a transition period for those that had not already achieved it. The Link's leadership in this area was later adopted by the IPAF UK Country Council which became the first IPAF region to agree that it should - over time - become a mandatory requirement for all UK rental company members. The idea was to raise the minimum standards of membership, which in effect improves the perceived quality of being an IPAF member. It is also logical of course that other regions would follow the UK lead in this. Perhaps it is a subject for a future article in Cranes & Access magazine? Your views would be appreciated
AccessibL
Where is this going to end? If at all? IPAF Rental+, ++,+++, Red, Yellow, Blue, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond... all with a price to pay, which will eventually be paid by the consumer. Access Link is a fantastic idea, and a brilliant way of policing it's own industry, although there aren't really any bad companies just due to the legislation involved. More and more stringent rules on anyone and anything don't help anyone except the lawyers and the insurance underwriters. You can't move or see for PPE, but people use these things to get work done, not to make irrelevant statistics.
Lighten up. Chill out. Get more done, like your historical predecessors.
Crossrail? AAArrgh!