13.06.2008

IPAF clarification on Balfour Beatty policy

In April Balfour Beatty issued a Policy & Background Information - Procurement & Operation of MEWPs (Issue 1 – April 2008) bulletin which appeared to demand a number of specific modifications to all aerial lifts supplied to its sites, regardless of whether they were purchased or rented.

IPAF has been discussing the document with the company, on the basis that its requirements required modifications to machines that could have invalidated their CE certification.

The IPAF bulletin is as follows:

IPAF clarification on Balfour Beatty’s Policy and Background Information on the Procurement and Operation of MEWPs (Issue 1 – April 2008)

Balfour Beatty issued the above Policy and Background Information because it is concerned about the risk of MEWP operators becoming trapped between the platform controls and an adjacent object, losing control of MEWP movements and sustaining serious injury.

It wants to encourage design developments that safeguard against this risk but is NOT requiring hire companies to supply MEWPs only from a single manufacturer.

Many IPAF members have sought clarification from IPAF on the Balfour Beatty policy. As a result IPAF has obtained explanation from Balfour Beatty on the correct interpretation of some issues raised by the policy (see below).

The Balfour Beatty policy states that:-

A) “Boom type MEWPs with shrouded foot pedals and unprotected control panels shall not be used”.
Clarification:-
-The Balfour Beatty policy requires MEWPs that have shrouded foot pedals to be safeguarded against sustained involuntary operation of the platform controls. It does NOT recommend that shrouds should be removed from foot pedals in MEWP baskets - Balfour Beatty in no way advocates unauthorized modifications to any plant.

-Platform control panel covers should ONLY be fitted in accordance with manufacturer’s advice.

B) “All boom type MEWPs [used on Balfour Beatty sites] shall provide additional protection of the control panel which ensures:

-Adequate separation of controls (and their triggers) from surrounding objects

-Protection of triggers against entanglement with loose clothes, hoses, cables, etc.

-Prevention of accidental contact between the operator and the platform controls which could result in sustained involuntary operation and potential crushing of the operator against an external obstruction.”
Clarification:-.

-Compliance with the Balfour Beatty policy will not be achieved by the fitting of additional safety features, e.g. ‘cut-out’ wires, which have not been approved by the manufacturer and which could invalidate the CE mark on any MEWP.

-Balfour Beatty is NOT requiring additional protection on any MEWP that already has the platform controls and triggers adequately separated from surrounding objects and entanglement with loose clothes, hoses, cables, etc.

-Balfour Beatty is NOT requiring additional protection on any MEWP that adequately protects the operator against sustained involuntary operation of the platform controls.

General comments

Balfour Beatty intends to update its policy note to provide additional clarification and expects to re-issue it later this year. However, they wish to make it clear that their current policy still stands.

IPAF manufacturers and hirers view the issues raised by Balfour Beatty as extremely serious and are working with the company in the following areas:

-A joint research initiative between Balfour Beatty and an IPAF member is being pursued involving the development of a ‘cut out’ wire attachment that is intended to be CE marked as a safety component by the component manufacturer.

-IPAF manufacturers have design initiatives in place to investigate safeguards that may protect against risks associated with the sustained involuntary operation of the platform controls without adversely affecting the overall safety of MEWPs in use.

-IPAF has successfully lobbied for the revision of the European safety by design standard (prEN280) to include a requirement to protect against “sustained involuntary operation of platform controls” and manufacturers are expecting notified bodies to take account of this requirement in their assessments of designs.

IPAF notes that MEWPs should not be modified or fitted with additional equipment unless specific authorisation has been obtained from the manufacturer. All MEWPs used within the European Union must carry a CE mark to confirm that they meet relevant safety standards. Unauthorised modifications are likely to invalidate a machine’s CE mark and make it illegal to use within the EU and some other countries.

Any further queries regarding specifics of the Balfour Beatty policy and its implementation should be directed to the Balfour Beatty Head Office – for the attention of Dr Vanessa Forbes, Group Safety, Health & Environment Manager.
This statement has been formulated in consultation with Balfour Beatty Plc.