23.10.2008

IPAF calls Executive Summit

The International Powered Access Federation, though its US subsidiary AWPT, has invited a number of the larger rental and manufacturing companies in North America to send senior managers to an ‘Executive Summit' to discuss operator training for aerial lifts in Chicago on 11th November.

The meeting follows comments raised by Skyjack chief executive Ken McDougall during his keynote speech at APEX last month, in which he said that the industry needed a common minimum standard of operator training.

The meeting will essentially ask rental companies and manufacturers if they are able to agree a united position with a set of actions on improving operator training on the basis that this is by far the surest way to reduce accidents and save lives.

The aim to be for the industry to establish (or adopt) and support minimum generic standards for operator training before city and state governments step in and do it for them.

We understand that a number of the largest rental companies along with at least two manufacturers have already agreed to send members of their senior management to the summit.

Vertikal Comment

A great deal of operator training already goes on in North America, but the standards range from below most basic to superb and all the shades in between, depending on where the man has been trained and by whom.

Crane operator training was in a similar state some 10 years or so ago, since then significant strides have been made by the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators to introduce a national minimum standard, however its adoption has been painfully slow and many cities, counties and states have introduced their own rules and certification requirements, some of which have been shown to be corrupt, while others poor.

In the past year or two the subject has now become a political hot potato, following a number of high profile accidents, with local government introducing knee jerk legislation in order to satisfy public demand for improvements in and minimum standards for operator training.

Given their exceptionally high safety record, the same political pressures do not yet apply to aerial lifts. If only manufacturers and rental companies would work together to adopt and actively and enthusiastically promote an agreed and common minimum standard - whether that be the IPAF/AWPT PAL card or an alternative system – the industry as a whole would benefit.