IPAF NEWS
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access
INTERNATIONAL
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2013
UK: IPAF
Moss End Business Village,
Crooklands, Cumbria LA7 7NU, UK
Tel: +44 (0)15395 66700
Fax : +44 (0)15395 66084
Switzerland: IPAF-Basel
Dufourstrasse 11
CH-4052 Basel, Switzerland
Tel: +41 (0)61 227 9000
Fax: +41 (0)61 227 9009
Germany: IPAF-Deutschland
Grüner Weg 5, D-28790,
Schwanewede, Germany
Tel: +49 (0)421 6260 310
Fax: +49 (0)421 6260 321
Italy: IPAF-Italia
Via Matteotti 40/12,
20020 Arese, Italy
Tel: +39 02 93581873
Fax: +39 02 93581880
France: IPAF-France
BP90093, F-71403
Autun Cedex France
Tel: +33 (0) 683 083 378
Fax: +33 (0) 683 083 378
/
Benelux: IPAF-Benelux
Oranjestraat 167,
NL-3295 AS‘s-Gravendeel
The Netherlands
Tel: +31 (0)6 30 421 042
Fax: +31 (0)84 710 0518
Spain: IPAF-España
Edificio Heracles,
Interior Zona Franca,
E-11011 Cadiz, Spain
Tel: +34 (0)956 297 406
Fax: +34 (0)956 290 610
USA: AWPT Inc
225 Placid Drive,
Schenectady, NY 12303
USA
Tel: +1 518-280-2486
Fax: +1 518-689-6800
Tower cranes are not for
entertainment purposes
I
PAF welcomes the position
paper issued by the FEM
Product Group for Cranes
and Lifting Equipment, which
makes clear that tower cranes
are designed and manufactured
to lift loads, not people, and
that they should not be used for
entertainment purposes.
FEM (Fédération Européenne
de la Manutention) is the
European manufacturers’
association for material handling
equipment. In its position paper
dated October 2013, the FEM
Product Group for Cranes
and Lifting Equipment, Sub-
Group for Tower and Harbour
Cranes states that: “Tower
cranes are, in general, designed
and manufactured to lift loads
(intended use). All other uses are
not allowed by manufacturers.
When a company decides to use
a tower crane not in line with the
intended use as described by the
manufacturer, it does so under its
own responsibility.”
The FEM position paper further
states that: “For professional use,
national labour regulations may
allow tower cranes to be used to
hoist and suspend personnel in
man baskets only in unique work
situations when it is the least
hazardous way to do the job…
For any other use not described
in the instruction handbook
(for example, entertainment
purposes), local regulations must
be followed.”
Call for ban
The FEM position paper was
drafted in response to IPAF’s
request for clarification following
the offering of crane rides
by a company at the bauma
construction show in Munich,
Germany earlier this year.
IPAF had written to the bauma
organisers calling for a ban on
the use of cranes for circus rides
at bauma due to safety reasons.
Several trade magazines also
questioned the dubious promotion
of “fun flights” at the world’s
largest professional construction
equipment exhibition.
“IPAF’s members will not stand
by such flagrant disregard of all
safety campaigns that are aimed
at ensuring that temporary work
at height is performed by properly
trained operators using machinery
designed to lift people,” said IPAF
CEO TimWhiteman. “While
such fun rides may not contravene
local legislation, they go against
safety principles and industry
good practice. Falls from height
are still the largest workplace killer
in Europe and in the USA. Circus
entertainment has no place in
the professional construction and
lifting equipment industry. IPAF
is writing to the organisers of the
major construction shows bauma,
CONEXPO and Intermat for
confirmation that they will not
allow such rides in future. Powered
access equipment is a safe and
effective way to lift people to
perform temporary work at height.
Our industry is safe and we strive
to keep it that way.”
The October 2013 FEM
position paper echoes an earlier
position paper in May 2011,
which states that: “Mobile
cranes shall never be used for
entertainment purposes, e.g.
lifting of persons for shows,
bungee jumping, dinner-in-the-
sky or lifting of other structures
with people on the structure or
underneath.”
Similar statements have also
been issued by organisations
including the US-based Power
Crane and Shovel Association
(PCSA) of the Association of
Equipment Manufacturers (AEM)
and the UK-based Construction
Plant-hire Association (CPA), and
by manufacturers such as Liebherr
and the Grove/Manitowoc Crane
Group.
AI
Tower cranes are for lifting
loads, not people.
IPAF is expanding in the Benelux and has appointed an
additional member of staff. Jur Kamsteeg, previously
training supervisor at Riwal, is joining IPAF Benelux
as business development manager from December
2013. He will work closely with Hans Aarse, IPAF’s
representative for the Benelux.
Jur Kamsteeg’s 17-year career at Riwal saw him
move through several positions, from low-loader driver, to warehouse manager
and planner on the Riwal access platform rental department. He set up an
extremely successful training department at Riwal seven years ago.
“Jur brings a wealth of experience related to the training industry in the
Netherlands,” said Mr Aarse, “We will focus more on IPAF’s development
in Belgium, where the first contracts for new training centres are already
in place. With Jur, we look forward to the next step ahead in the growth of
IPAF Benelux, reaching new heights, supporting members and increasing the
provision of good quality training.”
IPAF CEO Tim Whiteman added, “Jur’s experience will strengthen our
Benelux team and is part of IPAF’s overall policy of investing to boost member
support.”
IPAF EXPANDS IN THE BENELUX
