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IPAF NEWS
ACCESS, LIFT & HANDLERS
JULY-AUGUST 2014
program in place we hope to train a
lot more people including all of our
employees who deal with aerials.”
The AWPT program from IPAF
is dynamic and responsive to
change. Feedback and shared
input is constantly being gathered
from active training centers,
manufacturers, rental companies
and end users all over the world to
ensure that IPAF training covers not
only what the standards require,
but also what the real world needs.
Additional feedback comes from
IPAF’s accident reporting program,
the first program ever instituted
to collect work platform accident
data. All certified IPAF and AWPT
instructors are also required to
attend periodic programs offered
at IPAF Continuous Professional
Development seminars to help stay
abreast of the latest standards and
training techniques.
Sunstate Equipment joins over
70 other IPAF members in North
America in a joint effort to make
the workplace a safer place.
“We’re making an investment
in safety,” Watts added. “By
implementing a training program
that is recognized worldwide, we
are doing everything we can to
provide our customers with the
best tools available to educate
their workers and make their
jobsites safer. Currently we have
With 58 locations and more than
1,200 employees across nine
states, Sunstate Equipment is
one of the Southwest’s largest
equipment rental companies.
As an IPAF member since 2010,
Sunstate recently became an IPAF
Training Center and had several
people from its training department
become approved instructors
for the AWPT (American Work
Platform Training) operator training
program. The AWPT program is
based on the ISO-certified IPAF
program used outside North
America, but slightly modified
to include additional training on
current OSHA requirements and
ANSI and CSA standards.
“We’ve offered aerial work
platform training since 1993,” said
Chris Watts, president and chief
operating officer of Sunstate. “Last
year we trained over 8,000 people
and about 60 percent of them were
on aerials. Even though we already
have a training program in place,
we saw the benefits of offering our
customers a choice of programs.”
“The AWPT program is the
Cadillac,” continued Watts. “It’s
much more thorough and really
gets into depth regarding safety,
both what to do, and why you
should do it. With our new AWPT
CSA B354
aerial
standards
open for
public
comment
Draft standards from the
Canadian Standards Association
(CSA) are available for public
review and comment before they
are approved by the committee.
Three new standards addressing
design (B354.7), safe-use
(B354.8) and training (B354.9)
for aerial work platforms have
been under development in the
effort to provide commonality to
ISO standards from country to
country.
IPAF’s Tony Groat serves as the
vice-chair for the B354 technical
committee and task force chair
for the development of the AWP
safe use and training standards,
and is a member of the design
standard team.
The comment period is
normally 60 days from the date
posted and will close July 28,
2014. Please visit the CSA site
/ and
return comments as quickly as
possible, so that they can be
passed on to the appropriate
committee for review.
Safety tips during
National Safety Month
IPAF supported the National Safety
Month in June by highlighting
important safety facts that relate
to AWPs and providing members
with the resources they need to
put safety first all year round.
The leading cause of fatalities
in the workplace is falls from
height. AWPs can be a major part
of the solution to this issue. When
managed properly on site and
used by trained and familiarized
operators, AWPs are one of the
safest and most efficient methods
of working at height.
Potential risks such as
electrocution and crushing/
trapping can be prevented through
proper planning, risk assessment
and management of work at
height, including thorough
operator training and
familiarization. Resources
on the safe use of AWPs are
available free at:
and
Keep safe distances when
working on AWPs near
power lines: Just one of
the safety tips shared
by IPAF during National
Safety Month.
Vehicle mounted
manufacturers’ group
set up at APEX
IPAF reaffirmed its original objectives at the APEX show in Amsterdam,
the Netherlands, where member meetings were held with the overall aim
of working to keep the industry safe. As part of the goal of engaging and
involving members, several new groups were set up.
The Vehicle Mounted Manufacturers’ Technical Committee, chaired
by IPAF president Steve Couling, currently managing director of Time –
Versalift, was created to allow interested manufacturers of static boom (1b)
category machines to consolidate ideas and address key topics relevant to
them. Manufacturer members who wish to participate should contact IPAF
technical & safety executive Chris Wraith.
Vehicle mounted manufacturers will next meet September 24 in Cologne,
Germany. The main IPAF Manufacturers’ Technical Committee will next
meet October 26 in Las Vegas, NV. Details at
Sunstate Equipment
offers IPAF training
