Working at Height

Anybody working at height must comply with the Working at Height Regulations 2005. The Working at Height Regulations stipulate that we must avoid working at height where possible. Employers must do all that is reasonably practicable to prevent anyone from falling.

Duty holders must:
• Avoid working at height where they can;
• Use work equipment or other measures to prevent falls where they cannot avoid working at height;
• Where they cannot eliminate the risk of a fall, use work equipment or other measures to minimise the distance and consequences of a fall should one occur.

Every employer shall ensure that no person engages in any activity, including organisation, planning and supervision, in any relation to working at height or work equipment for use in such work unless he is competent to do so or, if being trained, is being supervised by a competent person.

IPAF Training

The International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) promotes the safe and effective use of powered access equipment worldwide in the widest sense — through providing technical advice and information, through influencing and interpreting legislation and standards, through its safety initiatives and training programmes. It is a not-for-profit organisation owned by its members who include manufacturers, rental companies, contractors and users.

The IPAF training programme for platform operators was developed by leading industry professionals. It is certified by TÜV as conforming to the international standard ISO 18878 Mobile elevating work platforms – Operator (driver) training. More than 100,000 operators are trained each year through a worldwide network of over 600 training centres. Successful trainees receive a PAL Card (Powered Access Licence), a safety guide, a log book and a certificate.