Many of our clients use MEWPS for access and recent months have seen the major contractors taking steps to safe guard the use of MEWPS in terms of trapping incidents.
These solutions, though well intended, are often prescriptive and can lead to solutions being put into place which are relied upon to protect users when they are not perhaps the best choice so much so that HSE has now issued the following statement;
“Work involving mobile elevating platforms (MEWPs) needs to be managed in accordance with the guidance produced by the Strategic Forum for Construction Plant Safety Group. This guidance which is intended to help industry reduce the risk of trapping and crushing injuries, was updated earlier this year to include information on selecting anti-entrapment devices”
“If individual contractors choose to enforce the use of a particular device on their sites this is their decision. However fitting such devices alone will not prevent entrapment accidents and how effective a device is depends on where and how it is being used.”
In an attempt to clarify the situation IPAF has recently released guidance on the options available and their best use, the documents in split into two parts, the first aimed at instructors, planners and managers and the second at MEWP users and supervisors. More information and download links can be found here; http://www.ipaf.org/en/publications/avoiding-trappingcrushing-injuries/
Note:
In response to this debate IPAF are inviting leading UK contractors to a half day seminar on the subject of MEWP anti-entrapment systems and processes. Key note speakers will include Joy Jones, HSE’s Construction Safety Team Manager, and Chris Wraith, IPAF’s Technical Officer.
The seminar will present advice from the HSE about its views on the best ways to minimise the possibility of an operator risking entrapment while operating in a confined overhead space and review IPAF’s guidance on the subject whilst other presentations will look at data available from IPAF’s accident reporting project and a review of available best practices.
IPAF’s half day seminar is free to invited delegates and will be held at the Sofitel Hotel, T5, Heathrow on the morning of 21st November. Contractors wishing to attend, or IPAF members wishing to nominate a particular contractor to be invited to the event, should email jo.wood@ipaf.org
Click this link for more information on this event http://www.ipaf.org/en/resources/news/article/ipaf-convenes-anti-entrapment-seminar/
| In response to this debate IPAF are inviting leading UK contractors to a half day seminar on the subject of MEWP anti-entrapment systems and processes. Key note speakers will include Joy Jones, HSE’s Construction Safety Team Manager, and Chris Wraith, IPAF’s Technical Officer. |
It will present advice from the HSE about its views on the best ways to minimise the possibility of an operator risking entrapment while operating in a confined overhead space and review IPAF’s guidance on the subject. Other presentations will look at data available from IPAF’s accident reporting project and a review of available best practices.
IPAF’s half day seminar is free to invited delegates and will be held at the Sofitel Hotel, T5, Heathrow on the morning of 21st November. Contractors wishing to attend, or IPAF members wishing to nominate a particular contractor to be invited to the event, should email jo.wood@ipaf.org
Click this link for more information on this event http://www.ipaf.org/en/resources/news/article/ipaf-convenes-anti-entrapment-seminar/