Ground conditions are critical when working at heights. All ground hazards need to be identified & eliminated or suitable control measures must be implemented. 

Underground services manhole lids etc are Hazardous. Failure to control hazards can be Fatal

Putting themselves and others at risk! 

 What's concerning with the above images, is the fact that they are real photo's.

So what was this Operator thinking?

He obviously didn't invest much time in assessing the ground conditions.

Our questions are;

1. Did he consult with other site personnel to assess any potential hazards?

2. Once the boom lift made impressions in the ground, was it re-assessed?

3. Did the operator really think that driving or operating a 17 tonne machine in soft ground conditions near a suspended surface would not put himself at risk of injury or possibly damage property?

One of the major contributing factors to EWP incidents is a lack of care by the operators in identifying and controlling hazards. 

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*Siteshelter® Heavy Duty Ground Protection Mats are rated for vehicles up-to 120 Tonnes. However, it is the user's responsibility to assess the load-bearing capacity of the ground, and to only operate vehicles within the weight that ground is capable of supporting safely. Siteshelter® accepts no liability whatsoever for any damage, loss or injury rising from the ground conditions on which these products are used. Siteshelter® Heavy Duty Ground Mats are not suitable for bridging purposes.

Greater awareness of the risks associated with working at height has seen more and more businesses hire in EWP equipment, rather than rely on ladders, with a corresponding reduction in accidents. While this is good news, getting the wrong machine for the job can jeopardise operator and site safety as well as adversely affect productivity.

Safety is paramount when working at height, so it's vital to consider all the factors that might impact on it, such as the application, the loads involved and the working environment.

It's also important to make sure that operators are properly licensed and have access to quality safety equipment when required.

EWP Training Solutions recommends that anyone hiring EWP equipment should consider the following:

* Check that operators are properly trained and have the correct licence.

Operators of access equipment need a minimum EWPA "yellow card" Card which expires if the operator does not complete refresher training every five years. Reputable training providers like EWP Training Solutions can train people to use mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs), with courses taught by fully qualified, Elevated Work Platform Association of Australia-accredited trainers.

* Does the application require you to lift vertically or to reach at an angle, perhaps to gain access over an obstacle?
With the ability to raise the platform to a height of 19ft to 53ft and carry tools on deck, a scissor lift is traditionally used on construction sites to apply cladding to a new-build development and in warehouses to repair lighting, carry out maintenence and stocktakes but they are also popular with commercial decorators, security installation companies and mezzanine installers.

Boom lifts, also known as cherry pickers, raise one to two person's only with minimal additional weight to heights of 30ft-34ft and more and are widely used in the construction industry. Boom lifts above 34ft require a hRW WP licence. Vertical Lifts are a staple piece of equipment in retail and warehousing environments, taking one person up to 20ft vertically.

* Will you be working indoors, outside or both?
A Vertical Lift is for indoor use only while scissor and boom lifts can be used indoors and outside. The width and height restrictions for scissor lifts set out in the Working at Height Regulations mean that, although it may be possible to take two people up to a given height indoors, it is safe for only one person to ascend to that height outdoors. This is mainly due to weather conditions such as strong winds, which can destabilise the platform.

* Will you be working on smooth, flat surfaces or uneven ground?
Electric Scissor lifts have small wheels so can only operate safely on flat surfaces, whereas Diesel Scissor lifts & boom lifts feature an oscillating axle so are suited to rough ground and slopes. It is important to be aware of any access issues between the designated machine drop-off point and the work environment.

Anyone operating a boom lift is mandatory to wear a safety harness. Companies hiring EWP equipment are responsible for having the correct insurance and for making sure the machine is properly secured against theft.

The weight placed on a scissor lift platform is critical, because overloading can lead to destabilisation. All machines supplied must have the SWL or rated capacity indicating the maximum load, so hirers can calculate the weight of the operator(s) and any tools/equipment to ensure the total falls within safe parameters.

People who hire EWP equipment regularly know the ropes, but those who use it only occasionally may not be so confident about choosing the right equipment.

Reference: Briggs equipment uk news 2015. IPAF media source 06/08/2015.

DO

* - Telescope last & first & avoid coarse movements near the workface.

* - Always enter & leave the work platform when it is in a fully lowered position,using the steps designed for that purpose using 3 points of contact.

* - Before operating the controls of an EWP make sure that you know the position,function & correct operation of the emergency lowering controls & the emergency stop button.

* - Ensure that another competent person (who is not working in the platform) knows how to use the emergency controls.

* - Always engage the controls gently & smoothly as the proportional controls will respond to your input.

* - Continually observe, before & during the raising & lowering of the platform. ALways check for possible obstructions , people above & below.

* - Always be particularly careful to prevent objects or equipment interfering with controls on the EWP.

DON'T

* - Do not exit the machine at height.

* - Do not ever allow an unauthorised person to operate or interfere with the controls - operation of the platform.

* - Do not ever interfere modify with the saftey devices & controls

* - Do not ever use the guard railings or other objects to extend your reach or height for any purpose. Feet must be kept firmly on the platform floor at all times.

* - Do not ever use the emergency controls for purposes other than lowering the platform in an emergecny or function testing.

* - Do not ever attempt to climb up or down the boom or scissor stack of an EWP.

Click on read more to view Video

 Click on read more to view Video

EWP Training Solutions FY2016 Limited Offer   
Get in early & take advantage of this limited offer. 

For comfirmed group bookings for July & August we are offering a 20% discount on Yellow Cards & VOC's. For bookings email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

TERMS AND CONDITIONS: To receive the discount you must mention this offer as stated in the newsletter or our website blog. Minimum group sizes of 5. Course dates must be booked & confirmed in advance for July or August. The discount offer is only applicable to the full RRP of the course fee. All course fees payable prior to the course commencement.

POTENTIAL BUYERS
Elevating Work Platforms, by the very nature of the product and working conditions are a potentially
high-risk product to own. Before “buying a bargain” it is essential to check out the basics to satisfy
yourself as to the state of the EWP being considered and the level of risk you are prepared to take on.

LEGISLATION
Australia maintains a high safety standard and history when it comes to EWPs, helped by
manufacturers, rental fleet owners, owners and end users working together with the relevant statutory
bodies to ensure standards are maintained.

Key legislation currently in place includes:
Occupational Health and Safety Acts
Plant Regulations and Codes of Practice
AS1418.10, AS2550.10, Australian Standards covering the design, testing and operational requirements of EWPs.

The OH&S Acts put the emphasis on all involved with EWPs on the “Duty of Care” requirement. This
means that a supplier of EWPs must ensure the unit meets legal, safety and operational standards. Also
employers have to ensure all operators have been adequately trained in the safe use and operation of
the EWP.

This legislation follows on to the relevant Australian Standards, particularly AS1418 and AS2550.
Conformance to these Codes will be seen as meeting ‘Duty of Care” requirements.

The key points from the legislation and Codes of Practice in regards to pre-owned EWPs include:

Annual Inspections
Major Inspections, i.e. Ten Year Test (thereafter every 5 years)
Maintenance history/Manuals
Log Books
Operating Instructions

The Ten Year Test is particularly relevant when buying Pre-owned EWPs. AS2550.10 clearly states that
an EWP must be Ten Year Tested in accordance with the standard which, in practice requires the EWP
to be stripped down, and all relevant structural welds x-rayed.

For example on a 60’ (18.2m) Boom Lift this can mean an additional outlay of $25000 to $40000
depending on machine type, age, history and location. Then it all has to be repeated five years later!!

1) Eliminate unsafe ground condition
•Assess the ground condition (e.g. slope, softness) of the area where MEWP is to be operated and has to travel before reaching work position.
•Poor ground conditions can lead to the MEWP to be unstable and overturn. Eliminate unsafe ground conditions, such by compacting or use suitable base plates.

2) Eliminate equipment failure
• Conduct daily pre-operation inspection and function checks of all controls on the MEWP. Report any faults identified immediately to the Owner/supervisor record them in the logbook and only operate MEWP after rectification.
• Ensure that the MEWP has had its routine servicing within 3 months or 90 days & annual inspection.

3) Assess Work Area for Hazards
• Assess the environment, e.g. struck by oncoming vehicles, such as buses. Execute preventive control measures, such as exclusion zones of the area.
• Ensure workers do not position themselves between overhead hazards, such as the rails of the basket.

4) Dealing with emergency
• Establish an emergency response plan to deal with accidents, near misses,dangerous occurrence or malfunctioning of MEWP.
• Ensure all operators are trained to follow the procedures in the emergency response plan.

5) Training
• Ensure operators are trained and familiar with the safe performance and control of the MEWP.
• Operators must refer to the operator’s manual when he/she encounters a problem with the machine.
• Provide adequate training for the operators and workers working in the vicinity of MEWP so that they understand and adhere to all on-site safety requirements related to the safe operation of MEWP.

Along with being a proud member of the Elevated Work Platform Association of Australia EWP Training Solutions are now able to announce that we have been accepted as a member of the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF)

This membership ensures that we are constantly up to date with global issues regarding EWP incidents and their causes, training trends or methods and new equipment developments.

We now have an even greater ability to provide our clients and their employees with all the information possible to ensure the safe operation of equipment.

The world authority

in powered access

International Powered Access Federation (IPAF)

So what was this Operator thinking?

He obviously didn't invest much time in assessing the ground conditions.

Our questions are;

1. Did he consult with other site personnel to assess any potential hazards?

2. Once gouging a trench in the soft ground with the EWP did he think filling the trench was going to solve the issue?

3. Did he really think that bricks or blocks are suitable materials to stabilize the ground or support the weight of a 16 tonne machine with a maximum platform height of 24.50m ?

One of the major contributing factors to EWP incidents is lack of care by operators in identifying and controling hazards.

EWPA 'Yellow Card' operators can have their cards verified by following the link directly through to the EWPA.

http://yellowcard.ewpa.com.au/yellowcard/verify and entering the operator YC number.

This can be helpfull for managers and supervisors determining that the operator has a valid yellow card.  

As advised in our last edition, the EWPA "Yellow Card" course has been revised to comply with the National Unit of Competency RIIHAN301D and has become effective as of Monday May 11th 2015.

While this new training program may take a little while longer to deliver we believe that the changes have a lot of benefits to both the trainees and the trainer alike.

The benefits as we see them are;

 - A more formative assessment process involving individual and group excercises to allow the trainer to progressively assess the trainees understanding of the material being presented. Of course this also gives the trainees a more interactive role in the training.

 - Although an operators responsibility to identify hazards and minimise risks has always been a feature of the "Yellow Card" course, this new program takes this topic to an even higher level.

 - The training material used in delivering the required information for the course has been revised, in some cases compressed and in other cases expanded. There is now a greater focus on awareness of current issues involving overhead crush hazards and preventative measures also DO's and DON'T's when setting up EWP's on slopes etc. A safe work environment is key. It is also intended that the revised "In class theory" training now allows even more time for practical training, acquiring operational skills and performing more involved practical assessment tasks.

Finally we'd like to stress that the "Yellow Card" course is essentially an "All day" course. Although the time frame for conducting the course may be longer than previous programs, the ultimate goal is "SAFETY".

Regardless we have no intention to revise our rate structure. Please be wary of individuals or organisations offering "CHEAP" or "QUICK" training, either inevitably means compromise.

Compromise could ultimately lead to a less safe workplace for us all.