IPAF USA
225 Placid Drive,
Schenectady, NY 12303
Tel: (518) 280-2486
Fax: (518) 689-6800
IPAF WORLD HEADQUARTERS
Moss End Business Village,
Crooklands, Cumbria LA7 7NU,
UK
Tel: +44 (0)15395 66700
Fax : +44 (0)15395 66084
There were 28 fatalities worldwide
involving mobile elevating work
platforms (MEWPs), also known
as aerial work platforms (AWPs),
in the first half of 2013, according
to findings from IPAF’s accident
database.
The main causes of these
fatalities were: overturn (10), fall
from height (9), entrapment (5),
electrocution (3), and impact with
MEWP (1).
Thirteen of the fatalities involved
booms (3b), 10 involved scissor
lifts (3a), and three involved vehicle
mounts (1b). In two cases, the
machine type was unknown.
Of these fatalities, 13 occurred
in the USA, two each in France,
Germany, the Netherlands and
the UK, and one each in Armenia,
Canada, Ireland, Malaysia, Norway,
Spain and the UAE.
While releasing these findings,
IPAF also updated the 2012
preliminary results following
the reporting of a previously
unrecorded fatal accident in
Canada in October 2012. This
brings the total fatalities in 2012
to 32, instead of the 31 initially
reported.
Compared with the first half
of 2012 which saw 17 fatalities
reported, the number of fatalities
reported for the first half of 2013
has increased by about
65%. IPAF believes that the
accident reporting project
is capturing more data, not
necessarily that there are
more accidents.
While the main causes of
fatalities were fairly evenly
spread in the first half of
2012, the first half of 2013
saw a rise in the number
of fatalities resulting from
overturn and fall from
height. The fatalities in the
first half of 2012 involved
more booms (3b) and
vehicle mounts (1b). Those
in the first half of 2013
involved more booms (3b)
and scissor lifts (3a).
Two new
Chairs
for IPAF
Teresa Kee,
Director,
Environmental,
Health and Safety
at NES Rentals,
was elected
chairperson of
the IPAF North
American Regional
Council at the
Council’s meeting on August 20,
2013.
Jim Dorris, Vice-President,
Health, Safety, Environment &
Sustainability at United Rentals,
was elected
vice-chair.
“IPAF is
strengthening
its value as
a members’
organization,”
said Teresa Kee.
“I look forward
to working
closely with the IPAF staff and the
members of IPAF’s North American
Regional Council to provide
our members and prospective
members with sound reasons to
join the global movement for aerial
lift safety. We will build on the
interest and enthusiasm generated
at the IPAF Summit in Miami, as
well as foster a broader rollout
of the AWPT operator training
program eLearning module in
English and Spanish.”
Teresa Kee takes over from
outgoing chairman Kevin O’Shea
who has completed his term. IPAF
expresses its appreciation to Kevin
O’Shea for his tireless efforts to
promote IPAF’s mission and its
growth as an association in the
North American market.
The North American Regional
Council allows US and Canadian
members to meet and address
issues and topics that impact
their regional market and gives
them a voice internationally at the
IPAF Council. Those interested in
participating should contact Tony
Groat, IPAF’s North American
representative, on tony.groat@
awpt.org
IPAF database reports
28 fatal accidents for
the first half of 2013
“Findings from IPAF’s rental
market reports lead us to estimate
that there are more than one
million MEWPs in the world,” said
IPAF CEO Tim Whiteman. “Every
fatality is one too many, but these
figures show that powered access
equipment remains a safe way
to carry out temporary work at
height.”
“The accuracy of the data relies
upon those using MEWPs and
other interested parties to report
any known fatal accidents to
IPAF at
or to an IPAF member of staff,”
said IPAF technical officer Chris
Wraith. “The comprehensiveness
of the data cannot be guaranteed,
but where appropriate, action
is taken to verify the facts. The
data is updated should relevant
information become available.”
IPAF’s accident data is based on
information collected in a number
of ways: directly reported to the
IPAF accident database at www.
ipaf.org/accident, information
obtained by IPAF staff worldwide,
and information collated from press
releases and news reports.
All manufacturers, rental
companies, contractors and users
are encouraged to report any
known fatal and serious accidents
involving mobile elevating work
platforms (MEWPs) and mast
climbing work platforms (MCWPs)
worldwide at the IPAF accident
database. The project is open to
IPAF members and non-members,
and includes an option for
anonymous reporting.
All data collected is confidential
and none of the detail of any
accident is shared with third
parties or disclosed to safety
authorities unless required to by
legal writ. The only exception to
this is that manufacturers will
be given basic data if a machine
manufactured by their company is
involved in a fatal accident.
To register and to report an
accident involving a MEWP or
an MCWP, go to
/
accident
IPAF NEWS
43
SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2013
ACCESS, LIFT & HANDLERS
