More than 350 industry professionals from around the world attended the International Awards for Powered Access (IAPAs) held on March 26, 2013 in Miami, FL.
The event, which celebrates best practice and excellence in the powered access industry, was held in the US for the first time and was a glowing success for the organizers Access International and Access Lift & Handlers magazines, and the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF).
The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Harry McArdle, founder of Height for Hire and Easi Uplifts, by newly elected IPAF president Steve Couling, managing director of TIME-Versalift.
Paying tribute to McArdle, Couling said, “Harry was one of the first entrepreneurs to take access seriously as a rental business. He is also quick to see new opportunities in products and markets, seeing, for example, the potential of large truck-mounted platforms as well as other specialist forms of access.”
Another 13 awards were presented that evening, including one for the Access Photograph of the Year. An impressive 86 entries were received for the awards, which provided the judges with an ample selection of projects, equipment and innovative services from around the world.
The organizers thank all those who entered for the awards and the five judges for their time and effort. The judges were: Enrica Pege, director of Venpa; Stefan Kulawik, managing director of Palfinger Platforms; Ebbe Christensen, president of Reachmaster; Ken Pustizzi, CEO of Trico Lift; and outgoing IPAF president Wayne Lawson of JLG.
The next IAPAs will be held together with the IPAF Summit on 3 April 2014 in Windsor, near London in the UK. More event details will be available at www.iapa-summit.info
The full list of the 2013 winners and the citations from the judges are as follows:
IPAF Training Instructor of the Year
Rafael Bazzarella, Skyjack
The judges were impressed with Bazzarella’s continued efforts to expand IPAF training in Latin America by encouraging companies to start up training centres and promoting safety to government.
Best New IPAF Training Center of the Year
Sheet Metal Workers 33, Cleveland District Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC), based in the USA
In November 2012, within two months of starting out as an approved training center, the Sheet Metal Workers 33 held its first operator training courses and successfully trained 37 operators. It now has a full year of training scheduled for 2013.
Best Marketing Campaign for Safety and IPAF Training
Mastclimbers LLC
Mastclimbers LLC took the award for its efforts in educating the US market about the industry’s responsibilities when it comes to safety and training.
Access Photograph of the Year
Paul Tynan, an employee of Summit Tower Hire, based in Australia, won this award for his picture of a Bronto Skylift S70-XDT at the MacArthur Wind Farm in the state of Victoria.
Product of the Year: Mast Climbing Work Platforms and Hoists
Scanclimber, Finland, for its SC8000 Eiffel Transport Platform
The judges said, "This was an outstanding entry. The custom-designed model was impressive but so too were the safety features put in place to protect the hundreds of thousands of tourists visiting the Eiffel Tower, where the transport platform is working."
Product of the Year: Low-Level Access
ReechCraft, USA, for the Powerlift
The Powerlift is an innovative product, designed with safety and maneuverability in mind, said the judges.
Product of the Year: Vehicle/Trailer Mounted
Ruthmann, Germany, for the Steiger T 540 truck mount
Among many great features, the judges were impressed by the T 540's long upper boom and jib design, and felt the machine offered a great overall package to customers.
Product of the Year: Self-Propelled (Booms, Scissors, Atrium Lifts)
Cormidi, Italy, for the KB-X
The KB-X combines an access platform, under-bridge platform and compact crane. The design of the knuckle boom system on the boom to allow under-bridge access was particularly impressive.
Award for Outstanding After Sales Service
Independent Parts & Service (IPS), UK
IPS was described as having exceptional parts management capabilities, thanks, in part, to its recently introduced active stock profiling system.
Contribution to Safe Working at Height
AFI-Uplift, UK
The company made an important contribution to safety with its new Sanctuary Zone anti-entrapment device.
IPAF Safety Champion
Kevin O’Shea, Mastclimbers LLC
Highly Commended: Peter Douglas, Nationwide Platforms, UK
This was a very strong category and a very close call. So, to break with tradition, the judges decided a Highly Commended certificate should be created, in addition to the winner's award. The Highly Commended certificate went to Peter Douglas from Nationwide Platforms, UK, while the winning trophy was presented to Kevin O'Shea from Mastclimbers LLC. The latter presented his Safety Awareness Seminar to OSHA employees in 20 US cities in 2012, among many other achievements.
Access Project of the Year
Scanclimber, Finland
Scanclimber provided mast climbing equipment to help refurbish the first floor of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France.
Access Rental Company of the Year
Industrial Access, Romania
Industrial Access picked up this coveted award for taking a leading role in an emerging market, often taking difficult decisions for the right reasons, as well as lobbying its government for safety regulation.
IPAF/Access International Lifetime Achievement Award
Harry McArdle founded Height for Hire in Ireland in 1978, buying the company's first self propelled boom in 1980. Since then, the business, also operating under the Easi Uplifts name, has added rental operations in the UK, as well as Slovakia and Hungary. One of his most significant contributions over the latter years has been his full support of IPAF.
