New rules and procedures can be tough, as they often seem to complicate our lives. They force us to disrupt our usual routines, which can be painful because we must stop the autopilot, engage, and well… think. And let’s face it, as humans we love our routines and comfort zones.
Many of us are simply not rule followers by nature. For every individual who feels safe and secure within set boundaries, there’s another person who feels restricted, confined and controlled by them. Yet we can all admit most rules and policies exist for good reason and a few others are actually of life or death importance. The latter are the ones we’re talking about when we look at the new ANSI A92 standards for mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs) that go into effect this December.
As you read the article, “ANSI for Rental Houses – How Do You Comply?” on page 42 of this issue, you’ll be reminded of the importance of your role in ensuring the safety of individuals working at height. As IPAF North America Manager Tony Groat puts it, “The rental company is the leader of the band. If they’re off key, the rest of the band will be off key too. In other words, if they’re not doing things correctly, they’ll be showing everyone else the wrong way.”
While Groat and IPAF did not suggest or initiate changes to ANSI standards (which are not law but consensual policies) they are working hard to make all stakeholders aware of their roles and responsibilities and help meet them. Rental houses, for their part, are responsible for offering familiarization and training to all operators, including employees and customers; they must develop a safe use plan and designate a qualified person to supervise both, among other things. Please see our article and/or ANSI’s Manual of Responsibilities A92.22 and A92.24 for details on what your responsibilities are, come December.
In the end, the first step is awareness, the next is commitment. MEWPs are by far the safest means of performing temporary work at height, but they aren’t without inherent risk. Your approach to your role as an equipment supplier and an employer could mean the difference between a customer or an employee going home at the end of the day. Please act accordingly.
