While powered access remains one of the safest methods for performing temporary work at height, incidents involving mechanical or technical failures can still lead to serious injuries and fatalities. The International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) emphasizes that many of these incidents are preventable through consistent inspection routines, proper maintenance, and adherence to safety procedures.
As such, the IPAF put focus onto the importance of pre-use inspections, proper maintenance, and regular equipment service. The new global safety campaign "Check It!" is a call for everyone to take shared responsibility for safety when working at height — from operators and managers to equipment rental companies and their contractor customers.
According to their announcement, the "CheckIt!" campaign will focus on key safety priorities, including:
- The hazards associated with technical and mechanical equipment failure
- The risks of inadequate maintenance, inspection and equipment checks
- Practical steps to reduce these risks
- Who is responsible for different types of checks
- The importance of reporting incidents and near-misses to IPAF to improve global safety data
Brian Parker, Head of Safety & Technical at IPAF:
In 2024, IPAF received eight reports of fatal and major injuries relating to mechanical or technical failures on all types of powered access equipment, with six fatalities reported. Although this data represents a 33 percent year-on-year decrease in reports and a 45 percent year-on-year decrease in fatalities, every incident and life lost is one too many.
Many incidents involving powered access equipment are avoidable. By ensuring that machines are properly maintained, inspected, and checked before use, we can significantly reduce risks and protect lives.
The campaign aims to raise awareness while providing practical, actionable guidance for industry professionals to help reduce risks and prevent incidents across the industry.
The International Powered Access Federation
As part of this campaign, IPAF has released the following new guidance:
- Guidance On Buying a Pre-Owned MEWP
- The Principles of Service, Maintenance & Inspections of Powered Access Equipment
- Toolbox Talk: Pre-Delivery Inspections of MEWPs (Rental)
- Andy Access poster: Pre-Hire Inspections
- Andy Access poster: Check Your MEWP (existing poster)
These downloadable resources are designed for a wide audience to help managers, operators, rental companies, contractors and safety professionals seeking to enhance best practices in work at height safety.
IPAF’s annual Global Safety Campaigns continue to highlight critical industry risks and promote best practices worldwide, supporting safer working environments for all those involved in powered access.
For more information and to access campaign materials, visit the Check It webpage.
