06.06.2016

AFI launches familiarisation videos

AFI has launched a full range of familiarisation videos allowing operators to familiarise themselves with the specific machines they have rented in their own time, at their own pace.

The company claim that the 37 videos are a first in the UK aerial lift market, in that they are designed to be viewed on any smart device by scanning a QR code on the machine or by viewing them online.

Contractors can also add the QR code and link to their website so that their staff or sub-contractors can familiarise themselves on the machine before they get to site. The videos can also be used by principal contractors as part of their induction process or method statement to highlight that they have taken steps to ensure machine familiarisation.
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A view from one of the videos

The AFI videos include all of the detail required for proper familiarisation covering every type of work platform in regular use in the AFI fleet. Each video covers a family of machines, such as Genie diesel booms from 40 to 60ft or Skyjack electric scissors from 19 to 46ft.

The videos are designed not only to be informative, but also interesting and engaging. AFI business development manager -technical support Brian Parker wears a head cam to get up close with the machines and their controls, taking viewers through features of each lift, such as platform controls, emergency lowering controls and safety devices.

This footage is combined with a tripod-mounted camera to show two alternative views – a clear view detailing the controls being operated and a wider view showing the resulting movement of the machine. On-screen visuals and animations also draw the viewer's attention to various points on screen, for example specific controls on the control panel. In addition, brief summaries of previously listed processes are shown during each section of the video to provide bullet point instructions for ease of understanding and also create simple points of reference for the viewer.
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Brian Parker complete with headcam

Parker said: “A key contributory factor to operator accidents, incidents and fatalities is a lack of familiarisation on the machine they are operating and a lack of knowledge amongst their colleagues about the emergency rescue procedures. We have developed these videos to address this problem and we believe they will undoubtedly save lives. With this in mind we are making them freely available to everyone, irrespective of whether they are a customer of AFI.”

Nick Selley, AFI Director, said: “AFI is committed to helping to improve safety standards throughout the working at height sector and we have invested substantial resources to produce and launch these videos. In today’s digital age we believe that online familiarisation will become the norm.”
The videos can be accesses on www.afi-uplift.co.uk/fam

Vertikal Comment

While this is not the first time a company has use QR codes on the machines to link to details and instruction manuals, and it is not the first time that familiarisation videos have been available, it is almost certainly the first time that machine specific videos, including - one assumes - the attachments and options that the rental company has added has been provided.

While it might not replace the formal handover at the point of delivery it should provide a major boost to safety as end users get used to it. As long as the customer is guaranteed a specific model will be delivered they can get a pretty good idea of what to expect beforehand, making them better equipped to question the delivery driver on a specific aspect of the machine.

Looking forward this is likely to become widely adopted and if so, there will be pressure on manufacturers to provide such videos in a specific format, this might therefore be something where a standardised format should be agreed?
All in all it looks like a very positive development.