20.08.2020

New head of safety at IPAF

The International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) has appointed Brian Parker as head of safety & technical reporting to chief executive Peter Douglas. He officially takes up the new role on October 2nd and joins the association from AFI-Uplift where he was group business development manager-technical support.
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Brian Parker

He joined AFI in March 2007 as training manager following nine years as training and safety manager with Peter Hird, the Hull based crane and access company (see: new training manager at AFI). The following year he added health & safety, environmental and quality responsibilities to his job. He left the company for a brief period in 2014 when he was appointed as national specialist training manager for HSS, but re-joined AFI at the end of that year when he was appointed as business development manager - technical support.

He began his working life in 1989 with the Royal Engineers as an equipment operator and mechanic, leaving to join Hird after seven years service. He is a certified IPAF, PASMA and CITB instructor, holds a diploma from NEBOSH and is a graduate member of IOSH, and a Mental Health First Aid tutor. He has also served as chairman
of the PASMA training committee.

Parker is also an avid long distance cyclist and has raised substantial sums for charity on the past few years (see: 326 miles for charity and London to Brussels by bike).
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Peter Douglas said: “Brian’s key responsibility is to ensure IPAF’s resources are effectively used to raise safety standards in the powered access industry worldwide. He is the perfect fit for this role and is well known to all of us at IPAF having served on the UK Country Council and Training Committee. He has a huge amount of experience and, as anyone who has met him knows, he is very passionate about safety.”

Parker added: “I am delighted to be taking up this important role for our industry. I hope to be able to use my experience and interpersonal skills to lend renewed impetus to the many safety initiatives and projects at IPAF. Key priorities will include driving forward IPAF’s global accident reporting project, delivering technical guidance and developing Andy Access safety posters and Toolbox Talks to help keep powered access operations safe. I can’t wait to get started.”