30.10.2024

Statement agreed on upper controls isolation

IPAF has issued a Position Statement regarding the isolation of platform controls.

The move follows an incident in the UK in November 2022, when one of the levelling jacks on a large scissor lift leaked down little causing the lift to tilt, having failed to sound the loss of jack pressure warning or sound the tilt alarm, as the operator had stopped the machine using the emergency stop button which cut off all of the electrics, including the safety alerts.

A joint position statement regarding the safe isolation of platform controls in aerial work platforms has now been formulated following consultation with the IPAF’s Manufacturers' Technical Committee and International Safety Committee along with the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Background

The HSE launched an investigation into the incident above found that when at height, the method of isolating the controls on the from the upper controls can introduce a hazard to the occupants of the platform. The investigation is ongoing.
The emergency stop control on aerial work platforms of all types has been used in the powered access industry for a number of years to achieve isolation of controls and/or power source when the platform has reached its place of work.

This practice was first introduced on older machines, not designed to current standards, to reduce the risk of entrapment and inadvertent operation of controls. As the standards have evolved and designs have changed, this practice may no longer be appropriate to reduce the risk as other methods are now used in control designs.

Safe Isolation of the platform controls

The operator of a work platform may be required to isolate the controls and/or power source using platform controls. Where the machine is equipped with an ‘engine on/off’ control at the platform control console, this should be used to switch the engine off during normal operation rather than the emergency stop control, unless the manufacturer indicates that it would be unsafe to do so.

Where machines are not equipped with a dedicated ‘on/off’ control at the platform control console, the operator should follow the manufacturers’ operating instructions as to how this should be achieved.

It is the user's responsibility to ensure the correct work platform has been selected for the task, and that a suitable and sufficient risk assessment has been carried out and documented.

The HSE has fully endorsed this jointly developed guidance and has encouraged IPAF to communicate it to all aerial work platform users.

More information
If you have any questions or require further details, you can contact IPAF head of safety and technical, Brian Parker, on +44 (0)15395 66700.