11.05.2011

IPAF appoints Wraith

Chris Wraith of Lavendon Access Services is taking up the full time post of technical officer at the International Powered Access Federation.

Wraith will take up his new post at the start of July and will be based at the federation’s head office in Cumbria, UK. He fills the vacancy created by the recent retirement of Gil Male.
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Chris Wraith

Wraith has been with Lavendon, the world’s largest specialist access rental group, for many years, most recently as UK quality, health, safety and environment manager. He is a qualified IPAF instructor, a chartered member of the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health.

IPAF chief executive Tim Whiteman said: “Chris brings more than 20 years of operational and managerial experience of the access industry to the post and will undoubtedly become a key member of our team. We are delighted to be able to share his experience with our members around the world.”

Wraith added: “I am really looking forward to becoming part of the IPAF team and building on the excellent work of Gil Male. I will be working closely with everyone in the access industry to further improve the safe and effective use of powered access equipment worldwide. My thanks go to everyone at Lavendon for a long and happy association.”

Vertikal Comment

This is an excellent appointment for IPAF and undoubtedly a loss for Lavendon, Wraith recently made a key presentation to the IPAF Summit in Amsterdam having taken up the subject of poor ground preparation and outrigger mat usage – a long time campaigning issue of the Vertikal Press. His first hand experience in the industry having to deal with day to day safety and accident related issues will be a major asset for IPAF.

In his new role he will be better placed to promote this as a critical safety issue to the industry as a whole, along with other important technical matters. IPAF would be hard placed to have found a better candidate.

Apropos of nothing - Gil Male was appointed as the federation’s first technical officer in 2005, after making a safety related presentation while working for the HSE at the IPAF Summit of that year.