10.12.2013

Official - it’s ‘Secondary Guarding’

The UK’s Strategic Forum for Construction Plant Safety Group has unanimously agreed to change the terminology used to describe anti-crushing devices fitted to boom lifts from the previously preferred ‘Anti- Entrapment’ description to ‘Secondary Guarding’.

The group agreed with a proposal prepared by IPAF’s technical officer, Chris Wraith which stated that all aerial work platforms are safe by design and fitted as standard with a function enable device to provide primary protection, while additional equipment or devices fitted to a lift in order to reduce the risk of an overhead crushing injury offer secondary protection and should not replace good practice by management and the operator.

And given that ‘Anti-Entrapment’ devices do not prevent entrapment, but rather offer a secondary guarding option to help reduce the risk of serious injury from overhead hazards, the term ‘Secondary Guarding’ is more appropriate and should therefore be adopted by the industry.

A number of systems are now available including physical guards such as the AFI Sanctuary Zone or Genie Operator Protective Structure, to the electrically activated systems such as Lavendon’s Sky Siren, Niftylift’s SiOPs system – the granddaddy of them all which is standard rather than optional on its larger booms – to JLG’s Sky Guard, Haulotte’s ACTIV’Shield Bar and several others.
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Genie's Operator Protective Structure

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The control box with Activ'Shield Bar installed - note the spring loading and reset button

CPA director Kevin Minton, who is also chairman of the Strategic Forum’s aerial lift group, said: “The unanimous decision of this group, who represent all the key industry stakeholders, demonstrates how important this change to more accurate terminology is. The aim of the group is to agree on how to ensure the safe use of aerial work platforms in construction and we hope re-naming will make it clearer for managers and operators on site.”

Wraith added: “The term anti-entrapment implies that the use of these devices will prevent entrapment, even though it is recognised that there is no single solution to prevent overhead crushing incidents from occurring. A reduction in serious incidents will only come about by the combined efforts of operators, site management, hire companies and manufacturers working towards improvements and this renaming is a step in this direction. ‘Secondary Guarding’ is a much more accurate terminology based on sound reasoning that describes this equipment and devices for what they are.”

Further guidance on the prevention of entrapment when using aerial work platforms is available to download from the CPA and IPAF websites - listed in our online Access and Lifting directory. Just click here