22.12.2006

UK aerial companies make statement on Harnesses

The UK access rental companies that attended the extraordinary meeting of PAIG a joint committee of IPAF and the CPA has issued its formal statement calling for the systematic use of harnesses with short lanyards when using boom lifts.
The statement is as follows:

“The Powered Access Interest Group (PAIG) a joint committee of the Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA) and the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) has called for all users of boom type access platforms to wear a full body harness with a short restraint lanyard attached to a suitable anchor point.

The Group specifically requests the HSE, Manufacturers, Hire Companies and Main Contractors to support this campaign to save lives through preventing ejection of users from boom platform baskets.

For full details obtain CPA – IPAF technical guidance note H1 (or refer to endorsing companies)

A new safety campaign called Clunk Click, which reinforces this message, has also been launched”.

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The Clunk Click poster. A version with the logos and contact details of a dozen sponsors will also be produced to mail in major magazines.

The companies represented at the meeting and endorsing this statement include:
AFI-UpLift
AMP
Active Rental
A-Plant Powered Access
AA-Access
EPL Access
Facelift
Nationwide Access
Panther
Kestrel
The Platform Company
SGB
Rapid Platforms
Peter Hird Ltd
Higher Access
Kimberly Access
Prime Serve Solutions

Together they represent over 20,000 units of the UK fleet.

Vertikal Comment

The meeting demonstrated how the industry has changed with so many companies taking this issue very seriously and taking a good deal of time during a busy period to put a significant effort behind this campaign.

The group also agreed to launch and essentially fund a campaign to not only make the wearing of harnesses second nature, but also to lobby the HSE to officially endorse their use in most applications.

The sad thing is that there were one or two notable absences among the top ten UK rental companies and no manufacturers chose to send a representative along.

Vertikal.Net along with the above companies is also putting is money where is mouth is and helping support the production and mailing of the Clunk Click poster, which will be sponsored by the above companies and any others who wish to join this worthwhile cause.

We will also carry the clunk click advert in our magazines free of any charge. We hope and call on the major Construction magazines to join us and provide a similar level of support to this important campaign.