27.11.2007

New PAL card categories

From 1st January 2008, the IPAF training programme will change its MEWP categories. The change does not affect the training received and existing PAL Cards (Powered Access Licences) remain valid as specified. Existing PAL Card holders do not need to get their cards changed.

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The new PAL categories from 1st January 2008

IPAF says that it has revised the categories in its training programme and is moving to align with the international standards prEN 280 and ISO DIS 16368, standards that regulate the design and manufacture of access platforms worldwide.

The new IPAF categories, with abbreviations and brief explanations, are:

Static Vertical (1a): Vertical personnel platforms (static)

Static Boom (1b): Self-propelled booms (outriggers), trailers/push-arounds, vehicle-mounted platforms

Mobile Vertical (3a): Scissor lifts, vertical personnel platforms (mobile)

Mobile Boom (3b): Self-propelled booms

Special (SPECIAL): Airport equipment

The following courses continue unchanged:
Mast Climbing Work Platforms (MC)
Insulated Aerial Devices (IAD)
Telehandler Platforms – Integrated (TPI)
Harness Use and Inspection (H)
Loading and Unloading (LOAD)
MEWPs for Managers (MM)

Current PAL Card holders who need to replace lost cards will be issued duplicate cards with the original categories they have been trained in. This is because the categories listed on the PAL Card reflect the training received. Those who re-train or do upgrades from 1 January 2008 onwards will be issued with the new categories.

Site managers can check the validity of PAL Cards by calling the IPAF office.

“More than a quarter of a million people worldwide hold a valid PAL Card,” said IPAF managing director Tim Whiteman. “Details on the new categories can be found at the Training section of www.ipaf.org. Posters showing the categories are also available from IPAF and we are happy to send these out to people who want them.”