Ensuring the Correct Operatives Operate MEWPs and Cherry Pickers

As no doubt understood by all of us within the Construction Industry, items or persons falling from height can lead to significant injury or worse. On this project, they make sure that only authorised workers operate work at height access equipment.

They determined that if they can have a fully visual means of demonstrating that someone operating a MEWP or Cherry Picker has the right training, knowledge and RAMS in place to use it, it will be far more straightforward for anyone on site to challenge the operator, rather than just a manager.

At project induction, competency cards are checked for all operatives who will be using equipment covered by IPAF. For the respective category they are qualified within, a helmet sticker is issued and put on at induction. This enables managers, supervisors and other operatives to see quickly who should or should not be operating a machine. For Sikhs who do not wear traditional safety helmets, the contractor have sourced arm display pouches to ensure they continue to work within their inclusive mindset on site.

In having these in essence “Competency Stickers” on helmets, or arm pouches, it enables the whole workforce to challenge anyone they may see in a MEWP, not just managers. This additionally helps in that there is recognition of an operatives competence, experience and skill set at project induction, on their first day. It also demonstrates how seriously this aspect of any construction works must be treated in order to deliver the works safely.