IPAF: nuove categorie per la PAL Card

From 1 January 2008 the IPAF (International Powered Access Federation) training programme is revising the way it categorises MEWPs (mobile elevated working platforms). The new categories align themselves with the international standards that regulate the design and manufacture of access platforms worldwide: prEN 280 and ISO DIS 16368, and aim to better focus the training delivered by IPAF.

The new categorisation does not affect the validity of existing PAL Cards (Powered Access Licenses) nor the training received but, from 1 January 2008, those who retrain or upgrade will be issued with a card carrying the new categories.

The new categories are broken down into Group a or b and Type 1, 2 or 3. Group a or b describes whether a platform goes straight up and down (Group a), or moves horizontally away from the base (Group b). Type 1, 2 or 3 determines the manner in which the platform travels: Type 1 cannot move with the platform raised, that is it only moves in its transport position; Type 2 is an MEWP that travels with the platform raised and is controlled from the chassis and Type 3 is an MEWP that travels with the platform raised but is controlled from within the platform. Machines will be classified according to these characteristics: 1a is a static vertical; 1b a static boom; 3a is a mobile vertical and 3b a mobile boom. Machines in the 2a and 2b classifications are expected to be rare and used only in specialist applications.

IPAF international training manager, Rupert Douglas-Jones said, “IPAF has revised its categories to reflect international best practice.”

IPAF has thousands of posters to give away showing the new categories, if you would like to receive one email info@ipaf.org