Do you have a MEWP rescue plan?

Falls from height are one of the most common types of fatal accidents at work, in particular in construction and maintenance operations. A key factor in reducing the number of these accidents has been the use of Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs).

Common MEWP emergencies

The use of MEWPs does not remove all risks associated with working at height, and there are a number of incidents that could occur requiring someone to be rescued from height, including:

• A person becoming trapped between the MEWP and an adjacent obstruction,
• A person suffering a medical emergency at height (e.g. a heart attack or seizure)
• A slip or trip resulting in pulled muscles
• A malfunction of the equipment
• A fall arrest situation where someone has slipped over an edge and is suspended in a harness.

Rescue planning requirements

The Work at Height Regulations require employers to ensure that work at height is properly planned and that this planning involves planning for emergencies and rescue. While the primary controls for the MEWP may be fitted at the operator’s position in the platform, to enable rescue various standards require MEWPs to also be fitted with ground-level controls and emergency lowering systems.

The IPAF guidance

The International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) recently published new guidance on The Principles Of MEWP Recovery And Rescue. This document looks at a wide range of types of MEWP and provides detailed guidance on developing rescue plans to cover a range of situations, including positioning MEWPs for rescue, responding to situations where an injured person is suspended in a harness and procedures for carrying out a rescue where a MEWP has contacted an electrical hazard such as an overhead power line.

The guidance also considers training, familiarisation, and practising recovery and rescue drills.

If you have any questions or would like support with managing issues at your workplace, please speak to your usual contact or get in touch using the form below.