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Guidance aims to reduce the risk of MEWP trapping and crushing injuries
Best Practice Guidance for MEWPs: Avoiding trapping / crushing injuries to people in the platform, has now been published by the Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA) on behalf of the Strategic Forum Plant Safety Group.
The guidance is to help the construction industry reduce the risk of trapping and crushing injuries to people working in mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs). It has been produced by a Working Group of over 40 people representing over 30 companies, trade bodies and HSE.
Recent recent injuries and deaths prompted guide
MEWPs have led to great improvements in safe working at height over the last 10 years plus.
However, the CPA point out that increased use where trapping risks are present e.g areas of confined steelwork, has led to injuries in which people on the platform have been trapped between the platform and objects e.g. fixed structures, in the work area. In some cases these incidents have proved fatal.
In a Foreword to the Guidance the Phillip White, HSE Chief Inspector of Construction says:
“this new guidance is straightforward, comprehensive and easy to adopt. It represents best practice.
I commend the guidance to anyone who owns, supplies or controls the operation of MEWPs. Please read the publication and turn the advice into action.”
Two part Guidance
The Guidance has been produced in two parts:
- Part 1 aimed at planners, managers, and trainers providing information on hazards, risk assessment, controls and responsibilities. Annexes provide detailed information which can assist in the identification of trapping risks and in the planning and managing of work activities to protect against entrapment accidents.
- Part 2 aimed at those using and supervising MEWPs and responsible for rescuing anyone trapped on a MEWP platform. This part can be used in briefings or toolbox talks for supervisors and MEWP operators.