Elevating Work Platforms – New Minimum Standard of Training | NECA

News & Views

5th June 2017

Elevating Work Platforms – New Minimum Standard of Training

SafeWork SA has developed, in consultation with stakeholders, a new minimum standard of training to reduce the risk of injuries and fatalities for workers using Elevating Work Platforms (EWP).

The minimum standard was developed following the recent tragic fatal incidents involving scissor lifts at the new Royal Adelaide Hospital construction site.

EWPs are often used on construction sites, in warehouses and where mobile access to height is needed. Under the new minimum standard of training, before a worker can operate an EWP they must be appropriately trained and be competent on each type of EWP to be used.

When operating models are different to those used in the training and assessment, the operator should be provided with familiarisation training on the specific EWP they will be operating. This is due to the design differences between manufacturers and even models by the same manufacturer.

Any worker operating an EWP should be able to demonstrate knowledge of all the criteria within the standard.

The new standard will assist business operators to comply with their work health and safety responsibilities. It is also what SafeWork SA inspectors will look for as evidence that workers have been adequately trained to safely set up, use and shut down an EWP.

The new minimum standard is one of three actions developed by the Minister’s Industrial Relations Consultative Council sub-committee. The others are:

  • Short-term – collaborating on improved guidance material to raise awareness about safe operation. This has been completed and provided to industry and is also available on the SafeWork SA website in Mandarin. 
  • Medium term – minimum standard of training for operators.
  • Long term – supporting the development of plant engineering controls.

 

The information is available at the SafeWork SA website.

Further clarification has been provided by SafeWork SA and the Elevating Work Platform Association and can be downloaded here