Have you thought recently about the health and safety culture in your company? Do you comply with the law? Are you on top of your risk management? Are you too busy to stop and ask yourself these questions?
Health and safety should not be one of the things you choose to neglect in favour of other priorities, it should be the basis your organisation is built upon. As part of your role as a leader, you have a moral and ethical obligation to create a workplace where your employees feel safe, happy and satisfied.
Britain’s record on work-related health and safety is one of the best in the world.[1] The UK has health and safety laws and legislations that constantly evolve and fiercely protect employees from corporate misconduct. However, even though Britain has laid a firm foundation when it comes to its health and safety practices, there is still a lot of room for improvement. This change starts from nowhere else but management itself, the most important force that drives your business forwards.
A positive health and safety culture at the work place is not an expense, it’s an asset. It can:
- Decrease absenteeism
- Reduce staffing costs
- Reduce costs for repairs & maintenance
- Promote a happier workforce
- Reduce the risk of fines
- Reduce insurance claims
- Reduce insurance premiums
- Improve productivity, quality & profitability
- Raise client and stakeholder satisfaction
The challenge today is no longer a lack of choice to resolve your working at height needs; it’s having too much choice. Choices of the right piece of equipment, the right strategy, the right training.
As a manager, owner or a supervisor, there is nothing more important to you than knowing exactly how your business operates. Companies that use MEWPs need to know what their management and legal responsibilities are. According to the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) and the Work at Height Regulations 2005, employers must train all employees who supervise and manage work at height and the use of equipment for such work.
IPAF provides an extensive MEWPs (Mobile Elevating Work Platforms) course for managers (IPAF MM), which covers everything from what you need to know about using MEWPs on site, planning each job and completing risk assessments, to selecting the right equipment and mitigating all possible risks.
“The course is about planning, supervising and effectively managing the use of powered access, not about operating equipment.”[2]
The training course will help you answer the following questions:
- Your full legal obligations
- Correct equipment selection for compliance and optimum productivity
- MEWP training requirements for all operators
- Hazard awareness, preventive measures and risk reduction
The one day course goes through essential topics such as health and safety regulations, accident prevention and control, personal protective equipment, and pre-use checks and maintenance. The course ends with a test that candidates must pass in order to obtain the IPAF certification. Those who hold a valid Powered Access Licence for operating equipment can have the MEWPs for Managers (MM) category added to their PAL Card.
Who should take the course:
- Employers
- Project managers
- Foremen and supervisors
- Anyone who is responsible for planning and overseeing the use of MEWPs on their job site.
Course content:
- MEWP legislation and guidance
- Rental terms and conditions
- Machine types and use
- Structural parts and MEWP selection
- Operator training and familiarisation
- Operator daily inspection
- MEWP personal fall protection
- Safe operating methods and hazard awareness
- Safety beyond training
- Written test
To download the MEWPs for Managers course guide click here.
Be the best leader you can be by understanding what your employees experience on day to day basis and by knowing how to keep them safe.
References:
[1] http://www.hse.gov.uk/strategy/
[2] IPAF: MEWPs for Managers Training Course -
