Page 749 - Xmo Strata - Bulletin Archive
P. 749

Health, Safety & Environmental Bulletin No 272

                                                 3 November 2011



                                                 MEWP Checklist




           Since  the  Working  at  Height  Regulations  were  introduced  in  2005,  we  have  seen  a
           steady  growth  in  the  use  of  Mobile  Elevated  Work  Platforms  (MEWPs)  and  industry
           data indicates that there are circa 50,000 in use in the UK.

           Responsible  companies  send  all  MEWP  operators  on  International  Powered  Access
           Federation (IPAF) training courses, but still, the number of injuries and fatalities relating
           to the use of MEWPS continues to rise. Incidents can usually be categorised into Falls
           From Height (hence use of a harness and Lanyard being specified) ,Overturning (often
           as a result of uneven ground), Trapped by and Injured by (the last three are controlled by
           us by specifying a banksman, located on the ground with clear vision around the MEWP
           operating area within our site rules).



           Industry experts suggest that there are 147 known fatalities involving MEWPs  and as
           recently as 29  September, we issued a bulletin referring to a fatality where a MEWP
                           th
           operator was electrocuted by touching overhead cables.


           Steve Knights, one of our electricians suggested as part of an entry to the Forecourt
           Safety Award 2011 that we adopt a MEWP  checklist as part of our standard procedures
           and having analysed the statistics on our XmoMan safety management system, even
           being a relatively small MEWP  user to others in the construction sector in particular, our
           teams have reported 21 potential incidents relating to MEWPs  (see below).


           Coincidentally,  since Steve’s suggestion we have since heard of another fatality relating
           to the use of a MEWP that has resulted in Bovis Lendlease specifying the use of a
           MEWP  checklist being completed whenever one is being used on their jobs. In response,
           we have built all of their requirements into the MEWP  checklist below that Xmo Strata
           site operatives will be asked to complete each day before the MEWP  on site is used and
           this is being rolled out and built into our standard ICSRS accredited operating
           procedures.
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