You have 5 months – the clock is ticking
What do a bucket truck, a scissor lift, a cherry picker, and a boom lift all have in common? They are now all part of a broader category of equipment called Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (or MEWPs). And there are some new rules coming into effect in December of 2019 that all employers will need to follow. NOW is the time to get in compliance with the new rules, so when the clock strikes midnight on December 1st, you are ready.
ANSI, the American National Standards Institute, has approved these changes to the A92 safety standards, which place a large emphasis on responsibility of the end-user of equipment for adhering to new rules, and there are some important differences in requirements for training, operation, inspection, testing, and maintenance of MEWPs.
What has changed? Here is a quick summary:
- Every employer who ever uses any type of MEWP must have a Safe Use Plan, a written document that describes your company’s policy for using MEWPs (do you do workplace and equipment inspections before using a lift? Under the new standards, you have to!)
- Detailed site risk assessments and rescue plans are required (and, everyone must be trained on them!)
- Training – just like before, all operators of a MEWP must receive training. But now, any occupant must be trained (not just the people driving), and any person who supervises a MEWP operator must receive training.
- Training must include classroom and hands-on instruction and be machine-specific
- Newly-manufactured lifts will all come standard with newly-required components, like load sensors and self-closing gates.
These new rules affect all companies using aerial lifts, scissor lifts, and boom lifts. That is EVERY company – even yours. Have questions on what you will need to be in compliance in December, or do you need us to write your Safe Use Plan? Give us a call or send us an email!