US Accounts for Most Aerial Work Platform Fatalities
The International Powered Access Federation said its accident database logged 17 fatalities during the first half of 2012, with 11 of those in the United States.
The International Powered Access Foundation announced that its accident database logged 17 fatal accidents involving aerial platforms worldwide during the first half of 2012, with IPAF Technical Officer Chris Wraith noting the results are preliminary.
The causes of these accidents were electrocution (4), overturn (4), mechanical related (4), fall from platform (4), and entrapment (1). Seven accidents involved vehicle mounts, six involved booms, and three involved scissor lifts. (The machine type is unknown for one accident, according to IPAF.)
The countries: 11 occurred in the United States, two in the United Kingdom, and one each in Australia, the Netherlands, Singapore, and Spain.
Wraith urged all manufacturers, rental companies, contractors, and users to report all known fatal and serious accidents at www.ipaf.org/accident.
IPAF CEO Tim Whiteman said mobile elevated work platforms and aerial work platforms "offer a safe and effective way to work at height, and we are collecting accident data in order to determine the main causes of the few accidents that happen. Data collected is kept confidential and will enable us to analyze any trends and make recommendations for improving safety."
More than 30 IPAF member companies have signed a voluntary pledge to report all known accidents involving their MEWPs and AWPs.