‘Live by ANSI standard’ urges IPAF’s Peter Douglas

IPAF CEO Peter Douglas used his speech at the ALH Conference to encourage the US aerial platform industry to “live by” the ANSI A.92 Safe Use standard even before it is officially adopted by OSHA.

Peter Douglas, IPAF CEO, speaking in Chicago at the 2022 ALH Conference. (Photo: KHL/Joe Mather)

Speaking at the Access, Lift & Handlers Conference in Rosemont, Chicago on September 29, Douglas said the standard, which was published by ANSI in 2020, highlights best practice in all aspects of MEWP safe use; “Do we have to wait until OSHA adopt these standards and they become regulation before we start living by them?”

Douglas asked if the entire industry had adopted some of the key items in the standard, including:

• Are all people who operate MEWPS trained properly and effectively?
• Are the people responsible for familiarizing others trained demonstrators?
• Do you have trained MEWP Supervisors in your business?

“My question to you guys is ‘Are you living by these standards in your business?’”, said Douglas, “I am guessing the answer is probably not yes to all of these questions.”

He argued that if the industry cannot fully adopt the standard, how can it promote best practices with contractors and users of the equipment?

“We need to step up now as an industry to improve safety”, he concluded, “Let’s not wait to be made to do this by OSHA. We need to adopt these standards now and we need to promote them to the users of our equipment.”

• The standard is ANSI/SAIA A92.22 4.2 Safe Use of Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs).