Construction News

Fri March 29 2024

Related Information

Contractors back platform training for steel erectors

22 Aug 12 The UK Contractors Group (UKCG) is to encourage steel erectors and net riggers to undertake training in mobile elevating work platform operation.

UKCG’s health and safety group wants steel erectors and net riggers working on UKCG sites to hold an IPAF PAL+ qualification from 1 January 2013. It also agreed to extend this to other trades for specific projects, on a risk-assessed basis.

PAL+ is an optional, additional one day of category-specific training for mobile elevating work platform (MEWP) operators working in higher risk or challenging environments.

“UKCG members will encourage their supply chains to adopt the PAL+ training for key trades such as steel erectors and net riggers, and on a risk basis for specific projects, from January next year,” said Mark Atkinson from Clugston. “PAL+ is a positive development. Candidates will need to be experienced operators and they will have over five hours of practical assessment on MEWPs.”

IPAF - a not-for-profit members’ organisation that promotes the safe and effective use of powered access equipment worldwide - developed the PAL+ training course in response to demand for training that better prepares MEWP operators for work in higher risk or challenging environments. PAL+ focuses on practical training and includes a short theory session. It is intended to be more advanced, challenging and extensive than the PAL operator course.

PAL+ training is open to operators who hold an existing PAL (powered access licence) card qualification in the relevant category. Upon successful completion of the theory test, practical test and interview, operators will have the relevant categories added to their PAL Card, such as static vertical, static boom, mobile vertical and mobile boom.   

Got a story? Email news@theconstructionindex.co.uk

MPU
MPU

Click here to view latest construction news »