Mobile elevating work platforms

On building and civil engineering sites in particular, we come across a piece of equipment that has proved its worth on a daily basis: mobile elevating work platforms. This equipment has won over companies because it reduces handling effort and therefore saves time on the job. Manufacturers and users confirm this daily.

This equipment has many advantages:

• The launch of new products that are highly sought-after by renters and buyers alike;

• shorter and shorter lead times ;

• shorter user training by improving the technique, and taking into account the risks mentioned in the PIA.

Various types of MEWPs have appeared on the market (figures 1 and 2 ):

• SPIDER;

• in scissors ;

• on light commercial vehicles ;

• on load-bearing chassis ;

• truck-mounted.

They are used to good effect when a proper risk and needs assessment has been carried out, and staff have been properly trained.

In fact, this increasingly technically advanced equipment is somewhat fragile. If staff do not have the required knowledge, and if the choice of equipment is not suited to the work required due to a lack of knowledge of the work to be carried out, the use of this type of equipment can be dangerous.