26.11.2013

IPAF takes UK government to task

IPAF has asked the UK government to look into the time taken by the HSE to report on the fatal boom lift incident in June.

Writing in response to a call from the IPAF UK council, IPAF’s chief executive Tim Whiteman has written a formal letter to the UK minister for employment, Esther McVey who has responsibility for the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), requesting that she conduct an urgent review of the time taken to report on the fatal accident with a self-propelled aerial lift near Heathrow airport in June.
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Esther McVey

The letter expresses extreme concern over the delay in reporting any information regarding the cause of the accident and the potentially negative effect that this could have on an industry that prides itself on the highest safety standards and professionalism, in order to ensure that people working at height remain safe.

It also calls on the minister to institute measures to ensure that preliminary information about fatal accidents be released in a timely manner, to ensure that lessons can be learned and appropriate measures taken.

“It is now five months since the fatal accident took place and no information or data has been released to the industry," said Whiteman. "This delay is not acceptable; it leads to confusion and concern in the industry and can even lead to people considering the use of alternative, less safe methods of performing temporary work at height. IPAF members and staff represent an enormous pool of industry knowledge and expertise. They stand ready to assist in any way possible to ensure that appropriate resources and skills are available for such investigations."

The letter also draws parallels between the powered access and the aviation industry, given that aerial work platforms are used to lift people into the air, if something goes wrong, the consequences can easily be fatal.