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A practical safety guide for managers and health and safety leads Scissor lifts and cherry pickers (boom lifts) are among the most versatile and widely used pieces of access equipment to enable safe work at height. But with that versatility comes responsibility. These machines are heavy and powerful, and unfortunately, every year, accidents occur that … Continue reading “Dos and Don’ts for Using Scissor Lifts and Cherry Pickers”
\n","status":"publish","uri":"/dos-and-donts-for-using-scissor-lifts-and-cherry-pickers/","featuredImage":null},{"id":"cG9zdDo0MzQw","date":"2025-11-28T11:30:27","title":"Winter-Proof Your MEWP: The Simple Step That Prevents Downtime","excerpt":"As temperatures drop, powered access platforms can become more vulnerable to performance issues, with flat batteries being one of the biggest issues. For teams working on installs, maintenance or repairs, winter downtime isn’t just inconvenient, it can cost time, money, and reputation. The good news? In this article, our Aftersales Manager, Todor Ilinov runs you … Continue reading “Winter-Proof Your MEWP: The Simple Step That Prevents Downtime”
\n","status":"publish","uri":"/winter-proof-your-mewp-the-simple-step-that-prevents-downtime/","featuredImage":null},{"id":"cG9zdDo0MzA2","date":"2025-10-14T14:32:34","title":"10 uses of a telescopic boom lift","excerpt":"When planning a work-from-height project, you’ll likely want to consider a variety of MEWPs to help you complete the task in hand. If so, we’d like to suggest telescopic booms as a contender for the best boom lift for the job. Reading on, we’ve explored the practical uses of telescopic booms, to give you an … Continue reading “10 uses of a telescopic boom lift”
\n","status":"publish","uri":"/10-uses-of-a-telescopic-boom-lift/","featuredImage":null},{"id":"cG9zdDo0Mjk3","date":"2025-09-29T13:28:07","title":"What is a personnel lift?","excerpt":"If you’re on the hunt for a ‘Mobile Elevating Work Platform’, you’ve likely come across a spectrum of machines offering various advantages. There are often so many to choose from, it is important to choose the right MEWP for the job! In this article, we’ve explored one of the most common types of platforms – … Continue reading “What is a personnel lift?”
\n","status":"publish","uri":"/what-is-a-personnel-lift/","featuredImage":null},{"id":"cG9zdDo0Mjkw","date":"2025-09-17T15:40:39","title":"What is a Push Around Vertical Platform?","excerpt":"Are you on the lookout for a mobile elevating work platform for your next project? The chances are you’re comparing various types of MEWP; and, while there are many to consider, here, we’re going to take a closer look at ‘Push Around Vertical Platforms’. An introduction to push around vertical platforms A push around vertical … Continue reading “What is a Push Around Vertical Platform?”
\n","status":"publish","uri":"/what-is-a-push-around-vertical-platform/","featuredImage":null}]},"wpCategories":{"nodes":[{"id":"dGVybToyMzU=","name":"Case Study","slug":"case-study","uri":"/category/case-study/","count":5,"seo":{"fullHead":"\nWorking at height with a MEWP is secure and reliable – but only if you put your safety first and follow the necessary precautions. While there are no legal MEWP harness requirements when working at height, wearing one is strongly recommended – particularly for boom lift operators – to help protect you from fatal falls. … Continue reading “IPAF Training: MEWP Harness Requirements When Working at height”
\n","status":"publish","uri":"/ipaf-training-wearing-harnesses-at-height-with-mewps/","featuredImage":{"node":{"altText":"IPAF Training – Wearing harnesses at height with MEWPs","mediaItemUrl":"https://horizonblogprd.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/rsz_1excentrahorizond2-100-final_d.jpg"}},"content":"Working at height with a MEWP is secure and reliable – but only if you put your safety first and follow the necessary precautions. While there are no legal MEWP harness requirements when working at height, wearing one is strongly recommended – particularly for boom lift operators – to help protect you from fatal falls.
\n\nIf your platform swings, jolts, or tilts unexpectedly away from your machine’s centre of gravity, your operator can suffer whiplash or even be flung from the basket. And the higher you are, the faster you’ll be thrown.
\nSo, getting up to speed on when, where and how to wear harnesses as part of a fall restraint system is essential to make sure your operations and operators are in safe hands. To get you started, our IPAF training experts offer their advice.
\nWorldwide IPAF safety campaigns warn against the ‘catapult effect’ when working in the basket of a platform. Even a small dip at ground level can travel up the boom lift to put your operator at risk. And it’s difficult, often impossible, to be certain that your ground conditions are completely flat. Being aware of your surroundings is crucial, so that your machine doesn’t get caught in tight spaces to catapult your operator.
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As such, although your site regulations may or may not require it, IPAF training experts recommend that a boom lift harness should be used for cherry pickers when a job-specific risk assessment deems it necessary and should be regularly inspected as part of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER and PPE Regulations 1992).
\nAlternatively, if you’re using cherry picker over water, your risk assessment may advise instead to replace any boom lift harness with a life jacket, so, should the operator fall, they are protected from the immediate danger.
\nUnlike a cherry picker, it’s not always necessary to use harnesses in scissor lifts (or other types of fall protection equipment), unless called for by exceptional circumstances. The platform area is more substantial compared to that of boom lifts, so wearing a harness at height can often restrict mobility to access the platform space.
\nA job-specific risk assessment will determine whether scissor lift harness requirements should be adhered to, depending on the conditions you face – but make sure to also consult the manufacturer’s operators’ manual for your machine too.
\nWhen you come to using a boom lift, your fall restraint system should comprise of:
\nOur IPAF training experts recommend that the lanyard should be kept as short as possible when wearing harnesses at height.
\nThis way it’ll remain taut when anchored to the platform. You may need to adjust the length depending on your operator’s height and the height of the anchorage point on the machine – making sure that it doesn’t droop, for maximum protection.
\nNo matter how often you use a boom lift harness, you need to make sure they are fully inspected every 6 months, and every time after being exposed to harsh conditions. As part of a standard risk assessment, our team will make sure harnesses are fully checked to ensure that your operator is always safe when wearing harnesses at height.
\nIf you need some help, you can contact Horizon to organise harness inspections and ensure your fall restraint equipment is up to standard.
\nEven better, book onto our Safety Harnesses Course to get up to speed on statutory regulations, fitting and maintaining your harness, and carrying out your own inspections. Our IPAF training experts are on-hand to keep you up to date on the latest industry advice for wearing harnesses at height.
\nWant to know more about scissor lift/cherry picker harness requirements? Our experts run certified IPAF training courses, available 6 days a week. Alternatively, explore more from our team over on our blog, including some of the biggest health risks when working from height.
\n\n","slug":"ipaf-training-wearing-harnesses-at-height-with-mewps","author":{"node":{"avatar":{"url":"https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/3a124c7e2c7cbf5dcb3e52ad4834be5c?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"name":"Damian Edge","uri":"/author/damian-edge/"}},"categories":{"nodes":[{"id":"dGVybTox","uri":"/category/company-news/","name":"Company News"},{"id":"dGVybToxMQ==","uri":"/category/training/","name":"Training"}]},"tags":{"nodes":[{"id":"dGVybToyOQ==","uri":"/tag/ipaf-training/","name":"IPAF training"},{"id":"dGVybToxMzU=","uri":"/tag/ipaf-training-experts/","name":"IPAF Training experts"},{"id":"dGVybToxMzg=","uri":"/tag/puwer/","name":"PUWER"}]}},{"id":"cG9zdDoxNDQ3","date":"2016-12-19T14:47:47","postedDate":"19th December 2016","yearMonth":"/2016/12/","year":"/2016/","month":"12/","title":"IPAF Training – Safely operate MEWPS in cold conditions","seo":{"fullHead":"\n
Working at height in a cold environment is safe and productive if you take the right precautions – and know how to notice key warning signs that your MEWP isn’t performing at its best. Safety is paramount when working at height, so getting up to speed on the latest IPAF training from industry experts is … Continue reading “IPAF Training – Safely operate MEWPS in cold conditions”
\n","status":"publish","uri":"/ipaf-training-safely-operate-mewps-in-cold-conditions/","featuredImage":{"node":{"altText":"Access Platforms for Cold Stores","mediaItemUrl":"https://horizonblogprd.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/rsz_cold_store.jpg"}},"content":"Working at height in a cold environment is safe and productive if you take the right precautions – and know how to notice key warning signs that your MEWP isn’t performing at its best. Safety is paramount when working at height, so getting up to speed on the latest IPAF training from industry experts is vital.
\nWorking indoors in cold store and food distribution industries, an electric boom or scissor lift can be essential for stock taking, planned or emergency maintenance, and racking. However, sub-zero temperatures can limit your machine’s capability.
\nJLG advises that you should never operate MEWPs in cold conditions below -40°C.
\nIf you’re working in temperatures between –20°C and -40°C in a cold store, then to safely operate MEWPs in cold conditions you need to be aware of their limitations – and the precautions you can take to maintain productivity.
\nWith this in mind, here’s our four top tips for making the most of your MEWP by our IPAF training experts:
\nThe function response of your electric MEWP can be affected if you don’t consider your choice of oil. Standard hydraulic oil can thicken easily and clog the valves in cold conditions, not only making it ineffective but also running the risk of damaging your machine.
\nIf you’re using electric MEWPs in the cold conditions of an indoor store, then, our IPAF trainers would recommend swapping your hydraulic oil for a suitably graded synthetic equivalent. This will ensure that your hydraulic lift system continues to function properly – and keeps the job running smoothly. Once back in normal working temperatures, though, make sure that your hydraulic oil is replaced.
\nBattery powered machines are the best solution for indoor jobs when working at height – so they’re perfect when working in cold stores and food distribution warehouses.
\nHowever, normal battery capacity reduces sharply at low temperatures, leaving you with a machine you can no longer rely upon to get the job done. If you want to keep productivity at its best, then your MEWP should be using gel batteries in temperatures below –20°C.
\nMake sure to charge batteries fully after use to get the best performance from your MEWP, this way you’ll reduce the chances of damaging your equipment and ensure you’re operating safely.
\nTo get the most out of your machine, our IPAF training experts consider it best practice to plan work in short burst intervals.
\nWorking for an hour at a time will ensure that your machine can work at full capacity for the entirety of the working period. It should then be rested at normal temperature for three times the duration of exposure to return it to its original state. As such, you won’t put undue stress on the performance of hydraulic lifts or damage any function response.
\nIf working in hourly bursts – with three hour resting breaks – will affect your productivity, then we recommend planning ahead and increasing the number of machines you have to hand. If you own a platform or have a trusted platform partner, look to hire additional machines. Hiring gives you greater flexibility and reduces cost for short-term jobs.
\nYou’ll need double the number of machines you usually require. That way, you can maintain production levels and reduce risk of damaging any hired equipment.
\nIf you’re unsure, seek advice on the appropriate machines to use and the most efficient number of hired tools.
\nRegardless of whether you’re using MEWPs in cold conditions or an atypical environment, a risk assessment is essential. Lifting work should always be halted if you don’t think you’re able to work efficiently and safely.
\nHowever, with these top tips from our IPAF trainers, you can stay productive and safely operate to get the job done.
\nNeed further training? Book onto our IPAF training courses, available 6 days a week.
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