Suresh Navaratnam

GM, Capital Safety Solutions

The global leader of fall protection, confined space and rescue equipment,
with a passionate commitment to quality, innovation and safety.

Capital Safety Solutions

Our Vision
Global partner of choice
that transforms your WSH needs
into a culture of care and a platform of excellence
that is constantly customizing to your needs, every step of
the way

Our Mission

A premier WSH solution provider

that understands how to integrate WSH and transform your
business
through total system of care and profitability

MEWP SAFETY A WAH PERSPECTIVE

SCOPE
1.
2.
3.
4.

Norms and Basic Requirements

WAH Legal Perspectives
Safety Features That Can Prevent Falls
Fall Prevention Efforts Through Planning

Starting off Right

Safe use of Mobile Elevated Work Platform
(MEWP)
Accidents resulting in
Workers falling off when using a boom lift
Workers caught-in between hazards.
MEWPs overturned.
The hazards and risks involved arising from the improper
use of MEWP is a serious workplace safety concern

How do you prevent accidents arising from the

use of MEWP?
Typical risks..uneven and soft ground, untrained
operator, operating beyond limits
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Some Basic Norms - Training

3 Key areas involving MEWP operations include
MEWP Training, Safety Devices and Working At
Heights:
MEWP TRAINING
All MEWP operators need to undergo endorsed
MEWP training courses coupled with the on-site
familiarisation training by competent trainers from
equipment suppliers
Familiarisation training needs to ensure critical
components of the MEWP are briefed

Equipment suppliers must ensure that all MEWP

operators are competent before leasing/ selling
MEWPs to their clients

Some Basic Norms Safety Devices

Safety Devices
All safety devices provided by manufacturers must not be
removed or bypassed as this will compromise the safety of
their employees and public where the MEWP may be operating
Authorised Examiners and equipment suppliers will have to
check that the safety devices provided are not tampered with
and conform to manufacturers design specification
Any modifications to MEWP must only be performed by
competent technicians who are authorised by the
manufacturers MEWP end-users must not tamper with or
modify the MEWP, including the safety devices against the
manufacturers specifications
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Some Basic Norms - WAH

Work At Heights
The current MEWP training should extend to
incorporate work at heights (WAH) elements, so that
all MEWP operators are WAH-competent
National WAH Regulations as well as Lifting
Regulations should have overlapping requirements
Advances made with purpose-designed lanyards and
buckets with horizontal life-lines attached to the
perimeter of the bucket

Work At Height Perspectives

Principles and Fundamentals
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Critical Areas
Hierarchy of Controls
Fall restraint vs Fall Arrest
Administrative Controls & System Oversight (FPP & PTW)
Rules for Safe Operation

WAH Critical Areas

Fall Prevention Plan

Lack of
Supervision &
Oversight

Planning Gaps

Training at 4
staff levels
Competency
Framework
Absent

Permit to Work

Consolidate & enhance

under a new Regs
WAH Rules
Unclear / Absent

Safe MEWP Ops

Most
preferred

Avoid work at height

All open sides and

openings barricaded
or covered

Use travel restraint

system

Use fall arrest

Least
preferred

system

Travel Restraint
9. Where a travel restraint system is used in a workplace, it shall be the duty
of the responsible person to ensure that
(a) the travel restraint system is
of good construction, sound material and adequate strength; free from
patent defects; and suitable and safe for the purpose for which it is intended;
(b) the anchorage and anchorage line are installed by a competent
person; and
(c) the person using the system is trained in the safe
and correct use of the system;

Permit To Work
PTW system applies only to work at height where a
person could fall from a height of more than 3m

> 3m

1. Policy
10.
Emergcy
Response

2.
Responsib
ilities

9. Incident
Investg

3. Risk
Mgmt

Fall
Prevention
Plan (FPP)

4. Risk
Control
Measures

8. Training

7.
Inspection
and
Maintenance

5.
Procedure
6. Use of
PPE

Fall Protection Applications

Fall Protection Aerial Boom Lift
A full-body harness with a fall arrest lanyard must be worn at all times
by those workers located within the lift cage. The fall arrest lanyard
must be secured to the aerial boom lift fall protection attachment point.

Tying off to an adjacent pole, facility structure, or equipment while

working inside the cage of an aerial boom lift is prohibited.
Personnel required to climb out of an elevated boom lift onto an
elevated facility structure shall utilize 100% tie off procedures during
the transition from the boom lift cage to the elevated work location.
(i.e. personnel shall tie off to a fall rated facility anchorage point prior
to disconnecting their lanyard attached to the aerial boom lift cage).

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Fall Protection Applications

Fall Protection Scissor Lift

A full-body harness with a fall arrest lanyard
will be worn if the manufacturer has supplied
tie-off points on the lift and there are warning
signs stating that fall protection must be worn.

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Safety Features of MEWPs

List of mandatory safety devices for mobile elevated work platform
(MEWP)
1) Level indicator
Level indicator to indicate whether the inclination of the MEWP chassis is within the limits
permitted by the manufacturer.
2) Load sensing system
Load sensing system to alarm and stop the work platform when certain rated load
situations have been exceeded.
3) Position control
Mechanical stops or control systems to limit the MEWP to its working envelope.
4) Moment sensing system
Moment sensing system to provide visual warning when overturning moment is reached
and prevents further movements, except those that reduce the overturning moment
6) Emergency stop button
MEWPS shall be provided with emergency stop button. All machine functions are disabled
when the button is activated.
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Safe MEWP Ops A Summary

The following are some pointers to ensure safe operation of
MEWP.
i) Eliminate unsafe ground condition :

Assess the ground condition (e.g. slope, softness) of the area

where MEWP is to be operated and has to travel before reaching
work position.
Poor ground conditions can lead to the MEWP to be unstable and
overturn. Eliminate unsafe ground conditions, such by compacting
or use suitable base plates.

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Safe MEWP Ops A Summary

ii) Prevent falls from MEWP :
Select and use the appropriate fall arrest system with a short lanyard that is
suitable for the height the worker in the carrier will be working on. The
harness should be anchored securely to the guardrail of the MEWP.
iii) Consideration when Working over Water
When working over water, consider the use of a life jacket instead of a
safety harness. This is to handle situations where the MEWP topples and
falls into the water

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Safe MEWP Ops A Summary

v) Eliminate equipment failure:
Conduct daily pre-operation inspection and function checks of all
controls on the MEWP. Report any faults identified immediately to the
supervisor and only operate MEWP after rectification.
Ensure that the MEWP has a thorough examination and testing by an
authorized examiner at least once every six months.
Establish a maintenance and inspection program for all MEWP in
accordance with the manufacturers operational and maintenance
manuals.
Assess the environment, e.g. struck by oncoming vehicles, such as buses.
Execute preventive control measures, such as demarcating the area.
Ensure workers do not position themselves between overhead hazards,
such as the rails of the basket.
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Safe MEWP Ops A Summary

vi) Dealing with emergency
Establish an emergency response plan to deal with accidents, near misses,
dangerous occurrence or malfunctioning of MEWP.
Ensure all operators are trained to follow the procedures in the emergency
response plan.

vii) Training
Ensure operators are trained and familiar with the safe performance and control of
the MEWP.
Operators must refer to the operators manual when he/she encounters a problem
with the machine.
Provide adequate training for the operators and workers working in the vicinity of
MEWP so that they understand and adhere to all on-site safety requirements related
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to the safe operation of MEWP.

Capital Safety Solutions

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Thank You!