ARA Meritorious Service award for Sunbelt's Jeff Stachowiak

Jeff Stachowiak, director of safety training with Sunbelt Rentals in Saint Johns, Florida will receive the ARA's (American Rental Association) award for Meritorious Service. Together with some other recipients of volunteer recognition awards Mr Stachowiak will be presented with his award at The Rental Show in New Orleans on 5 February 2012.

The Meritorious Service award recognises an individual who has demonstrated exemplary leadership in a defined area of association service, such as through a committee, special project or service activity.

The ARA said that Mr Stachowiak's passion for a safer rental industry is always evident, as is his hardwork and dedication in the training and safe use of aerial work platform equipment for the equipment rental industry.

"Stachowiak has provided valuable expertise, leadership and guidance to the ARA for improved safety and readily volunteers for programmes that will benefit the entire rental industry. His time, energy and passion for safe use of AWP equipment have been extraordinary."

Mr Stachowiak participated in the initial September 2009 AWP (aerial work platform) Industry Initiatives meeting in Chicago coordinated by the ARA, which brought together general and associate members on aerial work platform equipment. This meeting evolved into two industry best practice documents, Statement of Best Practices of General Training and Familiarization for Aerial Work Platform Equipment (released February 2010) and Statement of Best Practices of Personal Fall Protection Systems for Aerial Work Platform Equipment (released March 2011). Mr Stachowiak contributed to both documents and was a valued member of both working groups.

"He's also provided articles for ARA publications, service on a panel of experts, attended meetings and provided one-on-one information to staff and ARA members and been a proactive, technical expert who is all-inclusive in his approach," said the Association.

"Stachowiak also provides volunteer service to the American National Standards Institute on behalf of the rental industry, serves on the board of the Scaffold and Access Industry Association and is a speaker at numerous industry-related events."