Brazil to support IPAF accident database

Members of the IPAF Brazilian Country Council have voluntarily committed to report any known fatal accidents and non-fatal incidents involving mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs) and mast climbing work platforms (MCWPs) at the IPAF accident database.

This was agreed at the last meeting of the IPAF Brazilian Country Council, where members also discussed a couple of serious accidents that had occurred in Brazil and what measures could be taken to prevent these and to increase safety awareness.

The IPAF Brazilian Country Council has written to all IPAF member companies in Brazil, encouraging them to report accidents and explaining how this data is useful for the industry.

“We are extending this appeal to all members in Brazil,” wrote Marcello Plonski Brasil from RCB Locações de Equipamentos e Máquinas, who chairs the IPAF Brazilian Country Council. “Register an accident, regardless of its severity or consequence. It is of vital importance for IPAF to continue improving safety.”

The accident data gathered enables IPAF to improve the content of training programmes, to develop technical guidance, to target specific high-risk professions or activities, and to provide research findings used to influence standards.

IPAF member rental companies in the UK are, since 2013, required to report any known accidents involving their employees. For more information visit www.ipaf.org/accident