IAPA countdown - one week to go

Last week World Access Week announced the shortlist for the IAPAs.There were an impressive 86 entries to consider at the judges’ meeting, which took place on Tuesday, 5 February at the Sheraton Amsterdam Airport Hotel and Conference Centre, The Netherlands.

The five judges were: Ebbe Christensen, president of Reachmaster; Stefan Kulawik, managing director of Palfinger Platforms; Wayne Lawson, IPAF president; Enrica Pege, director of Venpa; and Ken Pustizzi, chief executive officer of Trico Lift. Chairman of the judges meeting was AI editor Euan Youdale.

The IAPA awards takes place on 26 March in Miami, USA – the same day as the IPAF Summit.

Here follows the companies and individuals that made the shortlist. A full description of their entries will follow in the March issue of AI:

IPAF Safety Champion:

Peter Douglas

Kevin O’Shea

Brian Parker

Mauro Potrich

Access Rental Company of the Year

AFI-Uplift

Industrial Access

Nationwide Platforms

Trico Lift

Contribution to Safe Working at Height

AFI-Uplift

Industrial Access

Mills Rental

Nationwide Platforms

Product of the Year – Vehicle/trailer mounted

CTE

Ruthmann

Product of the Year – Self-propelled (booms, scissors, atrium lifts)

Bluelift

Cormidi

MEC

Product of the Year – Mast Climbing Work Platforms/Hoists

Alimak Hek

Geda

Scanclimber

Product of the Year – Low-level Access

The winner will be announced at the awards ceremony

Award for Outstanding After Sales Service

EZ Scaffold

IPS

Venpa Spa

Access Project of the Year

Harsco

Hydro Mobile

NES Rentals

Scanclimber

Best New IPAF Training Centre

Winner to be announced at the awards ceremony

IPAF Training Instructor of the Year

Rafael Bazzarella

Kevin O’Shea

Martin Wraith

Best Marketing Campaign for Safety and IPAF Training

Alo Training

BS Technology

Mastclimbers LLC

Lifetime achievement award

The winner will be announced at the awards ceremony

This year’s IAPA awards will for the second time include an Access Photograph of the Year competition, again generously sponsored by UK rental company Facelift Hire. Theshortlist for this category will be announced shortly.

Gold sponsors for the event are Genie, JLG, Skyjack and Latchways Fall Protection. Silver sponsor is BlueSky Solutions, while Niftylift will sponsor the Networking Event and Haulotte Group will sponsor the IAPA Networking Reception.

The IPAF Summit will be a full day of conference and seminars. The day will start at 9:00am with the IPAF Annual General Meeting (AGM) for IPAF members only. This will be followed by breakout seminars that all delegates can attend, covering topics related to AWPs and mast climbing work platforms (MCWPs), ranging from inspections and maintenance, to accident reporting and safety training.