IPAF Summit programme announced

Speakers at this year's IPAF (International Powered Access Federation) Summit to be held on the afternoon of 25 March have been finalised.

Andy Studdert, CEO of US-based NES Rentals will speak on lessons that the aerial business can learn from the aviation business. In 2009 Mr Suddert won the 2009 IPAF Safety Champion of the Year award at the IAPAs (International Awards for Powered Access), he was the chief operating officer of United Airlines at the time of the 9/11 attacks and applies lessons from managing planes to managing platforms.

Tyco is a world leader in electronic security and fire protection, Simon Rooks, operations director and head of UK and Ireland Fire at Tyco, speaks on how rental companies can lead on safety. Mr Rooks will describe an accident that occurred at the company and the way this has changed what Tyco expects of its rental partners.

Jennifer Mathis is a partner at Ducker Research and is leading the projects to produce the IPAF European and US Powered Access Rental Reports. She shares some of the preliminary findings on the size of the rental market.

Management's responsibilities toward MEWP will be examined by Joy Jones who has been a principal inspector of the UK Health & Safety Executive (HSE) for 25 years. Ms Jones is a key member of the Strategic Forum for Construction Plant Safety, leading on formulating policy and standards for working at height.

David Shipman is one of the pioneers of the powered access industry and has held senior positions with major companies for the past two decades. He has been chairman of UK-based AFI-Uplift, one of Europe's largest specialist access rental companies, since 2002. Mr Shipman shares his insights into safety as a management issue.

The Summit follows the IPAF AGM and election of the new IPAF president and precedes the second IAPA event jointly organised by Access International and IPAF.

To register for the Summit or buy tickets for the IAPAs visit www.ipaf.org/events.