Loxam Group joins IPAF

Loxam’s entire business has joined IPAF for the first time. The company’s subsidiaries in the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands are already members, but it is the first time its core French business has joined the training and safety organisation.

The membership agreement was signed by Alice Henault, director of the Loxam Access division, and Tim Whiteman, IPAF’s CEO, on Wednesday 8 June on the opening day of the European Rental Association’s annual convention in Stockholm.

Mrs Henault told Access International; “We see that IPAF is really helping the business in the UK and other countries where we are a member. Now is the time to be a member in France.

“Safety is a challenge, and it is part of our job to promote safety…we have to work with IPAF to see the best way to promote safety.”

Loxam will not necessarily train operators using the IPAF training scheme in France. There is an established national operator training certificate in France, which means that IPAF training is not as widely adopted there as in other European countries.

However, Loxam believes that it can work with IPAF and use its safety and technical knowledge to help promote safety in France.

Mr Whiteman said; “The [French certification scheme] is very well established and professional. We do not see it as competition. Our aim is to get as many people trained in the world as possible.

“It’s not just about training. More than half of our members don’t use our training. It’s just one of the services that we provide.”

Mrs Henault added; “Safety is in our culture already. I think we now have to take it more to our customers. Customers are asking us for advice – it’s part of our job.”