IPAF launches global safety campaign
IPAF has launched its 2025 safety campaign to help reduce injuries and fatalities across the powered access industry.
At the recent IPAF Summit in Dublin, the title for this year’s campaign was revealed as Stop Overturns – Safety Starts on the Ground!
The annual safety campaign, informed by data from IPAF’s global Accident Reporting Portal, delivers a crucial message to the powered access industry.
This year’s campaign focuses on the serious and often fatal consequences of mobile elevating work platform (MEWP) overturns.
These incidents can result in operators and occupants being ejected from the platform and create complex rescue scenarios for those trapped at height during a partial overturn.
The latest statistics informing this year’s campaign reveal that:
- In the last decade, 108 fatalities, 64 major injuries, and 25 minor injuries, were reported and attributed to overturns incidents involving MEWPs. Of the overturns reported, 64% were from North America, 18% from Europe, and 22% from Asia.
- MEWP operators were most affected, with a small number of delivery drivers, technicians/engineers, company staff, and the public.
- Of these 108 recorded fatalities, 52 were recorded in 2021-2023, and 33% of overturns happened on a 3A mobile scissor, followed by 1B static boom (28%), 3B mobile boom (23%) and 1B static boom (12%).
- Fatal overturns increased by 50% from January 2021 to December 2023.
- Instability leading to overturn is commonly among the top four industry causes of lost time incidents (LTIs) annually.
- MEWP overturns typically occur during setup, travel, or operation on inadequate or unsuitable ground or floor conditions. They can also occur while moving category 3A and 3B MEWPs across unsuitable terrain in either the elevated or stowed positions.
- The most common places for incidents to occur are construction premises, public areas, roads and highways, and rental yards.
- Non-fatal injury types can result in fracture, concussion, bruising, impact pains, and cuts and lacerations.
The safety campaign emphasises when overturns can occur, the potential hazards and risks – from injuries and fatalities to disruption of worksite and psychological impact – as well as ways to manage and minimise the risks.
It is being led by Brian Parker, head of safety and technical at IPAF, and Alana Paterson, head of health, safety and environment at Taylor Woodrow and chair of the IPAF International Safety Committee.
Reflecting on the launch of the campaign, Parker said: “MEWP overturns continue to be a major cause of serious injuries and fatalities in our industry.
“With the launch of IPAF’s 2025 global safety campaign – Stop Overturns: Safety Starts on the Ground! – we are reinforcing a crucial message: ground conditions matter.
“By understanding the risks and implementing proper safety measures, we can prevent overturns, protect lives, and create safer work environments worldwide.”
Parker added: “Let’s work together to make a measurable impact and aim for a measurable decrease in MEWP overturns globally.”
Recognising the global reach of the campaign, IPAF has developed new industry guidance: The Assessment of Ground Conditions and Supporting Structures for The Safe Use of MEWPs.
The guidance is split into two parts:
- Guidance for MEWP users, with sections on dewatering, suspended floors, and temporary works.
- Guidance for MEWP operators, focusing on the MEWP travelling on uneven ground, elevated, stowed position, slopes and positioning.
As part of the campaign, IPAF is urging industry participation, implementation of recommended safety measures, and the reporting of incidents to facilitate ongoing safety improvements.
For more information about Stop Overturns – Safety Starts on the Ground! and other IPAF safety campaigns, visit www.ipaf.org/safe.
