IPAF Releases Third Quarter AWP Accident Report

The International Powered Access Federation’s accident reporting project has determined there were 26 deaths resulting from 25 worldwide accidents involving aerial work platforms from January to September 2012.

Results for the last quarter reveal that there were seven fatalities from six accidents that were reported in the months of July, August, and September. These accidents all involved booms and the main causes were electrocution (2), fall from platform (2), overturn (1), and entrapment (1). In one of the accidents involving electrocution, both the operator and a work colleague in the platform died. Together with three updates on the provisional half-year results announced in July, this brings the reported number of fatal accidents worldwide involving MEWPs/AWPs between January and September to 25.

Of these 25 accidents, 15 involved booms, seven involved vehicle mounts, and three involved scissor lifts.

The main causes were reported as fall from platform (7), electrocution (6), overturn (5), mechanical/technical (4), and entrapment (3).

Fifteen of the accidents occurred in the United States, three in the Netherlands, two in the United Kingdom, and one each in Australia, Canada, Singapore, Spain, and Switzerland.

“There are nearly 1.5 million MEWPs/AWPs in use around the world, and while every death is a tragedy, powered access is still a very safe way to work at height,” said IPAF CEO Tim Whiteman. “The analysis of accident data will allow the industry to become even safer.”