IPAF prepares to 'Innovate'

The International Powered Access Federation’s (IPAF) North American Regional Council (NARC) will be hosting a new event – IPAF Innovate – on Oct. 16 and 17 at the Houston Area Safety Council in Pasadena, TX. The interactive event will feature industry experts leading 10 collaborative workshops where attendees will come together to address and solve common problems.

“The event debuts a format never seen before in the powered access industry, bringing together frontline colleagues from manufacturers, rental companies, contractors and service companies – including managers, supervisors, drivers, mechanics, salespersons and operators – to collaborate in creative problem-solving workshops on the first day and to present their proposed solutions to enhance the safety and efficiency of MEWP and MCWP operations the next,” IPAF told ALH.

All participants will be able to take away a document of their proposed new ways of working and one presentation will be selected as having the best chance of an immediate impact on safety and efficiency and IPAF North America will prioritize spreading this idea across the industry.

Each attendee will join one of the 10 available workshops facilitated by an IPAF North American Regional Council member – if undecided in advance of the event, participants can specify their preferred workshop during registration on the day.

The event begins at noon on October 16, and after a short introduction and orientation, the workshops will get to work finding solutions to their specific set of challenges as well as developing a presentation that will be delivered to all the other groups the next day.

On the evening of October 16, delegates will experience a cocktail reception and buffet dinner at the world-class NASA Space Center in Houston, where the genius and creativity of the Apollo missions that put men on the moon and the innovation and longevity of NASA’s Shuttle program will form the inspirational backdrop to a memorable evening of dining, discussion and networking, according to IPAF.

The next morning all delegates will reconvene at the HASC facility to present their ideas; everyone will get a chance to vote for the ideas and creative solutions they would most like to see implemented right away across the powered access industry.

“All participants are guaranteed to take away valuable insights, ideas for new ways of working, and a powerful network of like-minded individuals with whom they can continue co-ordinating to make our industry safer and more innovative for many years to come,” IPAF said.

The workshop topics and facilitators will include:

• Exiting an Elevated Work Platform. Facilitator: Scott Owyen, training manager, Genie

• Site Risk Assessment. Facilitator: Mark Hinkel - president, Institute for Aerial Lift Safety

• Introduction to Platform Load Sensing (and how will it affect your job.) Facilitator: Baldemar Guerrero - director environment health and safety, BlueLine Rental

• Recognizing and Avoiding Electrocution. Facilitator: Matthew Eckstine - director of operations and safety consultant, Eckstine & Associates, Inc.

• MEWP Rescue Plan. Facilitator: Jeff Stachowiak - director of safety training, Sunbelt Rentals

• Do We Know What a Safe Work Site Is? Facilitator: Ian McGregor - director of product safety, Skyjack

• Near Misses. Facilitator: Forrest Hester - chief development officer, Tutus, LLC

 • Retraining. Facilitator: Teresa Kee - corporate director, field safety, United Rentals

 • Safe MEWP Traveling on Site. Facilitator: Ebbe Christensen - president, ReachMaster

 • Qualified Service Technicians. Facilitator: Andrew Martinez - product training specialist, JLG

Registration for IPAF Innovate 2018 is open. Those interested can book now for $125 (for IPAF members and nonmembers.) For full event information and to register, go to ipaf.org/innovate.