In support of OSHA’s Safe and Sound Week, August 12-18, Genie shares a new resource that raise awareness about the new training requirements for use of mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs) in the United States. The new Genie “Updated Training Requirements for Safe Use and Operation of MEWPs in North America” whitepaper provides customers with information they need to know about best practices for the safe use of MEWPs on aerial jobsites. Safe + Sound Week is a nationwide event held each August that recognizes the successes of workplace health and safety programs and offers information and ideas on how to keep America's workers safe.

According to Scott Owyen, Genie Senior Training Manager, Terex AWP, the upcoming implementation of the new ANSI A92.22 Safe Use and A92.24 Training Standards for MEWPs in the United States (as well as CSA B354 Standards in Canada) is creating quite a bit of questions in the industry. “The standards have always identified the responsibilities for all entities involved with the operation of MEWPs: manufacturer, dealer, owner, user and operator. However, the updated standards are placing a huge emphasis on the responsibilities of the user (typically, this is the employer),” says Owyen. “It is important to understand the implications of that because all of the entities outlined above, with the possible exception of the operator, will fall under the user category at some point in time.”

Owyen says that although Genie, the manufacturer, produces MEWPs and other equipment, Genie is also a user (employer) and equipment owner. “We employ many individuals who operate MEWPs on a daily basis during production, testing, loading trucks, etc.,” he says. “Likewise, equipment rental companies will also have the responsibilities of the dealer, owner, user and operator. That is why it is extremely important that our customers understand the requirements outlined in the new standards.”

Also, Owyen notes, it is important to understand that these new standards will affect everyone equally, from the largest construction organizations to the smallest facility management team. Even a small contractor who only occasionally rents a MEWP will be affected. “For example,” he says, “every organization, big or small, that utilizes MEWPs will be required to develop a documented safe use plan that includes a detailed site risk assessment, as well as rescue plans that everyone must be trained on.”

To prepare for these standards changes, it is important to understand the more significant aspects of the new MEWP standards in North America. To learn more, information and additional resources are available at https://www.genielift.com/en/support/ansia92-csab354.

According to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, a successful safety and health programs can proactively identify and manage workplace hazards before they cause injury or illness, improving sustainability and the bottom line. OSHA’s Safe + Sound is a year-round campaign to encourage every workplace to have a safety and health program. In 2018, more than 2,700 businesses helped to raise awareness about workers’ health and safety. For more information, visit https://www.osha.gov/safeandsoundweek/.

For more information about Genie products and services, visit: www.genielift.com.