Around 400 industry stakeholders and safety professionals in Singapore have participated in a webinar and members’ meeting hosted by the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) on 11 November 2022. The webinar was followed by an in-person dinner and networking session for all IPAF Singapore members, in a new format conceived by members of IPAF Singapore Country Council to maximise attendance and convenience.   

The webinar was hosted via Zoom and attracted more than 400 registered attendees. The objective was to inform all stakeholders on issues relating to the safe use of powered access and was organised in collaboration with IPAF Singapore Council members. In the context of a concerning trend of workplace incidents involving powered access in Singapore, IPAF and its Singapore members created the webinar to aid safety practitioners in their efforts to promote the safe use of powered access. 

Raymond Wat, IPAF regional general manager for Southeast Asia, began his presentation with the question: “What are the elements to ensure a safe use of MEWPs ecosystem at your workplace?” He went on to outline 18 key elements involved in the safe use of mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs), as well as the free IPAF resources available to assist in implementing these. 

Bryant Ee, an IPAF Singapore Council member, then presented on safety features on MEWPs, in which he emphasised the importance of the operators’ awareness of the features specific to various types of boom and scissor lift. He highlighted how a thorough knowledge of the machine can make a big difference in the outcome of any serious incident encountered by operators.  

The webinar was followed by a meeting specifically for IPAF Singapore members. The meeting considered several agenda items, while also facilitating the introduction of new members. Items considered included the location of the IPAF Asia Conference & Showcase 2023, the election of IPAF Singapore Council members, and planning activities and campaigns for 2023. 

IPAF Singapore members were also invited to join an in-person event hosted by Aver Asia, and co-sponsored by Omni Machinery, Galmon (Singapore), TVH Singapore, Lian Hup Brothers, and Manitou Asia. Around 35 attendees took part in the dinner and a networking session to catch up with each other for the first time since the Asia Conference in July 2022.  

The networking session began with a speech from each sponsor, with TVH Singapore and Manitou Asia offering their premises as venues for future events. Mr Wat suggested future in-person gatherings in the first and final quarters of 2023 at the proposed locations. 

Note: IPAF has announced that the next Asia Conference & Showcase will take place in Bangkok, Thailand, in August 2023. The date and venue will be confirmed in due course. Click here for sponsorship opportunities.