Mobile Elevating Work Platforms: A discussion on the main causes of accidents and some suggestions for prevention

Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs) are increasingly used for Work at Height operations in alternative to temporary works (scaffoldings, lad-ders,…) for a large variety of refurbishment and maintenance operations of buildings and fittings. MEWPs are often preferred over traditional tech-niques due to their impressive features of mobility, flexibility, cost and time reduction. But the number of accidents occurred during the use of MEWPs should not be underestimated: ac-cording to international databases, approximately 200 fatal accidents / year occur due to machines overturn, electrocution, fall from height, stability problems and overrun of the performance limits. Specialized operators are required for MEWPs (Italian law D.Lgs81/08, art. 73, par.5 provides for specific Information Formation and Training for some categories of equipment, including the MEWPs). In spite of that, both in routine operations and in emergency conditions, a not negligible num-ber of Hazard Factors can be identified such as over-confidence, unconsidered modus operandi due to haste, lack of preliminary inspections and function checks, poor maintenance and sometimes incom-pleteness of instruction handbooks. Moreover, the widespread practice of rent without operator of the MEWPs for temporary operations appears to lay at very the base of many accidents. The Authors analysed, within Prosecutor investi-gations, a number of fatal accidents involving MEWPs, and in the present paper the case histories are discussed with reference to: the criteria of selection among different ty-pologies of MEWPs, taken into account the most suitable operating characteristics and parameters for both common and special working conditions (sup-porting structures, working heights, rated capacities, outreaches,…); the Hazard Identification techniques suitable to point out the main possible operating deviations, to implement preventive measures for an effective MEWP Risk Assessment and Management; the basics of operators Information, For-mation and Training, to grant them appropriate knowledge of the various categories of MEWPs and the machines correct use, typical misuses and criti-calities in different yard situations; the paramount importance of maintenance in accordance with the provisions of the Italian trans-position of European Directives and the C-type standards, and the involved responsibilities in case of rented machines,; the familiarization of trained workers, essen-tial to a user-friendly utilization of the particular MEWPs model both in ordinary work and emergen-cy situations; the essential need of completeness and intel-ligibility of the machine accompanying documents, with special reference to the instruction handbook, for a correct and clear information.