The ARA of Virginia helped members enter the summer rental season on an informed footing by offering an online seminar tailored to provide in-depth education on the latest safety standards surrounding mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs).
“New ANSI Standards,” presented by Bart Krzysztofek, product safety trainer for Skyjack, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, covered the essentials surrounding the new American National Standards Institute’s (ANSI) standards regarding MEWPs. Krzysztofek’s presentation ranged from how the new standards differ from the old set; design elements that now are required to be implemented in MEWP equipment and how to interpret the complex usage diagrams; safe use, familiarization and training essentials; and other impacts of the standards on the equipment rental industry.
Those who attended the seminar say it helped to clarify the standards, which often can be difficult to fully grasp but are important for the safety of all involved.
“Bart did an excellent job with an increasingly difficult subject on the ANSI rules and regulations as they apply to MEWPs,” says Dr. Tim McIntosh, DMin, CERP, regional manager, CVR Rentals, Waynesboro, Va. “The policies and procedures that the rental industry needs to have in place to protect our customers, our staff and our industry have been fluid across the past couple of years. As the changes appear to have settled down, Bart was able to clarify for us the specifics as they relate to us individually. He spoke on behalf of the industry and Skyjack and represented all involved with clarity and professionalism. Essentially, a difficult subject had clarity brought to it in a concise webinar. It was time well spent.”