BFT Training

As a responsible employer, BFT recommends that every employee using the MCWPs has at least IPAF (International Powered Access Federation) Operator level training. 

IPAF Demonstrator training allows the delegate to carry out familiarisation of MCWP safety to the users and to carry out the safety critical weekly inspections. These courses are delivered by our in-house qualified IPAF Instructors.

Training is carried out for operators, demonstrators, installers, advanced installers, trainers and instructors to maintain our high safety standards.

As well as our training courses, we have recently invested £500,000 into a state-of-the-art training and maintenance facility in Leighton Buzzard. We are further raising the standards within the industry and inviting customers to come and see what MCWP safety means to you and your projects.

We already organise and carry out the biggest number of mast climber training courses in the UK. When these sessions are carried out in our new complex, our commitment to safety will be even further demonstrated.

Safety Legislation

BFT is proud of our safety record. This is because we adhere to guidelines from government legislation and industry standards.

We recognise the importance of such protocols, which are aimed at the safe installation, examination, maintenance and use of MCWPs. This recognition is intrinsic to our culture and is strictly followed by all members of our staff.

Examples of legislation for the industry includes:

  • Health and Safety at Work Act (1974)
  • Management Health and Safety at Work Regulations (1999)
  • Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (1998)
  • Lifting Operations and Lift Equipment Regulations (1998)
  • Working at Height Regulations (2005)

MCWP specific standards are as follows:

BS EN 1495:1998 A2:2009 Lifting Platforms – Mast Climbing Work Platforms
BS 7981:2017 Code of Practise for the installation, maintenance, thorough examination and safe use of mast climbing work platforms.

Details in these standards includes maximum wind speed with which mast climbing equipment can be installed, platform guarding requirements and minimum separation between platforms.

Risk assessments, inspections, routine maintenance and thorough examinations also regularly take place to ensure the full safety of our equipment.

We conduct MCWP safety inspections on site every six weeks to assess safety risk factors and are proud of our diligent servicing regime.

Other Important Safety Considerations

As well as ensuring that our equipment and training is of the highest standard, we want to ensure that our employees work in optimal MCWP safety conditions.

Mast climbers are associated with a low volume of safety incidents. They are safer than scaffolding and their movability eliminates the awkward positions that workers have to operate in. 

Each year, approximately 52,000 construction workers are affected by musculoskeletal disorders that occur in the workplace.

Mast climbers allow workers to carry out tasks at precise heights. In contrast, the fixed platforms of scaffolding means that operatives have to regularly bend and stretch to carry out their work. It is clear that in terms of overall health for people carrying out the work, mast climbing offers a safer solution than scaffolding.

Call BFT today

BFT is proud to be market leaders for mast climbing projects across the UK.

If you would like to find out more about BFT’s safety standards, or to receive a quote for a project, get in touch with our team today and we would be happy to help.