In response to accidents involving mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs) at various workplaces in recent years, the LD has revised and renamed the original “Guidance Notes on Safe Use of Power-operated Elevating Work Platforms”, incorporating common causes of the accidents and preventative measures. Major revisions include:
ised by businesses and employers. Long used in a managed and controlled environment for construction tasks, MEWPs are now recognised as the preferred means of access across all industry sectors for individuals and contractors responsible for.
The most significant MEWP dangers arise from their operation and use rather than from their movement as a site vehicle. The law says that these hazards must be properly controlled.
Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs), including boom lifts, scissor lifts, and vehicle-mounted aerial devices, are essential tools in many industries. But they also pose serious risks when not used properly. That’s why OSHA and ANSI have strict standards around MEWP safety and training.
MEWP stands for Mobile Elevating Work Platform and encompasses a range of different types of machines. They’re used for working at heights and completing jobs that would otherwise be extremely difficult or unsafe without an elevated platform.
The International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) 2025 Global Safety Campaign focuses on the consequences of mobile elevating work platform (MEWP) overturns. These incidents can result in operators ...
Essentially, MEWP is a broad category that includes scissor lifts, boom lifts, vertical mast lifts, and other devices that elevate workers. In practice, if a machine can lift people to height and is mobile (can be driven or rolled), it is considered a MEWP under the new standards.