If your team puts a foot on a Mobile Elevated Work Platform - MEWP for short - they are working at heights. Whether it is a small electric scissor lift in a warehouse, a cherry picker on a construction site, or a 25-metre boom lift servicing a mast, the same Irish duties apply. Here is the plain-language version.
What is a MEWP
A MEWP is any machine that lifts a person on a platform above ground level. There are four main families:
- Vertical lifts (scissor lifts): straight up and down, electric or diesel, indoor or outdoor.
- Articulating boom lifts (cherry pickers): reach over and around obstacles.
- Telescopic boom lifts: long straight reach, ideal for outdoor sites.
- Vehicle-mounted platforms (truck mounts): compact base, fast set-up.
All four count as work-at-height equipment under Part 4 Chapter 2 of SI 299/2007.
Do my operators need a MEWP licence in Ireland
There is no Irish state-issued MEWP licence. What the HSA requires is that operators are competent and have received suitable and sufficient training. In practice the industry standard is the IPAF PAL Card (International Powered Access Federation Powered Access Licence). Hire companies and main contractors will refuse to release a MEWP without one.
Where Working at Heights Training fits in
An IPAF card teaches operators how to drive the machine. A Working at Heights Course teaches the worker how to not fall out of it: harness use, anchor points inside the basket, fall arrest lanyards, edge awareness, rescue planning, suspension trauma. Both are required. Most main contractors will not let your team on site without proof of both.
Pre-use MEWP checklist (the 8 checks every shift)
- Tyres, tracks, outriggers, level indicators
- Hydraulic lines and rams - any leaks, damage, soft spots
- Emergency descent system tested
- Guardrails and basket gate latched and intact
- Harness anchor points inside the basket - clean, free of corrosion
- Battery charge or fuel level
- Controls in both basket and ground console respond correctly
- Daily inspection log signed and dated
Skipping the pre-use check is the single most common cause of MEWP incidents on Irish sites.
Harness in the basket - yes or no
For boom lifts (articulating and telescopic) the answer is yes always: catapult ejection from a struck boom is a real risk. For scissor lifts the answer is only if the manufacturer or risk assessment says so: the basket has full guardrails. The Working at Heights Risk Assessment for Work at Height assessment in our safe work at height techniques guide walks through how to decide.
Top 5 MEWP hazards on Irish sites
- Overhead power lines. Keep at least 6 metres clearance from any 38kV line. Plan the route before lifting.
- Soft, sloping or holed ground. Always check the surface bearing capacity, especially on green-field sites.
- Wind. Most MEWP manufacturers de-rate or stop work above 12.5 m/s. The Irish coast can hit that without warning.
- Trapping and crushing. Catapult ejection on boom lifts and crushing between basket and a fixed structure are the two biggest fatal risks.
- Rescue plan. If the basket fails at 15 metres, how does the casualty come down? An emergency descent demonstration must be part of every shift brief.
FAQs
Is Working at Heights Training mandatory if my staff use scissor lifts indoors?
Yes. Indoor or outdoor, above 1 metre is Working at Heights. Complete the online Working at Heights Course in 45 minutes and add IPAF for the machine itself.
How long is the certificate valid?
Working at Heights Certificate: 3 years. IPAF PAL Card: 5 years. We send a reminder before each one expires.
Do I need separate training for spider lifts and truck mounts?
Same Working at Heights Course covers all of them. The IPAF category code differs (1a, 1b, 3a, 3b) so confirm with your hire company which categories your team will be using.
Get certified in the next 45 minutes
Whether your team operates scissor lifts in a Dublin warehouse or telescopic boom lifts on the Mayo wind farms, start them on the Working at Heights Course online. HSA aligned, CPD certified, RoSPA approved, instant download. Looking after a crew? Bulk pricing on the team training page.
