In Painting and Decorating, MEWPs (Mobile Elevated Work Platforms) are a common way to work at height - and a common source of falls when they are misused. This guide explains how Painting and Decorating teams in Ireland use MEWPs (Mobile Elevated Work Platforms) safely, and why a Working at Heights Course ties it all together.
MEWPs (Mobile Elevated Work Platforms) in Painting and Decorating: where the risk lies
A decorator coating a high stairwell, where a tower is the safe choice but a ladder is the tempting shortcut. MEWPs (Mobile Elevated Work Platforms) are suited to reaching height quickly and safely where the ground is suitable, especially for maintenance, installation and access work, but in a Painting and Decorating setting the margin for error is small.
Pre-use checks for MEWPs (Mobile Elevated Work Platforms)
Before any Painting and Decorating worker uses MEWPs (Mobile Elevated Work Platforms), confirm that:
- Pre-use function checks of controls and emergency lowering
- Ground conditions are firm, level and free of voids
- The harness and lanyard (where required for booms) are in date
- The platform, gates and guardrails are intact
The relevant standard here is EN 280, operated by IPAF-trained and card-holding operators, thoroughly examined every 6 months.
Common MEWPs (Mobile Elevated Work Platforms) faults to never ignore
- Operating on soft or sloping ground
- Overloading the platform
- Overreaching from the basket
- Untrained operators
Painting is classic short-duration, high-frequency height work where overreaching from ladders causes most incidents.
The Working at Heights Course makes compliance simple
The practical fix is straightforward. Our Working at Heights Course is delivered fully online, takes about 45 minutes, and issues a downloadable certificate the same day. It is CPD certified, RoSPA approved and QQI aligned, and it is written specifically for Painting and Decorating teams using MEWPs (Mobile Elevated Work Platforms).
The Working at Heights Training covers the avoid-prevent-minimise hierarchy, ladder and stepladder safety, MEWPs and scaffolds, harnesses and anchor points, and how to carry out a proper risk assessment. Every learner finishes with a recognised Working at Heights Certificate that stands up to HSA inspection and supports your insurance position.
Training that goes beyond the tick-box
Falls from height remain one of the leading causes of serious and fatal workplace injury in Ireland, year after year. The pattern is depressingly consistent for MEWPs (Mobile Elevated Work Platforms) in Painting and Decorating: a short task, a familiar setting, a ladder or platform that seemed fine, and a single moment of overreach. Proper training breaks that pattern by making the safe choice the automatic one.
Weather turns a routine job into a dangerous one faster than anything else in Ireland. Wind, rain, frost and poor light all raise the risk of MEWPs (Mobile Elevated Work Platforms) in Painting and Decorating, and the right call is often to stop and reassess rather than push on. Knowing where that line sits is part of being properly trained.
Frequently asked questions
Do Painting and Decorating workers need training to use MEWPs (Mobile Elevated Work Platforms)?
Yes. Safe use of MEWPs (Mobile Elevated Work Platforms) is part of working at height. A Working at Heights Course covers selection, inspection and safe use for Painting and Decorating tasks.
How often should MEWPs (Mobile Elevated Work Platforms) be inspected?
Before every use by the operator, plus formal recorded inspections to the relevant standard. Keep the logs for HSA inspection.
Is online training enough for Painting and Decorating height work?
Our online Working at Heights Training covers the legal and safe-system knowledge; equipment-specific practical tickets (such as IPAF or PASMA) are added where the task requires them.
Get certified today
Do not wait for an HSA inspection or a near miss to act. Painting and Decorating teams can complete the Working at Heights Course online in 45 minutes and download a certificate the same day. For 10 or more learners, see our team training rates, or contact our team for a tailored quote.
Start the online Working at Heights Training now and put a recognised certificate in every worker's file before the next job at height begins.
