These days, there is much greater awareness of the risks associated with working at height. The good news is that this has led to a reduction in accidents, as more and more businesses opt to use specialist aerial access equipment rather than rely on ladders. Whether you are purchasing or hiring equipment, it’s important to choose the right machine for the job. That means paying particular attention to the nature of the application, the loads involved, the working environment and the capabilities of your workforce. Get it wrong, and you jeopardise operator and site safety. We believe safety should be the first consideration – always. So, if you are planning to hire mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs), check that the people who will be operating them are properly trained and have the correct licence. Operators of access equipment need a PAL Card (Powered Access Licence). This is quite different to the licence required to use a forklift truck and it expires if the operator does not complete refresher training every five years. If your drivers do not have the correct licence, tell your materials handling supplier and seek advice. Reputable equipment providers like Briggs Equipment can train people to use MEWPs properly and safely. Our courses are taught by fully qualified, International Powered Access Federation-accredited instructors.