IPAF Training for Scissor Lift and Cherry Picker Operators

What IPAF training covers

An IPAF course combines theory and hands-on work on the platform. Candidates learn why MEWPs overturn, how to check the machine and the ground before use, how to plan the work so the platform never becomes the hazard, and what to do if something goes wrong at height. The practical part is assessed on each MEWP category being added to the card.

• Pre-use inspection and function checks
• Ground conditions, slopes, potholes and outrigger or stabiliser use
• Safe positioning near structures, overhead lines and traffic
• Harness use and fall protection in boom lifts
• Emergency lowering and rescue procedures
• Theory test and practical assessment on each category

Scissor lift and cherry picker categories

The PAL card lists the MEWP categories the operator was assessed on. The categories most operators need are 3a, mobile vertical platforms such as scissor lifts, and 3b, mobile boom platforms such as the cherry pickers and articulated or telescopic booms used on building, maintenance and industrial work. Static categories, 1a and 1b, cover platforms that are set up on outriggers or stabilisers before the platform is raised.

A scissor lift category does not cover a boom, and the reverse is also true. If your team uses both, the course can cover both categories so the card matches the machines on site. Our IPAF scheme guide explains every category and how the PAL card is checked at induction.

The IPAF licence and the PAL card

People often call it an IPAF licence, but what the operator receives is the PAL card, short for Powered Access Licence. It names the holder, the categories passed and the expiry date. The card runs for five years and renews through refresher training and reassessment, so it is worth planning the renewal before the date passes rather than finding out at a site gate.

Employers still have a duty under PUWER and the Work at Height Regulations to make sure operators are trained, competent and familiar with the specific machine. A card shows the training; a short familiarisation on each new model shows the rest.

Why train on your own site

MEWP accidents usually come from the conditions around the machine rather than the controls: soft ground, a kerb edge, a beam the operator did not see, or a delivery lorry passing underneath. Training on your own site lets the instructor work through those real hazards with your operators, on the platform they will use the following week.

It also saves travel and lets several operators train on the same visit. MEWP work often sits alongside other access and lifting tasks, so we can plan IPAF training together with working at height or other plant courses where that suits the team.

How to choose the right course

Start with the machines and the site rules. If your client or principal contractor asks specifically for IPAF, book IPAF. If the operator already holds a PAL card for one category and now needs another, a shorter course adding that category may be enough. Tell us what card each operator holds and what they need to operate, and Chris will recommend the route and give you a price for the group.