Accredited MEWP operator certificate
MEWP Training in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire
Maintenance, M&E, fit-out and inspection crews.
Training is delivered on your site across Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and North-East Scotland; contact us to discuss dates and a quote.
Learning built around boom lifts, scissor lifts, push-around verticals
This course is for maintenance, m&e, fit-out and inspection crews. The practical work centres on boom lifts, scissor lifts, push-around verticals, with the assessment matched to the machine, task and operating conditions the candidate will face.
Skills covered
- Pre-use, machine familiarisation and emergency lowering
- Wind, ground and proximity hazard assessment
- Rescue planning and harness use where required
Practical situations covered
The exercises reflect the tasks and constraints attached to MEWP work.
Exercise 1
Boom-lift work near live overhead lines and the 9 m exclusion rule
Exercise 2
Scissor on a mezzanine where loadings need checking before deployment
Exercise 3
Wind-speed call: 12.5 m/s manufacturer limit vs the day's gust forecast
Errors the course addresses
These course-specific errors are dealt with through instruction, observation and practical assessment.
- No rescue plan on file — IPAF and HSE inspectors ask for this every visit
- Harness clipped to the basket rail instead of the manufacturer anchor
- Outriggers deployed onto soft ground without a spreader plate
Published safety context
57
MEWP-related deaths recorded by IPAF globally in 2023; falls and entrapment lead.
Source: IPAF Global Safety Report 2024.
Do you need training to use a MEWP?
Yes. A mobile elevating work platform is work equipment for working at height, so PUWER 1998 requires operators to be adequately trained, and the Work at Height Regulations 2005 require the work to be planned and carried out by competent people. People often call the resulting card a MEWP licence or powered access licence; it is a card for the machine categories tested, not a government licence.
MEWP training covers boom lifts, scissor lifts and push-around verticals, with the course matched to the machines you use. A MEWP boom ticket covers a boom-type machine; a scissor lift is a separate category. Courses run from 1 to 3 days depending on how many categories are needed.
Harness use, working at height and expiry
On a boom-type MEWP the operator should wear a harness with a short restraint lanyard attached to the anchor point in the basket. MEWP training covers fitting, checking and using the harness on the machine, but it is not a general working at height course. Where staff also use ladders, towers or fall arrest elsewhere, our working at height training covers that separately.
MEWP cards are not permanent: they carry an expiry date and are renewed through refresher training. The cost depends on categories and group size; our MEWP training cost guide sets out typical ranges.
Related answers
MEWP Training questions
- Do you need training to use a MEWP?
- Yes. PUWER 1998 requires adequate training, and MEWP work is work at height, which must be done by competent people.
- Does MEWP training cover working at height?
- It covers working at height from the MEWP, including harness use in the basket. Other work at height, such as ladders or towers, needs separate training.
- Does MEWP training expire?
- Yes. MEWP cards carry an expiry date and are renewed through refresher training.
- How long does MEWP training last?
- The course runs 1 to 3 days depending on the number of categories and the candidates' experience.
- What does mewp training cover?
- Pre-use, machine familiarisation and emergency lowering; Wind, ground and proximity hazard assessment; Rescue planning and harness use where required.
- Which equipment is used?
- Boom lifts, scissor lifts, push-around verticals. Training and assessment use the relevant equipment available on your site.
- Who is the course for?
- Maintenance, M&E, fit-out and inspection crews. Prerequisites: Aged 18+. Suitable for harness use (no medical contraindications).
- What certification is issued?
- Accredited MEWP operator certificate. The course covers Work at Height Regulations 2005 and LOLER 1998.
- How long does training take?
- 1–3 days.