MEWP Categories Explained: 1a, 1b, 3a and 3b
Ask an operator what a 3b is and you will get a confident answer roughly half the time. The IPAF category system is genuinely logical once you see the two questions it is built on, but the labels — 1a, 1b, 3a, 3b — give away nothing on their own, and that leads to teams turning up on site with the wrong card for the machine parked in the compound.
The system asks two things. First: is the machine static while working, or can it be driven at full working height? Second: does the platform go straight up, or can it move outside the base of the machine? Everything else follows from those two answers.
This guide explains each category, lists the machines that fall inside it, covers the specialist categories people forget, and sets out what a MEWP course covers and costs. It is written for supervisors specifying training as much as for operators booking it.
Key points
- The first digit is mobility: 1 = static while working, 3 = mobile at height.
- The letter is movement type: a = vertical only, b = boom, able to move outside the base.
- 3a is a self-propelled scissor lift; 3b is a self-propelled boom or cherry picker.
- A PAV licence lasts five years and covers only the categories tested.
- Harness use, rescue planning and ground assessment are as important as machine skill.
How the numbering system works
The number describes the machine's mobility when the platform is elevated. Category 1 machines are static: they must be set up, usually on outriggers, and cannot travel while at height. Category 3 machines are mobile: they can be driven with the platform raised, subject to the manufacturer's limits.
The letter describes the type of movement the platform can make. An 'a' machine is a vertical lift — the platform rises within the footprint of the base. A 'b' machine has a boom, so the platform can move out beyond the base, which introduces reach, slew and a very different stability picture.
Combine them and the four main categories fall out cleanly. 1a is a static vertical machine such as a vertical personnel lift on outriggers. 1b is a static boom, typically a vehicle-mounted platform working on outriggers. 3a is a mobile vertical machine, which in practice almost always means a self-propelled scissor lift. 3b is a mobile boom — the self-propelled articulated or telescopic boom lift most people call a cherry picker.
- 1a — static vertical: vertical personnel lifts, some mast climbers
- 1b — static boom: vehicle-mounted platforms on outriggers
- 3a — mobile vertical: self-propelled scissor lifts
- 3b — mobile boom: self-propelled articulated and telescopic booms
The specialist categories people forget
Beyond the four main categories, IPAF issues several specialist ones that matter on particular jobs. PAV covers push-around vertical machines — the small, manually positioned lifts common in facilities and retail work, which are frequently used with no training at all on the assumption that they are harmless.
MCWP covers mast climbing work platforms, used on cladding and facade work. Insulated Aerial Devices cover platforms used near live overhead lines. There is also a separate Demonstrator qualification for people handing machines over to customers, and a MEWPs for Managers course aimed at the people planning and supervising the work rather than operating.
The manager course is the one most under-booked and most valuable. Most MEWP incidents trace back to selection, ground assessment or rescue planning rather than the operator's stick skills.
Choosing the right category for your work
Start from the task, not the machine you happen to own. Internal work at modest height on a flat floor points to 3a. Anything requiring reach over an obstruction — steelwork, roof edges, tree work, street lighting — needs 3b. Work from a vehicle on a public road or a verge points to 1b. Occasional low-level indoor work may only need PAV.
Most operators working across mixed sites in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire end up holding 3a and 3b together, because those two cover the overwhelming majority of hire fleet machines. Training both in the same visit costs materially less than two separate courses.
A category is not a substitute for familiarisation. Every make and model has different controls, different emergency-lowering arrangements and different alarms, and the employer must record familiarisation on the specific machine before unsupervised use.
What a MEWP course covers
A typical one-day operator course covers legislation and the Work at Height Regulations 2005, machine categories and selection, pre-use inspection, ground conditions and load spread, exclusion zones, overhead hazards and proximity to power lines, harness selection and attachment, emergency lowering, and rescue planning.
The practical section covers set-up, manoeuvring, positioning at height, working within the platform's limits and emergency descent. Assessment is against the scheme criteria, and a pass results in a PAL card valid for five years.
The harness question comes up constantly. In a boom-type MEWP a fall-restraint harness with a short lanyard attached to the designated anchor point is the standard expectation, because catapult ejection is the specific risk. In a scissor lift with full guardrails, harness use is generally not required unless the risk assessment identifies a specific need.
- Work at Height Regulations 2005 duties and hierarchy
- Machine selection, ground assessment and load spread
- Pre-use inspection and defect reporting
- Harness, restraint and anchor point use in booms
- Emergency lowering and a written rescue plan
Rescue planning is not optional
A rescue plan is a legal expectation, not paperwork for its own sake. If an operator becomes trapped, incapacitated or suspended, waiting for the fire service is not a plan. The plan must name who will operate the ground controls, how they have been trained to do so, and how the platform will be brought down safely.
That means a second trained person must be present at ground level whenever a MEWP is in use in most circumstances. Lone MEWP working is one of the practices auditors flag most often, and it is entirely avoidable with basic scheduling.
MEWP categories, machines and typical training
| Category | Machine type | Typical use | Course length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1a — static vertical | Vertical personnel lift on outriggers | Fixed-position indoor maintenance | 1 day |
| 1b — static boom | Vehicle-mounted platform | Street lighting, tree work, roadside | 1 day |
| 3a — mobile vertical | Self-propelled scissor lift | Internal fit-out, warehouse, cladding | 1 day |
| 3b — mobile boom | Self-propelled articulated/telescopic boom | Steelwork, roof edge, reach over obstruction | 1 day |
| 3a + 3b together | Both self-propelled types | Mixed-site operators | 1–2 days |
| PAV | Push-around vertical | Retail, facilities, low-level indoor | Half to 1 day |
Typical UK cost is £180–£320 per candidate for a single category and £250–£420 for 3a and 3b combined, with card fees included by most providers.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between 3a and 3b?
3a is a mobile vertical machine — a scissor lift, where the platform rises within the base footprint. 3b is a mobile boom, where the platform can move outside the base, adding reach and a different stability and ejection risk.
How long does a MEWP card last?
IPAF PAL cards are valid for five years. Renewal requires a re-assessment, and employers should re-check competence sooner after incidents, machine changes or long absences.
Do I need a harness in a scissor lift?
Generally not, where full guardrails are in place and the risk assessment does not identify a specific need. In boom-type MEWPs a fall-restraint harness attached to the designated anchor is the standard expectation.
Does one MEWP card cover every machine?
No. The card covers only the categories assessed. Operators also need familiarisation on the specific make and model before unsupervised use, and that is the employer's responsibility.
Can MEWP training be delivered on our site?
Yes, provided a suitable machine and a safe area are available. On-site delivery lets the assessment reflect your real ground conditions and overhead hazards.
Need this training arranged?
Tell us the machines and the number of operators. Chris will call back with straight advice and a firm price.