New guidance on podium steps safety

Throughout 2017, PASMA, the trade association for the international mobile access tower industry, will be making buyers, owners and users of low-level work platforms (LLWPs) – commonly referred to as pulpits and podium steps – aware of the recently published product standard BS 8620: 2016.

Designs for LLWPs had originally been developed in the absence of a formal specification, and while the majority provided a safe solution to low-level access, there were some aspects that could be improved by relevant and specific design criteria – which the earlier Publicly Available Specification, PAS 250, addressed.

With PAS 250 now converted to BS 8620 by the British Standards Institution (BSI), safety and performance criteria have been enhanced with a dimensional change to side protection and modifications to two specific tests.

As a result of this new standard from the British Standards Institution (BSI) –  championed by PASMA – safety has been further improved with a dimensional change to side protection  and modifications to two specific tests.

PASMA is quick to point out that the transition of PAS 250 to a full British standard does not mean that existing PAS 250 compliant LLWPs are now obsolete. “Far from it,” says the chairman of PASMA’s technical committee, John Darby. “You can continue to use PAS 250 podiums and there is no necessity to change product immediately. You can introduce the upgrade when the time comes for replacement.”

“BS 8620 type-approved product should start to become available from April 2017 and we encourage users to update their procurement policies accordingly to guarantee that future equipment meets the very latest criteria for strength, access, stability and rigidity.”

To assist purchasers and users over this transitional period, PASMA has introduced an informative fact sheet and FAQ section  available at www.pasma.co.uk

The new standard has industry-wide backing. The steering group which first contributed to its development includes the Association of British Certification Bodies (ABCB), the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Hire Association Europe (HAE), the Ladder Association, PASMA and BuildUK.

Alongside the BS 8620 information campaign, PASMA will also continue to warn of the dangers of using towers that do not comply with the requirements of EN 1004, the European product standard for mobile access towers. For details of how to choose a safe mobile tower go to www.pasma.co.uk/scaffold-towers