MAY 2013

Largest truck mount used for stadium work. Page 2

AFI helps to launch new IPAF e-learning programme. Page 6

Aerial ViewPowered Access Hire, Sales and Industry & Construction Training

Customer Newsletter Issue 36 June 2016

The comment above refers to our new familiarisation videos and was made by the IAPA judges when they presented us with the Contribution to Safe Working at Height award at this year’s IAPA Summit.

“AFI’S NEW VIDEO OFFERING COULD BE THE BEST EVER IN THE INDUSTRY’S HISTORY”

Spotlight on new machine familiarisation videos. Pages 4 & 5

Pictured receiving the Contribution to Safe Working at Height award at the IAPA Summit are (l–r): Michael Zhang, Chairman and President of ExMile Tyre, IAPA Gold Sponsor; Brian Parker, AFI Business Development Manager, Technical Support; Nick Selley, AFI Director ; host Dominic Holland.

These videos are a first in the working at height sector and we firmly believe that they will save lives, and that is why we are making them freely available to everyone. The videos highlight our commitment to health and safety and how we put our customers first. To find out more see Pages 4 & 5.

In a further example of our commitment to our customers, we are delighted to report that we have gained the coveted Institute of Customer Service ServiceMark accreditation.

ServiceMark enables organisations to benchmark themselves against best practice, gain a better insight into their customers’ needs and develop strategies to meet them (Page 3).

The health and welfare of our employees is paramount and we are therefore proud to have this externally recognised, by recently gaining the Investors in People Health & Wellbeing award (Page 3).

2016 has been an excellent year for AFI in terms of external recognition. As well as the awards mentioned above, we have also gained a RoSPA Gold award, a British Safety Council International Safety Award with Merit, FORS Gold reaccreditation, and finalist placings in several other industry award schemes.

We are pleased to gain these awards but we will never be complacent – we will continue to strive to provide the best levels of customer service, together with industry-leading innovations.

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Largest truck mount helps to tackle stadium rebrandingWilson Access called upon the largest truck mount in its fleet to help contractors rebrand the former Millennium Stadium in Cardiff – the home of Welsh rugby.

The 57m Palfinger P570 hired by John Anthony Signs is a new addition to the Wilson Access fleet and is one of only a few available in the UK. A second Palfinger P570 will be joining the Wilson Access fleet in the coming months.

The 74,500 capacity Millennium Stadium is now known as the Principality Stadium following a sponsorship deal between the stadium and the Principality Building Society.

To reflect the name change, John Anthony Signs manufactured 26 illuminated letters, 2.3 metre high, spelling out the stadium’s new name and installed them 40 metres up on the exterior of the stadium.

As well as the 57m Palfinger, John Anthony Signs also hired a 45m Wumag WT450, together with two truck mount operators over seven days to install the new signage.

John Anthony Signs Installation Manager Kevin Knight said: “The working height and versatility of the Wilson Access truck mounts gave our four-man installation team quick and easy access to help them keep to their deadline.”

Contractors constructing a new logistics centre for one of the UK’s major retailers hired machines from our fleet to give them the height and manoeuvrability required to carry out high access installation work.

Over a 10-month period, mechanical and electrical engineering specialists Imtech Engineering Services North hired a total of 24 scissor and boom lifts with working heights ranging from 9.90m to 21.20m.

The Palfinger P570 truck mount at the Principality Stadium.

MEWPs hired for logistics centre work

The AFI machines helped Imtech to carry out mechanical and electrical installations, both internally and externally, during the construction of a 500,000 square feet warehouse and office facility in Bolton.

Paul Egan, Imtech Engineering Services North Site Manager, said: “For the most part we knew which machines we required, but when we were faced with the challenge of getting a machine to fit between a narrow section of racking, AFI conducted a site visit and recommended a Niftylift HR15N boom lift which was ideal as its slim dimensions fitted within the restricted space but it still gave us the reach to clear the top of the racking.”

Two AFI scissor lifts at work in the logistics centre.

Call us on 08707 511 005P3

AFI gains ServiceMark accreditation

We have selected the NSPCC as our chosen charity for 2016, and as part of our support we are donating £10 for every hire of a Wilson Access 57m truck mount carrying the NSPCC logo.

If you need the services of this truck mount, the largest in our fleet, then please contact Wilson Access on 0844 288 9338 – you will also be helping to raise funds for a very worthy cause.

We are also organising a series of internal fundraising activities to support the NSPCC and are encouraging our employees and customers to take part in charity events organised by the NSPCC, such as sponsored

The NSPCC is our chosen charity for 2016walks, dance competitions and marathons. For example, on 25 June the NSPCC is organising a Yorkshire Dales Hike Against Cruelty to Kids (HACK), with options for you to take part in either a 6 mile, 24 mile or 30 mile walk.

If you would like to enter, go to https://nspcc-hack.eventbrite.co.uk

If you see the Wilson charity truck mount, take a photo and Tweet it to us @Wilson Hire #Wilsoncharitytruck #TeamNSPCC.

For more information about fundraising go to wilsonaccess.co.uk

After launching a major customer service initiative over two years ago, we have now become the only powered access company to hold the coveted Institute of Customer Service ServiceMark accreditation.

ServiceMark enables organisations to benchmark themselves against best practice, gain a better insight into their customers’ needs and develop strategies to meet them.

Carlo Vinci, AFI Customer Service Director, said: “The accreditation gives us a framework to build on, but it is a continuous process. We have come a long way since starting our customer service journey. For example, we were shortlisted for the Customer

Commitment category at the Institute of Customer Service UK Customer Satisfaction Awards earlier this year, along with some of the UK’s leading companies. We will continue to put our customers at the

heart of everything we do and ensure that we continually work towards taking our customer service to the next level.”

In his report the Institute’s ServiceMark Assessor said: “It was good to see the improvements and results already achieved by AFI and how ServiceMark had supported the commitment to work harder to develop an outstanding customer experience.

“A number of areas for improvement have been identified since AFI committed to ServiceMark and I’m confident they will be maintained, completed and continue to impact positively upon the service provided.”

...and IIP Health & Wellbeing awardWe have followed up our Investors in People Gold award by gaining the organisation’s Health & Wellbeing Award.

Mark Jones, AFI Internal Training Manager, said: “I’m delighted that we have won this award because we are committed to ensuring that AFI is a great place to work, and that the happiness and health of the team is of paramount importance.”

“How we train our team, how we provide our team with an opportunity to voice their opinions about business issues, how we engage with them and incentivise them and how we support them and their families in times of need are just some of the things that the auditor was looking for as evidence of good practice,” he added.

The IIP auditor said: “AFI’s genuine care for employees and where appropriate their families’ welfare forms part of the very fabric of the culture of the organisation throughout its businesses.”

Some of the health and wellbeing initiatives undertaken by AFI include providing employees with a comprehensive health scheme, providing defibrillators at all locations, and giving care and consideration to employees with additional needs, such as appointing a Champion to support dyslexia in the workplace.

It’s been another great year for awardsAs well as winning the IAPA award, ServiceMark award and IIP Health & Wellbeing award we have also had a number of other successes, including:

l A Gold award in the RoSPA Occupational Health and Safety awards for the second consecutive year.

l An International Safety Award with Merit from the British Safety Council.

l Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS) Gold reaccreditation.

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The 37 familiarisation videos are a first in the UK working at height sector. Any MEWP operator, supervisor, project manager or safety manager can view them on a smart device by scanning a QR code on the machine or by viewing them online at afi-uplift.co.uk/fam

Contractors can also add the QR code and link to their website so that their staff or sub-contractors can have pre-familiarisation before they even get to site.

The videos can also be used by principal contractors as part of their induction process or method statement to highlight that they have taken steps to ensure machine familiarisation.

Brian Parker, AFI Business Development Manager, Technical Support, is the presenter featured in each video. He said: “A key contributory factor to MEWP operator accidents, incidents and fatalities is a lack of familiarisation on the machine they are operating and a lack of knowledge amongst their colleagues about the emergency rescue procedures. We have developed these videos to address this problem and we believe they will undoubtedly save lives. With this in mind we are making them freely available to everyone, irrespective of whether they are a customer of AFI.”

The AFI videos give the detail required for proper familiarisation covering every type of MEWP in regular use in AFI’s fleet. Each video covers a family of machines, such as Genie diesel booms from 40 to 60ft or Skyjack electric scissors from 19 to 46ft.

We have tried to ensure that the videos are not only informative but also interesting and engaging. Brian Parker wears a head cam to get up close with the machines and their controls, taking viewers through features of the machines such as platform controls, emergency lowering controls and safety devices. This footage is combined with a tripod-mounted camera to show two alternative views – a clear view detailing the controls being operated and a wider view showing the resulting movement of the machine.

We have used on-screen visuals and animations throughout the videos to draw the viewer’s attention to various points on screen, for example specific controls on the control panel. In addition, brief summaries of previously listed processes are shown on screen during each section of the video to provide bullet point instructions for ease of understanding and also create simple points of reference for the viewer.

Nick Selley, AFI Director, said: “AFI is committed to helping to improve safety standards throughout the working at height sector and we have invested substantial resources to produce and launch these videos. In today’s digital age we believe that online familiarisation will become the norm.”

AFI VIDEOS SET TO REVOLUTIONISE MEWP FAMILIARISATIONTo view our videos go to afi-uplift.co.uk/fam

Developing these videos helped AFI to win this year’s IAPA Contribution to Safe Working at Height award.

The judges said: “Investment in safety has brought a range of outstanding schemes, and AFI’s new video offering could be the best ever in the industry’s history.”

Award winning videos...

Ways operators can access our videos

l On a smart device by scanning a QR code on the machine (as shown above)

l Online at afi-uplift.co.uk/fam

l Through our Youtube channel: youtube.com/user/AFILtd

Images taken from some of our MEWP familiarisation videos.

We have launched a range of videos that are set to revolutionise the way MEWP operators familiarise themselves with the specific machines they will be using.

Call us on 08707 511 005P5

AFI VIDEOS SET TO REVOLUTIONISE MEWP FAMILIARISATIONT

OK, so you’ve passed the IPAF Operators course and you’re now ready to climb into a powered access machine and start working at height. What could possibly go wrong? Unfortunately just about everything if you are not familiar with the specific machine that you will be operating.

Do you know where the controls are to elevate and lower it, how the stability controls work, where the emergency lowering controls are and how to operate them?

And it’s not just operators who needs to have machine familiarisation.

If someone becomes seriously ill or is crushed between an overhead obstruction

Why MEWP familiarisation is so important

whilst working at height they need to have people on the ground who know how to conduct an emergency rescue.

If a manager has failed to make sure that operators are fully familiar with the machine they are using, they too could be culpable.

In a worst case scenario they could end up facing a corporate manslaughter charge.

So what needs to be done and how do you do it? Managers have to ensure that they have undergone machine familiarisation and that their colleagues know how to lower a machine from the ground in the event of an emergency.

Brian Parker used a head cam to highlight important familiarisation points.

The videos show how we highlight various points and also specific areas of a MEWP to get over our messages.

“Managers have to ensure that they have undergone machine familiarisation and that their colleagues know how to lower a machine from the ground in the event of an emergency.”

An operator can undergo self familiarisation but this has obvious drawbacks – how many operators actually bother to read the machine instruction manual, and even then pay attention to important safety notices contained within it! This is why we have developed and launched our range of familiarisation videos.

By Brian Parker, AFI Business Development Manager, Technical Support

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AFI Director and IPAF Deputy President Nick Selley was one of the first people in the UK to complete a new IPAF e-Learning operator training programme which has now been launched in the UK following the enhanced programme’s introduction in the US and Canada last year.

Mr Selley said: “As Deputy President of IPAF I was keen to undertake the new e-Learning module to support the initiative and to ensure that the new course meets expectations, which it certainly does. E-Learning offers more flexibility because it can be done in the office or at home.”

After passing the e-Learning module he then undertook the practical element of the course to complete the operator training programme.

The online element lasts approximately 2½ hours and involves interactive elements and online videos, as well as quizzes throughout to encourage delegate participation. This is followed by a theory test.

The e-Learning training module does not replace the practical training, but enables trainees to complete the theory sessions online at their own pace and time.

Taking the theory element of the training via e-Learning reduces the amount of time to undertake the course on the practical day – from one day to half a day. This gives delegates more time to focus on the practical element of the training.

Delegates still need to pass a supervised theory test at an IPAF-approved training centre before they complete the half day of practical training and testing to gain their PAL Card (Powered Access Licensed-Registration).

Brian Kirkbride, AFI Training Operations Manager, and Julia Yates, Customer Service and Online Project Manager, also undertook the pilot programme ahead of its UK launch.

Mr Kirkbride said: “The IPAF e-Learning package is a very successful method of learning. The package is designed in a way that meets all preferred learning styles and as such would be beneficial to learners with different cognitive methods of learning.”

“The graphics are of a very high standard and enhance the learning experience. The programme is user friendly and that will promote the willingness to learn,” he added.

“Delegates can go back over a section as many times as they want until they understand that part, rather than feel too embarrassed to ask a question in a group event. All in all it is a very proactive move in the right direction as far as we are concerned at AFI.”

We are offering the new e-Learning module through utntraining.co.uk/ipafelearning.

Nick Selley is pictured (centre) on the IPAF course. With Brian Kirkbride (right) and John Harrison, IPAF Senior Trainer for AFI.

AFI helps to launch new IPAF e-Learning programme

To book and take the IPAF e-Learning course go to: utntraining.co.uk/ipafelearning

Once delegates have passed the module they have up to 45 days to take the practical side of the training at one of our 21 training venues throughout the UK.

Call us on 08707 511 005P7

To meet growing demand, UTN Training has opened a new dedicated training venue in London. The Central London Training Centre offers health and safety classroom courses such as IOSH and CITB.

Located at Europa Park Industrial Estate, Canning Town, close to a number of tube stations, the new training venue complements UTN Training’s three other London locations – London West, London South and LondonEast.

UTN opens new training centre in central London

UTN Training Managing Director Matt Scott said: “Adding this location to our UK wide network of venues allows us to offer customers flexibility and choice.

“By offering such a well placed venue in the heart of London, close to tube stations and bus routes, means customers can access us quickly and easily without having to worry about inner-city parking. We will continue to offer more options throughout this year, whether they are locations, courses or simply better ways to book courses with us.”

The Central London Training Centre provides the following IOSH courses: Managing Safely, including refresher, and Working Safely. CITB courses include: Site Management Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS), including refresher, Site Supervisors Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS), and Health & Safety Awareness.

London Central is our sixth UTN dedicated training centre and we also offer training at 15 other locations throughout the UK: utntraining.co.uk/traininglocations

New online working at height coursesWe are now offering four online courses covering various aspects of working at height.

The courses provide candidates with the information necessary to plan and manage any tasks they undertake that involve working at height. The courses are:

l An Introduction to Working at Height

l Working at Height: Fragile and Degraded Surfaces

l Working at Height: Scaffold and Scaffold Towers

l Working at Height With Access Equipment: Ladders, Stepladders and

MEWPs.

All courses can be paid for online via a secure payment method. To find out more about these online courses go to: utntraining.co.uk/onlinecourses

We are investing USD 16.3 million in our Access Rental Gulf business in a move that signals a major expansion of our operations in the Middle East.

The Access Rental Gulf expansion includes the purchase of new machines, the launch of a new depot in Qatar and a second depot in Saudi Arabia, together with the relocation of the company’s first Saudi depot to much larger premises.

Access Rental Gulf was established in 2008 in two locations – Jubail in Saudi Arabia and Dubai in the UAE.

Rob McMeeking, Commercial Director, said: “During the past year our business has increased by 27%, and with the support of

Major expansion for AFI in the Middle Eastthe AFI group of companies we are now able to capitalise on this by opening two new depots. We have also relocated our original Saudi depot from Jubail to larger premises in Dammam.”

“Our offering is underpinned by the experience we have in the team – our three directors average over 20 years in the industry, and our new Qatar team also has strong experience which is unusual

for a new set up. Throughout the business we have 60 employees and staff turnover is very low, which brings consistency,” he added.

“Qatar is the third largest market in the Gulf Cooperation Council, behind Saudi and the United Arab Emirates, so it is a logical step in our expansion to go there. Construction spend will be high as Qatar increases its infrastructure in advance of the 2022 World Cup.”

Recent expansion has brought the Access Rental Gulf fleet up to 726 machines and this is expected to rise to more than 800 machines by the end of this year.

Great savings on late availability training offersCan you be flexible about training dates and choice of course location?

If so, there are great savings to be made on late availability courses. To take advantage of this, check our website: utntraining.co..uk regularly for late availability bargains. There are savings to be made of up to 60% on certain courses.

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