Posted By AlB
The thought of this frightens me. However, an arboriculturist is due to do some work for us on an embankment where they will use a MEWP to gain access to hight and then climb out of the MEWP to gain access to the top of the embankment. There is limited access at the top so getting up there from the top is not possible. They suggest to clip onto a wire at the top of the embankent before unclipping from the MEWP.

All my experiences and training tell me this should not happen, but this is a recognised process in the HSE's publication of "Mobile Elevated Work Platforms (MEWP) for tree work" published in 2003.

What are your thoughts?

Posted By AlB
Fair comment.

There are little alternatives and this will probably be the only solution but I want to see what reaction it gets on the forum and some examples of other people's experiences of this. My main concern is that a MEWP is not designed to be used as a means of access to another location at height. So this brings in an incurance concern and a concern with an item of plant being used as designed and is then in contravention of the PUWER regs.