Bob Hendricks (third from left)
Bob Hendricks, a trainer at Hugg & Hall Equipment Company (Hugg & Hall), recently assisted the Scaffold & Access Industry Association (SAIA) write the new American National Standards Institute (ANSI) A92 standards, a sweeping update which affects manufacturers, renters, dealers and purchasers/users of mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs).
“I met on the committees and went over the proposed changes and helped initiate some of the changes,” said Hendricks.
The new regulations replace prior ANSI standards A92.3, A92.5, A92.6 and A92.8 which covered manually propelled aerial, booms, scissors and under-bridge inspection machines. The standards dictate stability, testing and safety requirements to manufacturers so that consumers are provided certified and safe machines for use. The updates are focused on moving North American equipment toward current global standards to reduce variances.
Some of the major changes stemming from the update include terminology changes, platform load sensing technology requirements, new wind force requirements, new stability testing, new railing height requirements, new platform entry requirements and more. Recently, Hendricks noted that some of the most dramatic changes relate to requirements of end-users and supervisors.
“The users and the supervisors having to have more knowledge of how operations work and the risk assessments having to be done,” said Hendricks when asked the biggest change effectuated by the new standards, in his view.
Hendricks believes that the changes were absolutely necessary and that the updated standards will create safer work environments.
“The risk assessment that the owners/users have to do as well as the risk assessments that the operators have to complete bring more safety,” said Hendricks. “There were too many gray areas created since the last major changes which were more than 20 years ago.”
Hendricks enjoyed assisting the SAIA in writing the standards for ANSI, which will ultimately be enforced by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
“I loved it,” said Hendricks. “I felt like I was doing something important.”
Hendricks onboarded as a trainer with the company in 2014 and, throughout his time at Hugg & Hall, has trained more than 800 personnel from companies located in Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Tennessee, Louisiana, Arkansas and more. He has trained for several Fortune 500 companies, including: Siemens, Tyson, Walmart, Cargill, Georgia-Pacific, Firestone Tire, the U.S. Air Force and the Veterans Administration (VA). In addition to these organizations, he has trained for many more small and large businesses/organizations throughout the region.
The company is proud to have Hendricks on their team and thanks him for his hard work and dedication which contributes to safer job sites and a more responsible industry, overall.