Ives Update NewsLetter

        Although world events have made 2020 a year a lot of us would like to forget, there have been many developments here at IVES that are worth remembering. To refresh what may have been overlooked in the turmoil, let’s go back into the company’s recent history and follow the timeline forward marking all of the developments that have occurred.

April 2019 – Revised Documentation Procedures Announced

        The Compliance Folder included in each Compliance Package was significantly revised, particularly the Record Sheet on the back, which is now called the Training & Evaluation Record, as well as the Operator Certificate / Wallet Card. Some significant aspects of the revisions in relation to previous documentation procedures were:

1. The change in format reduced the need to record duplicative information (names, numbers, etc.).
2. A more formalized requirement to record the classification of the equipment involved.
3. A requirement to record the operator training standard to which the training complies.
4. A more formalized section to record the authorizing person’s information.
5. A requirement to enclose the completed equipment pre-use inspection form used during the practical evaluation in the folder along with the other documents.
    

A video detailing the changes to the materials and documentation procedures was posted in the Member Dashboard area of our website and is still there today if you haven’t seen it. It’s in the Orientation Videos folder within the Downloadable Materials & Updates section.

June 2019 – New MEWP Trainer Materials Released

        Six months before the then-expected effective date of the new ANSI A92 MEWP industry standards, we announced the release of our new MEWP operator training materials that had been revised in compliance with the new standards.  At the time, the industry standards addressing the design and construction (ANSI A92.20 / CSA B354.6), safe use (ANSI A92.22 / CSA B354.7) and operator training  (ANSI A92.24 / CSA B354.8) of mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs) including aerial boomlifts and scissor lifts, had been significantly revised which meant we had to update all of our related materials, which included all the MEWP-related:

1. Operator Reference Manuals (ORMs).
2. Operator Theory Tests.
3. Trainer’s Manual Equipment Inserts.
4. Digital Training Aids.

Orientation videos explaining all the changes, Chapter Review Indexes providing answers and page number references to the questions in the ORMs and the affected pages in the Trainer’s Manual were all posted on the website where they remain today in the MEWP Support Documents & Videos.
 

November 2019 – New Products Announced
 

1. Following the release of new English-language MEWP operator training materials in June, we released Spanish and French-language versions of those same materials.
    
2. We also announced the arrival of a digital streaming option for many of our DVDs. This option offered one year’s unlimited viewing of any of the ten titles in our Introduction Series of DVDs, as well as the Lessons Learned and Point of View DVDs. Each available in English, Spanish and French language versions. After expiry of the one-year terms, an option to renew at reduced rates is available.
    

December 2019 – More New & Updated Materials Announced

        December was another big month with the arrival of several exciting and long-awaited materials, including:
 

1. Revised operator training materials for skid-steer loaders and powered pallet trucks. These materials included ORM’s that were light years ahead of the previous versions with information more reflective of modern workplaces and vastly upgraded graphics and imagery. Brand new complementary Digital Training Aids (DTAs) were also released and of course, the relative operator theory tests, Trainer’s Manual inserts and Chapter review indexes were included in the release.  Orientation videos focusing on these new products were posted on our website as was the case with the MEWP materials released in June.
   
    

    

2. Comprehensive and detailed Operator Training Program Lesson Plans addressing each piece of equipment we provide training material for were also released and posted online for free download.
    

January 2020 – New Site / French Language RT Materials Arrive
 

     
   The New Year began with a huge announcement: the opening of our awesome, 8,900 ft² training location in Abbotsford, British Columbia. This was the first training location 100% owned and operated by IVES.

As we ushered in 2020, we also ushered in the arrival of French-language operator training materials for rough terrain forklift, which had been absent from our product offerings for too long and made many of our clients in Quebec, Canada very happy.
 

February 2020 – Goodbye to an Old Friend
 

Although the passing of Jim Crook on February 15, 2020 was not exactly an IVES’ event, it affected us all profoundly as we were forced to say good-bye to one of our most beloved Master Trainers and as such, it deserves mention here.

On a happier note, we announced the certification of Mr. 25-K, our 25,000^th Certified Trainer!
 

March 2020 – Suspension of Operations and More MEWP Stuff

On March 17, 2020 IVES Training Group suspended the delivery of all in-person training programs due to the global pandemic caused by the COVID-19 virus. Never before in the 39-year history of the company had we taken such drastic measures, the effects of which still reverberate to this day within the company and around the world.
 

At the end of March, we announced the release of 9 new documents designed for users of MEWPs to get in line with the coming ANSI standards whose effective date had been delayed several times from December 2019, to March 2020 and again to June 2020. These extremely useful documents were made (and remain) available for free download under the following titles:
 

• MEWP Safe Use Plan Development Guide
• MEWP Safe Use Checklist
• MEWP Emergency / Rescue Personnel Contact List
• MEWP Occupant Knowledge Checklist
• MEWP Worksite Inspection
• MEWP Site Risk Assessment
• MEWP Rescue Plan
• MEWP Selection Guideline Table
• MEWP Inspections Reference Chart
   

April 2020 – Online Training Arrives!

In the wake of the COVID-induced suspension of training we adapted to our clients’  needs by developing and releasing three new programs that for the first time in IVES history, were delivered online. They were:

1. Trainer Recertification Program – Extend your IVES Trainer credentials for an additional three years. Program delivered live, in real time by an IVES Master Trainer.
    
2. MEWP Certified Trainer Update Program - A program delivered online for IVES trainers with MEWP credentials to update their knowledge of the requirements of the new ANSI and CSA MEWP standards. If you’re a MEWP trainer and you haven’t taken this program yet, you really need to, and it’s FREE!
    
3. MEWP Operations Supervisor Program – Another program delivered online to help supervisors comply with one of the most significant requirements of the new ANSI MEWP standards; supervisor training that addresses: 

• The proper selection of the correct MEWP for the work to be performed.
• The rules, regulations and standards that apply to MEWPs, including the provisions for safe use, training and familiarization and for the work to be performed.
• Potential hazards associated with the use of MEWPs and the means to protect against identified hazards.
• The proper location and storage of the MEWP manufacturer’s operations manuals.
   

One last note of interest that occurred in April was that IVES turned 39 on April 30. The celebration was all but lost in the midst of the ongoing pandemic but was exciting for us nonetheless.
 

May 2020 – More Online Programs and New Products Available

        Following on the heels of the release of our first online programs in April, online operator training programs arrived in May. These programs, delivered live by an IVES Master Trainer and available only to clients with IVES certified Instructors on site, address the classroom theory portion of an operator training program, including administration of the operator theory test. Successful trainees then go on to be led through the practical training and evaluation portions of the program by the trainer on-site.

At the end of May we released our MEWP Occupant Safety Card. This compact, quick-reference resource designed to be stored on a MEWP and used to check the general knowledge of a work platform occupant’s ability to work safely on a MEWP proved to be useful and was a hit with our clients. If you haven’t seen it, go to our website and check it out!

Finally, in May the Rough Terrain Operator Reference Manual received some relatively minor revisions to the wording addressing the stability pyramid. Details and graphics were added which provided more details on the 4-point, rectangular base of the pyramid as it relates to telehandlers.

June/July 2020 – Operator Requalification Materials Revised – Suspension Lifted
 

June 1 marked the end of the suspension of training. We were excited but cautious to return to the delivery of in-person training programs at our open enrollment locations and at our clients’ sites. Although working within the new, COVID-induced sanitizing and social distancing protocols was a bit challenging, we were extremely happy to get back to training.
 

In response to many requests from our clients, the forklift operator requalification Study Guides not only received upgraded content and graphics, but type-specific forklift operator tests were developed and released within the Notepads that contain the documentation for requalification programs. Previously, individual Study Guides were available for each forklift type but the Operator Requalification Theory Test in the Notepad was generic as it applied to any type of unit. Now, when ordering forklift requalification materials, a type- specific Notepad must be ordered as well.

These requalification materials were also formatted to match the MEWP requalification materials which require little or no actual writing by the operators as they complete the classroom portion of the program. An orientation video accessible on the IVES website was also posted and is still available for viewing.
 

August 2020 – Spanish/French-language Operator Requalification Materials Available

        In keeping with our standard pattern, Spanish and French-language versions of all the revised forklift Study Guides and operator theory tests were made available.
 
Conclusion

        In looking back at our recent history it’s interesting to note that although the working world seemed to come to a standstill, we kept quite busy growing and developing our products and services. There were a lot of developments to take note of so if you missed any of them, be sure to go back and take a look at what is available, particularly those of you that use MEWPs.

Amidst all the strain and upheaval of the past year, we are very fortunate to have weathered what we hope was the worst of the storm. We know there are still struggles ahead but thanks to your support, we are entirely confident in our ability to continue to adapt and prevail.

Rob Vetter
Director of Training
IVES Training Group

Notice of incident number: 2015156240211
Employer: Fireproofing application company
 

Incident summary

A worker on an elevated scissor lift was spraying fire retardant to a ceiling that was 19 feet (5.8 metres) high in a unit under construction at a shopping centre. After the spraying was complete, the worker borrowed a different scissor lift and was using a broom to clean fire retardant overspray from an area of the wall. The worker lost his balance and fell backward from the elevated lift to the concrete floor below, receiving fatal injuries.

Investigation conclusions

Cause

• End guardrail missing from elevated scissor lift: With the approval of the site superintendent, the worker used a scissor lift belonging to another firm. The end guardrail at the entry/exit point had been removed and the mid‑rail safety chain was not in place. With the platform of the scissor lift raised to just over 10 feet (3 metres), the worker, who was not wearing a personal fall arrest system, was sweeping fire retardant overspray from the wall near the ceiling. The worker fell from the unguarded end of the scissor lift and received fatal injuries as a result of the fall.

Underlying factors

• Failure to conduct pre‑use inspection of scissor lift: The worker, who was properly trained in the use of scissor lifts, failed to conduct and document a pre‑use inspection of the scissor lift used in this incident. This failure is contrary to his employer’s health and safety program, the manufacturer’s instructions for the scissor lift, and the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation.
   
• Use of improperly equipped scissor lift: The worker raised and used the lift without the guardrail in place and without using the mid‑rail safety chain. This is contrary to his training, his employer’s health and safety program, the manufacturer’s instructions for the scissor lift, and the Regulation.
   
• Prime contractor’s failure to coordinate health and safety: The prime contractor failed in its responsibility to coordinate all activities in this multiple‑employer workplace. The prime contractor allowed the worker to use an improperly equipped scissor lift, failed to address three scissor lifts that were improperly equipped at the workplace during inspections, and failed to orient the two workers who were applying fire retardant, contrary to the Workers Compensation Act.
   

Source: www.worksafebc.com

Question:

What do I write where it asks for training standard compliance on the wallet cards and on the back of the file folder?

Answer:

We updated the documentation process a little over a year ago so you must be running into the new materials now. We created a short video to update you on how to fill out the new wallet cards and the file folder (backside) including what training standards you are following.

You can login to your member Dashboard and go to the Downloadable Materials & Updates tab and then it will be the second option on the list called “Orientation Videos”. From there you can scroll down until you see "New Documentation Procedures". It will update you on everything you need.

Hope this helps.

"I think the IVES program is bar none the best one out there today."  Pete, Nestle Waters.

"The facility, materials and instructor were exceptional." Daniel, Whitemud Ironworks.

"I’ve been working with fork trucks for 22 years and learned new things." Joemar, Shell Cat & Tech.