The International Powered Access Federation recently issued its 250,000th PAL card, given to people who successfully complete a safety training program on powered access equipment, managing director Tim Whiteman said. The PAL card, valid for five years, indicates the equipment categories that the holder has been trained to operate.
The IPAF training program was started in 1992 in the United Kingdom, where regulations concerning work at height are stricter than in the United States. The Major Contractors Group, a highly respected organization in the U.K., has recognized the quality of the IPAF training program and allows card bearers to work on any site it operates.
A record 50,000 PAL cards were issued in 2005, through a network of more than 230 training centers. The card is now recognized in most European countries and more recently in the United States as well. IPAF works with its U.S. subsidiary, Aerial Work Platform Training.