The Spanish Standardization Association (UNE) has published the new UNE 58921:2017 standard which sets out requirements for maintenance and reviewing and inspecting staff mobile lifting platforms (MTSP) for ensuring the necessary safety and technical conditions for operating this equipment and, ultimately, for people's safety.

The new standard's contents establish that exceptional and periodic inspections are to be carried out by inspection bodies accredited according to UNE-EN ISO/IEC 17020 standard, as a means of ensuring those bodies involved in maintenance, technical conditions and safety control are competent. With this new standard’s publication, inspection bodies that operate in this field can ask for ENAC’s accreditation.

The importance of this new framework policy is that there is no specific regulation of installation conditions, operation or maintenance of the MTSP, the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness recognizes that 58921:2017 standard compliance is a way to meet the requirements of the Machinery Directive, the Prevention of Occupational Risks Law and the Prevention Service Regulation, as well as the minimum health and safety requirements for use by the equipment workers established in Royal Decree 1215/1997.

It is the increase in the use and rental of these lift platforms for carrying out work at height (assemblies, repairs, inspections, etc.) that requires a guarantee that this equipment to be kept in a perfect state of maintenance and use. Rafael Duyos, International Federation of Aerial Platforms (IPAF) representative in Spain, explains that “inspections carried out by accredited inspection bodies guarantee that the machines have been inspected by a competent, independent and impartial person independent from the company owner, who therefore performs the control without conflict of interest".

The IPAF representative believes that "ENAC's accreditation is an effective tool and complements regulation making it easier to develop insurance markets". In fact, for Rafael Duyos the sector's self-regulation is an effective alternative that boosts a market with guarantees: "IPAF is very impartial of developing standards, good practice notes and any non-legislative document is a tool for raising safety standards without having to legislate. The more capable the industry is self-regulated, the less it needs the Government to legislate. At IPAF we work a lot with our members to make these rules its modus operandi and so as to improve safety in our industry”.

Detailed information about the inspection process accreditation of mobile staff lifting platforms can be found in our documents section. For any question or inquiry please contact María Castilla by phone 91 769 85 30 or by e-mail.