One of the most useful tools for getting to those hard to reach places, or places simply too high to dare risk with ladders are Mobile Elevating Work Platforms or MEWPs.

One of the most common forms of accident when working on sites is falling from height, so MEWPs are being insisted on from a site safety as well as staff safety.

Whilst hiring a MEWP may add some costs to a job, this is a price well worth paying to get a job done safely and quickly – it will cost very much more if somebody falls off a ladder and injures themselves or worse still gets killed. Nothing is worth that.

With tasks like bird proofing, you need to use MEWPs. These can be of several types and will depend on the job, and also the level of licence the operator has. We commonly use Scissor lifts and Cheery pickers. Scissor lifts are ideal for doing vertical straight up and down type jobs, like bird proofing the underside of a roof or bridge etc where pigeons are being a problem, but for more versatility and much more height, a cherry picker is the best choice.

As the risk of bird fouling is becoming more understood, we are needing to use MEWPs more and more.

This week I attended an operator course in Oxford at one of our suppliers 2Cousins Powered Access to get my licence for part 3a and 3b as well as PAV MEWP’s.

The course is a one day theory and practical where you are assessed on all aspects of checking, positioning and operating the machine, with some tasks set for you to achieve. The pass mark is high, with good reason to be honest. The last thing you want is somebody not trained and competent on a site with any of this equipment.

The course was pretty lively, with only 4 people at a time it gives you the best possible instruction, and of course gives you chance to meet other trades as well. On our course we had pest control (of course!) painters, sign makers and building maintenance – all trades we work with on a regular basis – so some good networking to be had too!

The theory test was passed with flying colours – 100% as expected, then came the practical. Most of the other guys were pretty experienced but one poor chap really struggled a bit with the controls,  finally managing to crash (softly) into another machine….but after more instruction and another go, he managed to pass the course.

The instructor was pretty spot on and his comments at the close of the course were quite right – better this chap had a little knock in the training area than on site…he probably learnt more from this incident than he would have normally.

So if you have a requirement for bird control or cleaning up bird fouling in difficult to reach places, speak to the experts at Rapid Pest Control – we are able to provide advice and a proposal for dealing with your bird problem safely and effectively. With Offices in Newbury, Oxford, Basingstoke, Reading and Swindon, you can be sure of a fast response and expert advice on pigeon control in your area. Call now for advice and help with your bird control problem, or contact us now here.