Do You Need IPAF Certification to Hire a Cherry Picker?

You only need IPAF certification to hire a cherry picker if you are going to operate it yourself. On operated hire, where the machine arrives with a trained operator who runs it for you, you need no qualification at all. On self-drive hire, any responsible hire company will ask to see a valid IPAF card, usually called a PAL card, for each person who will be at the controls, and it will want to see it before the machine leaves the yard.

The split exists because the law puts the duty on training rather than on whoever pays for the hire. At Bespoke AVS we hire out van-mounted cherry pickers across Kent, the South East and London, both with an operator and on a self-drive basis, so it is a question we answer on every self-drive booking. This guide covers what the law actually says, what an IPAF card proves, how the two kinds of hire differ, what we check before a self-drive delivery, and what to look for in a hire company.

What the law actually says

No law names IPAF. What the law asks for is training. The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations require every employer to make sure that anyone using work equipment has received adequate training for health and safety, covering how to use it, the risks involved and the precautions to take. A cherry picker is work equipment, and a machine that lifts people into the air is about as clear a case as there is.

The Health and Safety Executive turns that into practical terms in its guidance on mobile elevating work platforms. Operators should have attended a recognised training course and hold a certificate, card or licence listing the categories of machine they are trained on. The expiry date should be checked. Operators should also be familiarised with the controls of the specific make and model they are about to use, because two machines doing the same job can have very different control panels.

What an IPAF card proves

In the UK the recognised route is the training scheme run by the International Powered Access Federation, a not-for-profit body for the powered access industry. Passing one of its courses earns a PAL card, short for Powered Access Licence, which shows that the holder has completed operator training and passed a theory and practical test. The card is valid for five years, and it lists the categories of machine the holder has been trained on.

That last point is the one that catches people out. A card covers the types of platform its holder trained on and nothing else, so training on one kind of machine is not a pass for everything on a hire company's fleet. The card is also not a licence in the way a driving licence is, and no statute requires anyone to hold one. It is simply the most widely accepted proof of the training the law requires, which is why hire companies, main contractors and site managers ask for it by name.

Operated hire or self-drive hire

Operated hire means the machine arrives with one of our IPAF-trained operators, who positions it, carries out the pre-use checks and runs the platform while you or your trades work from the basket. You need no card because you are never at the controls. Self-drive hire means we deliver the platform to your site and your own trained operator runs it, which is why it is only available against a valid card.

In our experience, operated hire works better than self-drive for a one-off job because there is no paperwork, no operator training to organise and no risk of someone using kit they are not certified for. The training, the familiarisation on that exact machine and the plan for bringing someone down safely all arrive with our operator. Self-drive comes into its own for contractors who are already IPAF qualified, on short or long-term hire, with the same kit to the same standards. If you are still deciding which machine suits the job at all, it is worth being clear on exactly what a cherry picker is and what it can reach before you book.

What we check before a self-drive hire

For self-drive we need to see a copy of a valid IPAF card before we drop off, for every person who will operate the machine. Valid means more than owning a card. It has to be in date, it has to belong to the person at the controls, and it has to cover the type of platform being delivered, because the HSE says the expiry date should be checked and every card lists the categories its holder trained on. Sending the copy when you book means any problem with it turns up while there is still time to sort it out, rather than with the machine on your drive.

A card can be checked through IPAF's own online verification and its ePAL app, which is the quickest way to confirm it is genuine and in date. It is also only part of the picture. The HSE expects the operator to be familiarised on the specific model, to wear a harness with a short restraint lanyard clipped to the anchor point in the basket of a boom-type machine, to keep well clear of overhead cables, and to have a rescue plan that someone on the ground has practised. A valid card tells you the training happened. It does not tell you any of those things are in place on your site.

What the site needs, whoever is driving

We use the same van-mounted machines on our own installation work, including commercial CCTV, and on hire they go out for everything from signage and gutters to lighting and inspections. A card covers the person in the basket. It says nothing about where the machine has to stand, and on operated and self-drive hire alike the HSE's guidance is that a platform is used on firm and level ground, with any temporary covers strong enough to take the load. That is why we ask about the job and the site when you book, so we can turn up with the right access platform for it.

Whichever way you hire, the machine itself should also be in date for its thorough examination, which the HSE says must happen at least every six months, and a reputable hire company will be able to show you that it is.

Choosing a hire company

Whether you need an operator or not, the things worth checking are the same. Look for IPAF-trained operators, proper insurance, a company that asks about your access before it quotes, and someone who answers the phone when you ring. We are Kent County Council Trading Standards Checked, our operated hire is fully insured, and we cover the whole county for cherry picker hire in Kent, as well as the wider South East and London, from our base in Aylesford, covering Maidstone.

Our cherry picker hire page sets out both ways of hiring side by side. You can read what customers say on our reviews page, find out more about the team, or find us on Facebook.

IPAF cards and cherry picker hire

You need IPAF certification to hire a cherry picker only when you will operate it yourself. On operated hire the qualification travels with our operator and you need nothing. On self-drive, every operator needs a valid PAL card covering the right type of machine, checked before delivery, along with familiarisation, the right harness and a rescue plan on the day. The law asks for training rather than a particular card, but the IPAF card is how that training is proved in practice.

If you have work at height coming up and are not sure which way to hire, we are glad to talk it through honestly. You can get in touch with Bespoke AVS to talk through operated or self-drive hire, or for a quote, anywhere in Kent, the South East and London.