IPAF Asia Conference 2023, the region’s gathering of access industry experts and stakeholders, was held for the first time in Bangkok, Thailand, from 3 to 4 August. Attended by 153 participants representing 12 countries, the event drew together a diverse community of professionals dedicated to advancing safety, technology and practices in the powered access industry.
The conference featured 15 distinguished industry speakers, demonstrating IPAF’s commitment to fostering a dynamic platform for knowledge exchange and innovation in the country. Spanning two days, the event looked at industry trends, safety practices, technical advancements and future prospects.
Peter Douglas, CEO and managing director of IPAF, delivered the opening address at the conference, emphasising the importance of the safe and effective use of powered access. Sakdisilpa Tuladhorn, director of OSH division at Labour Protection and Welfare Department, Ministry of Labour Thailand, followed suit as the guest of honour, accentuating the event’s significance within the domain of occupational safety and health.
Supitchaya Sornsit, SHAWPAT practical training centre & field training development lead and trainer, provided a comprehensive overview of incidents involving powered access machinery in Thailand. This presentation served as a critical starting point, laying the foundation for the insightful discussions to follow.
Other important topics at the conference included global safety reports, technological advancements, digitalisation, proactive safety measures, data-driven insights and market outlooks, to name a few. Industry stakeholders like Mike Ashton, He Dawei, Jasling Ong, Surasak Sonklin, Chi Sen Gay, Bernard Tan, Roseline Zhang, Julien Micheli, Martin Wraith, Raymond Wat, Desmond Ong, Jack Jim and Olivia Shen also joined as speakers.
The conference culminated in an interactive open floor discussion, where industry leaders engaged in conversations about robotics’ rise in the MEWPs rental industry and the sustainability of the growing demand for eco-friendly construction equipment. On the second day of the event, delegates were invited to attend a visit to Promech Service Centre, a local rental company.
This year, the event sponsors were Promech Resources, Sinoboom, TVH, Zoomlion, Quimo, Shandong Qiyun, CFMG, Skyjack, Aver Asia, Trackunit, JCB, Mantall, Exmile Tyre, Dingli and Hunan Aerial Power. SHAWPAT was the supporting organisation.
Raymond Wat, IPAF’s SEA regional general manager, said, “We are grateful to our sponsors who made this event possible and our attendees who came to support our first event in Thailand. It was fantastic to see so much support for IPAF and the promotion of the safe use of MEWPs in the country. We look forward to continuing to work closely with our members to ensure we are doing all we can to prevent accidents so that all workers can return home safely after working at height.”
The next IPAF Asia Conference is planned to take place in China in 2024.
