As our aerial work platform industry continues to morph farther and farther away form its epicenter, I can’t help but ponder where the continuing Certifiably Trained labor shortage will leave us. Our aerial work platform (AWP) or (mewp) industry not only has a severe “across the board” Certified & Trained technician problem, it has a severe “knowledge” problem.  Unfortunately this problem is self-induced!

FACT: Two-thirds or 95% of the US based aerial work platform manufacture’s are now gone – defunct & cease to exist!  The same scenario has been mirrored within the independent dealer base as well, collapsing from approximately 7,500 independent dealers to approximately 400 today. Now add to the fact that net income and gross profits continue to erode, and it is plain to see why it is difficult to attract, let alone keep, trained qualified or certified technicians’ and trainers.

Reviewing statistics, the aerial work platform industry in general has grown tremendously since its inception in the late 60’s. It has grown by sheer volume of equipment produced now by fewer and fewer manufacturers and delivered to an ever fewer independent dealer – distributor base. The continued erosion of rental net income has made it painfully obvious that proper, qualified service and training programs are sadly needed. The buzzwords in our industry today are not about equipment ownership but POR (point of rental) websites. Contractors and end-users alike are finding a terrible void when addressing support for previously owned equipment especially acquired from auction sites.

Since there are only approximately a BASIC 4 main remaining Companies left in North America, WHO is “training technician’s” to support the rest of the equipment in the field?  The remaining aerial work platform manufacturers’ have their own Quality Training Seminars and Schools dealing with current products. However, here’s my question: during “instructional training”  WHO is addressing equipment manufactured by other, now defunct manufacturers?  The answer is clearly – NO ONE and why should they!  So WHO can or will?

ANSI A92.6 Standards states:  “The inspection shall be performed by a person(s) Qualified as a mechanic on the specific make and model of the aerial platform.”  It also states: “the user shall ensure that the individual has been trained in accordance with the manufacture’s operating and maintenance manual … BEFORE operating the aerial lift’.

QUESTION: How is the technician (or trainer) in the field to address operational and service problems when he or she has NO “KNOWLEDGE BASE” to draw from?  How is a technician to be trained when NO ONE is there to Train them regarding the aerial work platform he or she has never seen before? How are they made aware of or know the character caveats of  the equipment in question? How do they address “operational procedures” from manuals that are absent form the unit?  These are all valid questions.

So where do we go from here?  The automotive industry struggled with this same problem over a Half Century ago as more high-tech automobiles were introduced. Prices for qualified labor and on the automobiles themselves went through the roof. Unfortunately, that scenario can’t happen within the aerial work platform industry even though Aerial Work Platform technician’s must be proficient in three fields of endeavor: basic mechanical troubleshooting, knowledge of hydraulics and basic electronic troubleshooting skills. In todays world Technicians can’t draw pay commensurate with their training. Our industry is being driven by a customer base demanding state-of-the-art equipment with all the value added extras but refuses to pay for them. In short the value of the equipment is never realized and the end result is forced with lower overhead. The sad reality is, Technicians are considered “overhead” and as such they are viewed as an expense.

Unfortunately, you will never see a change regarding Qualified or Certified Technicians or Trainers until our industry faces the fact that it has a problem.

Why is it, no one outside of the construction industry knows what an aerial-lift is?  The reason is simple: Our industry has NO IDENTITY!  Everyone seems to know what a crane is, what a forklift is, what a backhoe is even what a tow-truck is. Everyone seems to be able to conjure up a mental image of these items. Why is it no one knows what an “aerial-lift” is?

Why is it, after half a century, I find I must still explain what it is I do for a living?  

Why is it, after half a Century I need to explain that AWP’s are “kind of like a electric company truck – but its on its own base and doesn’t need the truck” and .. (wait for it)  can put people 100ft in the air on a “stick”! Oh, by the way … there’s no Technicians OR Trainers that are “Across the Board” Certified to support this industry either! 

Our industry still has some growing up to do …

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________Written by: Craig Ihde – AWP industry veteran with over 40 years of real-world experience training, servicing, manufacturing and working with aerial lift equipment. Craig brings unmatched insight into the realities of certification and safety in the lift equipment world and is the owner of Aerial Specialists, Inc. USA