MEWP VGP: how often, and what is checked?

MEWP VGP: how often?

Every 6 months for a powered platform. Article 23 of the French order of 1 March 2004 (arrêté du 1er mars 2004) sets the general rule at 12 months, but reduces it to 6 months for the appliances listed in article 20-II, which include “mobile elevating work platforms”, and for those that raise a work station using a source of energy other than human effort.

It sets 3 months for appliances driven directly by human effort that raise a work station. The INRS MEWP factsheet (brochure ED 6339) gives the same values. These are maximums: intensive use or a harsh environment may justify more frequent inspections.

New, used or hired platform: before the first VGP

Before its first use in the company, a platform undergoes a commissioning inspection (vérification de mise en service, article R4323-22 of the French Labour Code, Code du travail), which is separate from the VGP:

• New, with fitness for use checked by the manufacturer: suitability examination for the planned work and trigger tests of the safety devices (2004 order, article 13).
• New without that check, or bought second-hand: suitability examination, static and dynamic tests, check of brakes and limiters (articles 14 and 15-I).
• Hired: suitability examination and functional tests, provided the rental company has carried out the VGPs on time (article 15-II). The manual and copies of the commissioning report and the latest VGP report, with the inspection history, must be kept on the platform or close to it (article 15).
• The rental company usually carries out the VGPs, but the user remains responsible: at each delivery it checks they have been done; on long-term hire it ensures they are renewed (INRS ED 6419).
• After that, count 6 months: for a new machine, schedule the first VGP no later than 6 months after commissioning, a timetable to confirm with your inspector.

What the inspector checks

Article 22 of the order sets the content: an examination of the state of preservation (article 9) and functional tests (article 6, b and c). On a platform, this covers in particular:

• a detailed visual examination, to detect any dangerous deterioration;
• the chocking and braking devices that immobilise the platform at rest;
• the brakes that stop and then hold the platform in all positions, and the lowering control;
• motion limiters: travel, luffing, slewing, anti-collision, fall-arrest devices;
• load and tipping-moment limiters, triggered at the values in the manual;
• wire ropes and chains, where fitted.
• No static or dynamic test: these belong to commissioning or re-commissioning, required for instance after a major repair to an essential component (article 20-I). According to INRS, a report with no observations does not prove compliance with every technical rule.

Time and cost: what makes them vary

No regulation sets the duration or the price of a MEWP VGP: each inspector quotes its own. What matters:

• the type of machine: a large boom lift or a truck-mounted platform has more movements and safety devices to test than a small scissor lift;
• configurations: a telehandler with a basket is inspected in each one;
• the number of platforms seen during the same visit, and travel;
• preparation: the employer makes the platform available, provides the manual, previous reports, maintenance logbook and an operator (article 3). Without this, the visit may be incomplete or postponed;
• observations: a visit to confirm they have been cleared may be invoiced separately.

Records to keep and show

These documents may be kept on any medium, including digital (article R4323-27), and are accessible to the labour inspectorate (article L4711-3).

Clear observations quickly: INRS suggests annotating the report, dated and signed, and recording the work in the logbook. This follow-up is part of platform maintenance.

Overdue VGP, CACES R486: do not confuse them

A platform whose last VGP is more than 6 months old is no longer up to date: risks and immediate steps are on our overdue VGP page.

CACES R486 concerns the operator, not the machine. This French Health Insurance (Assurance maladie) recommendation has three categories: A (vertical elevation), B (multidirectional) and C (off-production driving). According to INRS, the MEWP CACES is valid for 5 years. The operator must also be trained and hold an operator authorisation (autorisation de conduite) issued by the employer (articles R4323-55 and R4323-56). An up-to-date VGP does not authorise anyone to operate, and a CACES does not replace the VGP.

What Trackary does, and does not do

Trackary, maintenance software for aerial work platforms, records each VGP, shows the next deadline based on the interval you set and alerts you ahead of it. The report is filed on the platform's record; each observation can be recorded as a fault, to schedule and close. Trackary does not carry out the VGP, does not certify the platform, and issues neither CACES nor operator authorisations.