The International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) will hold its first North American convention on 1-2 November at Crown Plaza Chicago O'Hare hotel in Rosemont.

The theme is "Powered Access: Recognition and Avoidance of Hazards" with a focus on issues in the aerial lift and mast climbing work platform industry.

Speakers include Chris Pan, research safety engineer in the division of safety research at the US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in Washington, DC; Brad Boehler, president of Linamar Corp business unit Skyjack of Guelph, Ontario, Canada; John Newquist, assistant regional administrator with the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration in Chicago, Illinois; Paul Penzkover of MA Mortenson Co's construction unit in Chicago; and Kevin Groman, senior vice president of RSC Holdings Inc subsidiary RSC Equipment Rentals in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Also, Gary Riley of American Work Platform Training Inc (AWPT) in Valley Park, Missouri; Tony Groat of IPAF North America in Schenectady, New York; Kevin O'Shea of Mastclimbers LLC in Grayson, Georgia; Romina Vanzi of IPAF Latin America in Las Condes, Chile; and Chris Wraith, IPAF technical officer from England will feature.

Details can be found at www.ipaf.org/usconvention.

The IPAF head office is located in Crooklands in north west England with other offices and affiliates in the Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, Italy and Spain.

Established in 1983, not-for-profit IPAF represents the interests of powered access equipment manufacturers, distributors, users, rental and training companies and serves as an industry forum. A certified IPAF programme for platform operators trains more than 80,000 persons annually through a network of more than 450 centres. IPAF North American subsidiary AWPT manages training in the US.