A hands-on MEWP awareness course where learners run 10 platform scenarios and validate 5 competencies covering ground assessment, load and reach limits, fall protection, and overhead hazards. It builds the pre-elevation decision habits that keep scissor and boom lifts stable and workers tied off.
Awareness training for ground crew and anyone who works near, under, or around Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs) — scissor lifts and boom lifts — WITHOUT operating them. Where the operator course teaches driving the machine, this course teaches the person on the ground how to stay alive next to one.
Give ground workers and bystanders the awareness to recognize MEWP hazards, keep clear of the machine and its exclusion zone, refuse to ride untrained, and respond safely if something goes wrong at height.
At a glance
Format: Online, self-paced and interactive
Length: about 1 hour 10 minutes, 5 modules
Pass mark: 80% on the final test
Certificate: QR-verified, valid for three years
Jurisdiction: Manitoba law and standards
Who this course is for
Workers who use or work near mobile elevating work platforms such as scissor lifts and boom lifts.
Ground crew working near or under MEWPs
Trades and labourers on sites where scissor and boom lifts are in use
Warehouse, facilities, and maintenance staff around aerial platforms
Anyone who may be asked to spot for, help set up, or ride a MEWP
Supervisors who want their whole crew aware of MEWP ground hazards
What you will learn
Recognize the common MEWP families (scissor vs boom) from a bystander’s point of view and understand why a platform is not a balcony
Identify the four killers seen from the ground: tip-over, ejection, crushing/entrapment against structures, and power-line contact
Respect the exclusion zone under and around a raised MEWP and stay clear of dropped objects and crush/pinch points
Understand that anyone who RIDES a platform must be a trained, authorized occupant — never a "quick lift"
Respond correctly in an emergency around a MEWP: raise the alarm, do not improvise a rescue, and rely on the site rescue plan
Course outline
What a MEWP Is — and Why It Is Not a Balcony — What a MEWP is from a bystander’s view — scissor lifts (straight up) and boom lifts (up and out) — and why a raised platform is a machine, not a floor in the sky.
The Four Killers Seen From the Ground — The four killers seen from the ground — tip-over, ejection, crushing/entrapment against structures, and power-line contact — and the exclusion zone under and around the machine.
Staying Clear — The Exclusion Zone in Practice — Staying clear in practice — dropped objects, crush and pinch zones, not walking or reaching under a raised platform, and how a spotter differs from a bystander who wanders too close.
If You’re Asked to Go Up — The Occupant Rule — The occupant rule — anyone who rides a platform is an occupant who must be trained and authorized; never ride untrained and never accept a "quick lift".
Emergencies Around a MEWP — The ground worker’s emergency response around a MEWP — raise the alarm, keep clear, do NOT improvise a rescue, and rely on the trained crew and the site rescue plan.
Laws and standards covered
Manitoba Workplace Safety and Health Act (C.C.S.M. c. W210)
Manitoba WSH Regulation Part 28, ss.28.37–28.44
Manitoba WSH Regulation Part 22
Manitoba WSH Regulation Part 14
Certificate and renewal
Passing the final test issues a QR-verified certificate, valid for three years. This program recommends refreshing MEWP awareness for ground crew every 3 years, or sooner after an incident, a near-miss, or a change of site where aerial platforms are in use.
Common questions
How long does MEWP / Aerial Awareness take?
About 1 hour 10 minutes online, over 5 modules, at your own pace. It ends with a final test that needs 80% to pass.
How long is the MEWP / Aerial Awareness certificate valid?
Three years from the day you pass. This program recommends refreshing MEWP awareness for ground crew every 3 years, or sooner after an incident, a near-miss, or a change of site where aerial platforms are in use.
Which laws and standards does MEWP / Aerial Awareness cover?
Manitoba Workplace Safety and Health Act (C.C.S.M. c. W210); Manitoba WSH Regulation Part 28, ss.28.37–28.44; Manitoba WSH Regulation Part 22; and 3 more listed on this page.
Who should take MEWP / Aerial Awareness?
Workers who use or work near mobile elevating work platforms such as scissor lifts and boom lifts.