Formed in 1974, and comprising the major manufacturers of alloy access towers in the UK, the Association's original objectives were to promote the safe use of alloy access towers and to promote the interests of its members to the regulatory and standards authorities. Membership of the Association was confined to manufacturers only, who at that time represented the principal suppliers to the market for both sales and hire.
In the early 1980s, the Association devised its PASMA Training Course for users of alloy towers, now universally acknowledged as the industry standard, and so commenced a long history of skills training to make the use of access towers as safe as possible by producing many thousands of competent users.
The PASMA Code of Practice, which has come to be the definitive access tower reference document for managers, supervisors, health & safety professionals and users alike, and which has been completely updated to incorporate the requirements of the Work at Height Regulations 2005, was also first produced in the 1980s.
Like all dynamic organisations, PASMA has moved with the times. In the late 1990s, more stringent Procedures for the PASMA Standard Training Scheme were formalised and an Audit Regime was established to ensure a uniformly high level of PASMA training from one end of the country to the other.
Around this time, the Association changed its name to demonstrate its wider representation of manufacturers of both aluminium and fibreglass access towers, and to reflect its reviewed and widened membership categories. This saw the introduction of new Hirer / Dealer, & Training memberships with full voting rights which more accurately represented all sectors of the access tower industry and re-established PASMA's position as the lead representative body and authority on all matters relating to mobile access towers.
Although most commonly associated with use in construction and related trades, applications for Mobile Access Towers span across many industries, ranging from the railway and aerospace industries to food and pharmaceuticals. Since 1999, when fundamental changes to the membership criteria were introduced, the Association offers full membership, not only to manufacturers, but also to hirers, dealers and those organisations accredited to provide PASMA training. A further category, that of non-voting associate, caters for anyone with a demonstrable interest in the UK tower industry, with a final category of Subscribing Member being added in 2005 to cater for those individuals and organisations who, although not active in the industry, nevertheless wish to avail themselves of the opportunity to purchase PASMA health and safety publications and products and keep abreast of changes in this fast moving industry.
Manufacturing members are those companies who are licensed to manufacture Mobile Access Towers to BS EN 1004 : 2004, and which carry the current British Standard Kitemark or other equivalent mark of approval (e.g. TUV, NF Mark, etc.). Hirers, dealers and training members have, as a requirement of their membership, to use mainly Mobile Access Towers which carry the current British Standard Kitemark or equivalent mark of approval.
ADVANCING SAFETY STANDARDS IN THE UK ACCESS INDUSTRY
The Association publishes an Operator's Code of Practice which is regularly reviewed and updated, an indispensable guide which covers all aspects of Mobile Access Towers use, including erection and dismantling, stability, safe operation, hazards, inspection, care and maintenance.
However, PASMA is still best known for its training programme which has helped more than 24,000 users in the year 2005 alone to improve their safety and operational performance. Only available from PASMA Registered Training Centres, the authorised programme is not available from any other source.
The Association remains confident that its open and inclusive membership policy continues to encourage companies both large and small, from all sectors of the industry, to become members and so help reinforce its position as the principal UK focus for Mobile Access Tower training, standards and best practice.
