What's the difference between IPAF and PASMA?

Key facts

• IPAF is the International Powered Access Federation. PASMA is the Prefabricated Access Suppliers’ and Manufacturers’ Association.
• IPAF covers powered access platforms: scissor lifts, boom lifts, vehicle-mounted MEWPs, mast climbers.
• PASMA covers mobile aluminium towers: prefabricated tower scaffolds built and used at low to medium working heights.
• IPAF issues the PAL Card (Powered Access Licence). PASMA issues the PASMA card.
• Both cards are valid for five years, with retraining at renewal.
• Both bodies are recognised by HSE, CSCS and the major UK contractors. Many operators hold both cards.

What IPAF covers

IPAF is the global industry body for powered access. In the UK it is the dominant scheme for anyone operating a Mobile Elevating Work Platform (MEWP). Common MEWPs include scissor lifts (category 3A), boom lifts and cherry pickers (category 3B), static booms (category 1B), and mast climbing work platforms. IPAF training is delivered by accredited centres such as MPTT and leads to the PAL Card (Powered Access Licence), which records the categories the operator has been trained on. Site supervisors and induction teams check the PAL Card before letting anyone operate a MEWP at height. Without it, the operator is normally turned away. Detail of the IPAF MEWP categories is in our MEWP categories FAQ.

What PASMA covers

PASMA is the UK industry body for mobile aluminium towers. It sets the training standard, audits manufacturers and accredited training centres, and operates the PASMA card scheme. The headline course is Towers for Users, the one-day course needed by any operative who erects, alters, dismantles or works from a mobile aluminium tower. Variants include Towers for Stairs (towers on stairwells), Towers for Managers (for those overseeing tower work without operating themselves), and Combined Low Level Access and Towers for Users. PASMA training leads to the PASMA card, recognised across UK construction.

Why both cards exist

The difference is the equipment, not the height. A scissor lift and a mobile tower can both put an operative at the same working height but they are completely different machines with different control measures. A MEWP is a powered platform with hydraulics, controls and load-handling characteristics; the risks are catapult ejection, overturn and impact. A mobile tower is a static modular structure; the risks are unsafe erection, missing components and fall through openings. The two industry bodies wrote their training programmes around those distinct risk profiles, and the Work at Height Regulations 2005 require employers to provide work equipment only to operatives competent to use it. IPAF covers competence on powered access; PASMA covers competence on towers.

Where each card is accepted

Both cards are accepted on the vast majority of UK construction, civils, facilities and maintenance sites. Tier 1 contractors and Major Projects (HS2, Hinkley Point, Heathrow) routinely specify a current PAL Card before a MEWP is signed out, and a current PASMA card before a tower is erected. Both cards are also widely accepted by housebuilders, regional contractors, plant hire firms and facilities-management companies. The PAL Card and PASMA card are listed alongside CSCS, NPORS and CPCS on most pre-qualification documents. If your site agent says “work at height card” without specifying which, that usually means an IPAF PAL Card for powered access and a PASMA card for tower work.

Do operators need both?

Often yes. On any project that uses both MEWPs and mobile towers, a competent operative needs both cards. A scissor-lift operator who is also asked to erect a tower for a different task cannot use one card to cover the other. Many employers train operatives on Towers for Users plus IPAF 3A (scissor) as a baseline, with 3B (boom) added where booms are in use. The two courses together take about two days. Detail in our IPAF, PASMA or both FAQ.

Validity and renewal

Both cards are valid for five years from the date of training. Renewal is by retraining at an accredited centre. There is no exam-only renewal for either scheme; the full course is repeated, although the duration is the same as the original (one day for the headline operator courses). Set a reminder 8–10 weeks before card expiry so the renewal can be scheduled without a gap. Full detail in our card validity FAQ.

How MPTT delivers both

MPTT is an accredited IPAF and PASMA training centre and has been training operators since 1935. We deliver the full IPAF MEWP range (1B static boom, 3A scissor, 3B boom) and the PASMA Towers for Users / Stairs / Managers / Combined Low Level Access programme, at our centre in Cannock and on-site across England. Most operators booking with us train across both schemes because their work covers both equipment types. Backed by over 200 five-star Google reviews.

Related questions

• What MEWP categories does IPAF cover (1B, 3A, 3B)?
• What is the IPAF PAL Card?
• What is the PASMA card?
• Do I need IPAF, PASMA, or both?
• How long are IPAF and PASMA cards valid?

Quick answers to related questions

Is IPAF or PASMA harder to get?

Neither is harder. The headline IPAF MEWP courses (3A scissor or 3B boom) and PASMA Towers for Users are all one-day courses with theory plus practical. Pass rates are high for operatives who attend a properly delivered course at an accredited centre.

Does an IPAF card cover all MEWPs?

No. The PAL Card records the categories the operator was trained on. A 3A (scissor) card does not authorise a 3B (boom). Operatives needing both have both categories added to a single PAL Card.

Are IPAF and PASMA recognised by CSCS?

The IPAF PAL Card and the PASMA card are recognised by CSCS as the work-at-height training credentials for MEWPs and mobile towers. They are listed alongside the CSCS plant operator cards on most pre-qualification documents.

Last updated: 2026-05-21. Reviewed by the MPTT work-at-height training team, IPAF- and PASMA-approved instructors.