The New ANSI A92 & CSA B354 Standards

Here's our Nifty guide to the new US and Canadian MEWP standards introduced on June 1st, 2020.

The new ANSI A92 suite of standards in the United States (CSA B354 in Canada) are now in effect, as of June 1st 2020.

In order to more closely align with requirements in other major markets, such as Europe and Australia, the new standards require machine owners and operators to be aware of some important changes.

For full details on the key changes and how Niftylift machines comply with the new standards, download our ANSI A92 white paper:

What the standards changes mean for you

From June 2020, all new Niftylift machines manufactured for the United States and Canada will adhere to ANSI A92.20 (CSA B354 in Canada) standards for machine design.

Many of the new features required by A92.20 have been standard on Niftylift machines for many years, so you may not see too many changes to current models.

The ANSI A92.20 standards do not apply retrospectively to pre-existing Niftylift machines in the market (i.e. those manufactured before the 1st of June 2020), only to new machines manufactured from the 1st of June 2020 onwards.

Changes to machine terminology and design

• The term Aerial Work Platform (AWP) is replaced by Mobile Elevating Work Platform (MEWP)
• ANSI A92.5 is replaced by ANSI A92.20 covering new machine design requirements
• The new standards affect machine design in the following areas: load sensing, tilt sensing, tires, operator protection, machine stability, entrance gates, platform rails and toe-guards

All design changes to Niftylifts are detailed in our ANSI A92 white paper.

Machine Groups/Types

MEWPs will be classified into Groups A and B with Types 1, 2 and 3. How machines are classified are determined by how they are driven and used:

Group A: platforms that are directly over the equipment's chassis and are limited to vertical motions only.
Group B: platforms that have a variety of functions and are not limited to staying over the machine's chassis.
Type 1: machines that can only be driven in a stowed position.
Type 2: machines that can be driven when elevated and the machines drive controls are on the chassis.
Type 3: machines that can be driven when elevated and the machine's drive controls are in the platform.

Niftylift's Self-Drive & TrackDrive ranges are examples of Group B, Type 1 MEWPs. 
Niftylift's HeightRider ranges are examples of Group B, Type 3 MEWPs.  

As well as affecting machine design (A92.20), the new standards also include new regulations for safe use (A92.22) and training (A92.24).

Further information about these can be found in our ANSI A92 white paper below: