On the 17th June 2020, the 2004 version became obsolete, which means it has been superseded by a more up-to-date standard but has not yet been withdrawn. The result of the vote means the 2004 version will continue to exist alongside the 2020 version until 17 May 2021, when it will be withdrawn.
The months leading up to the withdrawal date are effectively a transition period during which designers, manufacturers and suppliers will switch to providing mobile access towers which comply with, and are certified to, the new standard, EN 1004:2020.
What’s changing? The new standard includes numerous technical and editorial adjustments, such as clarification that EN 1004 only applies to mobile towers on wheels, not towers on baseplates (which are covered in BS 1139-6). There’s also a significant change affecting low-level access. Low-level towers with the working platform below 2.5m will fall within the scope of EN 1004 for the first time, as it’s set to cover towers from the ground up (rather than from 2.5m as it is today). For towers with the working platform below 2m, it will be possible for manufacturers to develop products that allow easier means of access.