Ensure Your Lifting Equipment is Thoroughly Examined

A thorough examination is a systematic and detailed examination of the lift and all its associated equipment, carried out by a competent person. Its aim is to detect any defects, which are, or might become, dangerous. The competent person is required to issue you with a report highlighting any defects and, if appropriate, the enforcing authority, so that appropriate remedial action can be taken. Whilst similar to an MOT inspection, it should not be confused with preventive maintenance. Begin by clarifying what lifting equipment you own. Under the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER), lifting equipment includes any equipment that is used at work for lifting or lowering loads, e.g. forklift trucks, goods and passenger lifts, and includes attachments, e.g. slings. Lifting attachments are included because they play the most safety-critical roles and are more prone to damage throughout their working lives.

5 Top Tips for Ensuring the Safety of Your Lifting Equipment If you own lifting equipment, you must:

1. Ensure you maintain the lifting equipment so that it is safe to use.
2. In addition, ensure the lifting equipment is thoroughly examined at the correct intervals: lifting equipment used for lifting persons must be thoroughly examined at least every six months; lifting accessories must be examined every six months; all other lifting equipment must be thoroughly examined at least every 12 months and every time exceptional circumstances occur, e.g. an accident involving lifting equipment, after extended periods without proper servicing or maintenance or after long periods out of use/after substantial modification of the equipment.
3. Select and instruct a competent person to carry out the thorough examination and keep them informed of any changes in the operating conditions.
4. Make relevant documentation available to the competent person, e.g. maintenance records, manufacturer’s information.
5. Act quickly to remedy any defects. If you are notified of a serious/significant defect, you should take the lifting equipment out of operation until it has been remedied. Keep reports of thorough examination for at least two years or until the next report, whichever is longer.

Make sure your lifting equipment is thoroughly examined. Failure to comply can leave you open to prosecution, invalidate your insurance and lead to an accident due to faulty equipment.

Contact us should you require guidance.