1. All equipment should be periodically thoroughly examined by a competent person and a record kept of the result. Any equipment found to be unfit for a further period of service should be withdrawn. In addition to this formal examination, it is good practice to check equipment each time before use.
Some equipment also requires regular preventive maintenance. Such maintenance not only prolongs the useful life of the equipment but ensures that it is always fit for service. When repairs affect load bearing parts the equipment should be thoroughly examined and if necessary re-tested before further use. Employees should always co-operate by making equipment available for examination and maintenance.
2. All equipment should have a ‘birth certificate’ to show that, when first made available for use, it complied with the relevant requirements. For equipment to the new European legislation this will be a Declaration of Conformity plus a manufacturer’s certificate if called for by the standard worked to. For older equipment it will be a certificate of test and examination only.
When equipment is re-tested and / or examined in service, a record of the results should be kept. The records should be cross referenced to enable the history of the equipment to be traced.
Under LOLER the thorough examination regime will become more flexible but if the user opts for fixed periods, the maximum will be as shown in table below:
| Type of Lifting Equipment | Max Period |
|---|---|
| Lifting equipment for lifting persons and lifting accessories | 6 months |
| All other lifting equipments | 12 months |
Introduction