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HEALTH AND SAFETY
Is Your Machinery and Equipment Safe?
In many countries around the world you are legally obliged to look after the safety of your workforce. This means making sure that your plant and equipment are safe to operate. Your insurance underwriter may well require you to have an independent inspection body to conduct the right type of inspection service and conduct them at the correct intervals. In the UK these inspection activities
Lifting equipment is work equipment used for lifting and lowering loads. It includes the attachments used for anchoring, fixing or supporting equipment such as cranes, lifts, excavators and lift trucks.
Accessories for lifting includes any chain, rope, sling, or component kept for attaching loads to machiner y for lifting.
Examination scheme means a suitable scheme drawn up by a
LOLER is concerned with many aspects of lifting operations and lifting equipment such as strength, stability and positioning of lifting equipment and the planning of lifting operations. However this guide is limited to the examination requirements of LOLER. An assessment of the risks associated with the equipment must be made to identify where the provision for thorough examination and inspection within LOLER applies. A thorough examination of lifting equipment must be carried out by persons of sufficient competence who are independent and impartial to allow objective decisions to be made.
Different categories of examination are identified within LOLER: Examinations should be carried out:
* Initially, before equipment is taken into service (there are some exceptions for CE marked new equipment)
* Post installation, where safety is dependent on correct installation * Where lifting equipment is exposed to conditions which cause deterioration that could lead to a dangerous situation, periodic examinations are required
* Following any exceptional events such as an accident or long period without use.
Examination Frequency
LOLER continues to prescribe periods between thorough examinations of lifting equipment. These are:
* Ever y six months for lifting equipment used for lifting / lowering persons. For example, passenger lifts, access platforms, window cleaning equipment
* Ever y six months for lifting accessories (‘tackle’). For example, chain slings, eyebolts and shackle * Every 12 months for all other lifting equipment not falling into either of the above categories. For example, cranes and lift trucks. However, LOLER offers a ‘risk based’ approach to examination. This means that you can arrange for a scheme of examination to be drawn up taking account of your specific equipment, environment and operations to extend periods between examinations where the risks are acceptable.
Lift Trucks
Lift trucks are used extensively across all industrial sectors, with capacities var ying from one tonne to 50 tonnes. The average retread plant will normally be using a 3 to 5 tonne forklift truck. The larger machines are mainly used in
freight handling (shipping containers), forestr y and steel- making industries.
Lift trucks are normally fitted with a load fork (hence ‘fork lift truck’). However, the retread industr y tends to use a variety of other attachments for example, bale grabs, carpet poles. These provide ease of moving tyres/casing easily around the premises. Mobile man- riding platforms are often used for maintenance purposes.
Mobile Elevating Work Platforms
Mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs), also known as ‘cherr y pickers’, ‘beanstalks’ and ‘access platforms’. They are used in all sectors of industr y and provide a temporar y platform for persons working at heights.
All MEWPs have the capacity to move from one location to another
must be accredited by UKAS or NICEIC, and the inspection bodies will also require capabilities in equipment certification as well as being a notified body for the Machinery, Lifts and Pressure Equipment Directives.
In this and following issues of Retreading Business we will be including articles covering definitions for a number of different categories of plant including lifting equipment, pressure systems, local exhaust ventilation systems, electrical equipment, power presses and process machinery. The first article deals with lifting equipment.
The following and subsequent articles will contain details on the relevant legislation applicable to each of these categories, together with notes on the types of examinations required, and the frequency within which they need to be carried out. If you any doubt about your plant and equipment, your inspection service provider will be able to advise you and help plan your inspection requirements. This article is written from a UK legislative viewpoint but the principals covered will be relevant for many markets around the world. Outside the UK retreaders are advised to check their local legislation.
Lifting Equipment Definitions
competent person for the thorough examination of lifting equipment at such intervals as may be appropriate for the purpose described within the regulations.
Work equipment means any machine, appliance, apparatus, tool or installation for use at work.
Relevant Legislation
The requirements for the examination of lifting equipment in the UK are found within the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER). LOLER applies over and above the more general requirements of the Provision and Use of Work
Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER). Unlike previous legislation, which applies to specific industry sectors, PUWER and LOLER apply to all places of work. LOLER covers work equipment that lifts or lowers a load.
The following points need to be considered:
* The type of load being lifted
* The risk of the load falling and striking a person or object and the consequences
* The risk of the equipment striking a person or object and the consequences
* The risk of the lifting equipment failing or falling over whilst in use.
either as a purpose built machine with integral road wheel steering facilities, or mounted on a lorry or van. MEWPs are normally electric / hydraulic or diesel hydraulic units and utilise a scissor mechanism, articulated jib or telescopic mast to lift a cage or platform to the desired position where the work is
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