LOLER Overview
Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER 98)

Regulations

• These regulations came into force 5th. December 1998
• They implement the Lifting provisions of the Amending Directive to the Use of Work Equipment Directive (AUWED, 95/63/EC). The Regulations apply in all premises and work situations subject to the HSW Act and build on the requirements of the Provisions and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER)
• There is an Approved Code of Practice approved by the Health and Safety Commission (available from HSE Books - ISBN 0 7176 1628 2 - ref: L113)
  
• There are responsibilities for :
• Those in control of equipment
• Employers and,
• Employees

Overall scope covers

• The initial integrity of equipment
• The planning of lifting operations – all operations to be assessed for risk
• Safe operation of equipment – need to be recorded in a procedure
• Continuing integrity of equipment – appropriate checking
• Regulation 2 (1) – defines ’lifting equipment’ as ‘work equipment for lifting or lowering loads and includes its attachments used for anchoring, fixing or supporting it’.

Note: Lifting equipment includes such equipment as cranes, lift trucks, goods lifts, vehicle inspection hoists, ropes, bell hoists, vehicle tail lifts, chain slings, eyebolts etc. The regulations apply whether the equipment is existing, new, second hand or leased

MAGNETS are used as Lifting Equipment

Organising Lifting Operations - LOLER regulation 8

• The operation must be properly planned
• This is to be done by a competent person
• The operation must be appropriately supervised
• All work must be carried out in a safe manner – look out for:
• suspended loads – where are people working ? - If the load fell ?
• The continuing integrity of equipment
• The attaching and detaching of loads
• Proximity hazards
• Pre-use check
• DO NOT overload
• Be aware of causes of over-turning and ensure this does not happen
• Visibility – ensure we can see what is happening

• All equipment must be thoroughly examined by a competent person
• Initially
• After installation
• In use
• When exceptional circumstances occur
• Periodic examination
• Whenever the equipment is available for use
• The examinations need to take into account the conditions under which the equipment is used, the loads that are lifted and associated aspects of the lifting operation e.g. the frequency of lifts

GOLDEN rules

All lifting operations are ‘risk assessed’
Safe Working Load - SWL’s – must NOT be exceeded

• The status of all equipment to be known by all people using it and all who may be affected by it. The status is to be clearly identified
• All checks are to be done by a *competent person
• Only trained people allowed in areas where lifting equipment is used
• The equipment in use is only to be made of material suitable for the conditions under which it is to be used.
• All fixing points and mountings are to be of adequate strength and capability
• Special care needs to be taken in the supervision of Young People (i.e. anyone under the age of 18)
• Environmental aspects needs to be taken into consideration e.g. when out of doors, high winds
• Equipment that has been stored needs checking prior to use

• The Competent Person carrying out a Through Examination must be deemed competent by virtue of attaining the appropriate theoretical and practical knowledge, together with experience that will enable them to detect defects or weaknesses in the equipment. This will be a combination of experience, training and qualifications
• Further information can be found in Section 294 of the Approved Code of Practice (ACOP)

This brief has been written for those who use lifting equipment and want a quick guide to LOLER. Guides of this length are not fully comprehensive and the relevant documentation supplied by the Health and Safety Executive should be consulted.