LOLER regulations - a brief guide for owners and users of all roll stands incorporating a hoist, including the Gordon Low SAFELOAD Mechanical Roll Stand.

The Gordon Low SAFELOAD mechanical roll stand is CE marked in accordance with the requirements of European Directive 98/37/EC, the Machinery Directive. This confirms the device has been designed, constructed and fully tested to comply with the highest safety requirements.

Though designed for minimal maintenance the SAFELOAD Stand incorporates a lifting device which falls under the LIFTING OPERATIONS AND LIFTING EQUIPMENT REGULATIONS 1998 (LOLER).

Under the regulations the operator is required to undertake an annual inspection of the lifting gear.

It is important that you refer to the actual HSE regulations to familiarize yourself fully with your duties. The HSE document can be found on the HSE website via this link:-

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg290.pdf

Gordon Low Products Ltd. suggests the best way to ensure your legal responsibilities under LOLER are met is to have your SAFELOAD stand inspected every year by a qualified engineer. Your local tool hire company should be able to offer this service or put you in touch with a LOLER tester they use. Please contact us for help to find a local tester if you have a problem, don't put it off.

The SAFELOAD Operators guide also details regular maintenance that you should carry out to ensure the hoist continues to operate satisfactorily. If you have lost your operators manual a copy is available via this link:-

SafeLoad Stand User Manual.pdf

 

What is LOLER?
LOLER replaced existing legal requirements relating to the use and maintenance of lifting equipment in the workplace, for example the Lifting Plant and Equipment (Records of Test and Examination, etc) Regulations 1992.

The Regulations aim to reduce risks to people's health and safety from lifting equipment provided for use at work. In addition to the requirements of LOLER, lifting equipment is also subject to the requirements of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER).

What does LOLER do?
Generally the Regulations require that lifting equipment provided for use at work is:

• Strong and stable enough for the particular use and marked to indicate safe working loads.
• Positioned and installed to minimize any risks.
• Used safely, i.e. the work is planned, organized and performed by competent people;
• Subject to ongoing thorough examination and, where appropriate, inspection by competent people.

What Equipment is covered by the Regulations?
Lifting equipment includes any equipment used at work for lifting or lowering loads, including attachments used for anchoring, fixing or supporting it. The Regulations cover a wide range of equipment including fork-lift trucks, lifts, hoists, and mobile elevating work platforms. The definition also includes lifting accessories such as chains, slings, eyebolts, etc.

Do the Regulations apply to me?
If you are an employer or self-employed person providing lifting equipment for use at work, or you have control of the use of lifting equipment, then the Regulations will apply to you.

While your employees do not have duties under LOLER, they do have general duties under the HSW Act and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992 (MHSWR), for example to to take reasonable care of themselves and others who may be affected by their actions and to co-operate with others.The Regulations cover places where the HSW Act applies - these include factories, shops, etc.

Never allow members of the general public to use or assist in the use of the hoist on your SAFELOAD stand.

Ensure the lock-off padlock is used to prevent tampering or un-authorised use of the hoist.

What do the Regulations require me to do?
You need to ensure that in using any lifting equipment the requirements of LOLER are met. For example, you should ensure that all lifting equipment is:

• Sufficiently strong, stable and suitable for the proposed use. Similarly, the load and anything attached (e.g. rolls, lifting poles) must be suitable.
• Positioned or installed to prevent the risk of injury, e.g. from the equipment or the load falling or striking people.
• Visibly marked with any appropriate information to be taken into account for its safe use, e.g. SWL (safe working load) etc. should be similarly marked.

Additionally, you must ensure that:

• Lifting operations are planned, supervised and carried out in a safe manner by people who are competent.
• Where appropriate, before lifting equipment (including accessories) is used for the first time, it is thoroughly examined. Visually inspect for any signs of damage or tampering before each use.
• Lifting equipment may need to be thoroughly examined in use at periods specified in the regulations. All examination work should be performed by a competent person; and
• Following a thorough examination of inspection of any lifting equipment, a report is submitted by the competent person to the employer to take any appropriate action.

  How are the Regulations enforced?
  Health and Safety Inspectors enforce the Regulations. If you have duties under LOLER you will be given time to assimilate the new requirements. However, where there are serious risks, or the requirements are not new, inspectors will be prepared to take firm enforcement action.

Please contact us to find out more about LOLER regulations and your SAFELOAD roll stand..