LOLER and the LAW

[Chris Harris]

It's your insurance company who will have the most interest in the inspections. I have known them to accept people doing their own inspections provided the inspections are recorded. That way they have someone to point the finger at. If your insurance co is happy, that's probably all that's needed.

To be honest mate most insurance firms haven't got a clue, how many actually ask if your even qualified to use a saw or even climb. its like anything its all ok untill it goes tits up and that is when you will get checked. If you have a bad accident your kit will be taken and gone over with a fine toothed comb as well as all your LOLER reports.

[igottacabstar]

Well now I'm pooping it! I ain't ever bothered having any of my kit inspected (doubt I'm the only one)! What's the chances of me being checked to see if I have been complying with LOLER regs (assuming I don't have a bad accident)?

[bob]

Well now I'm pooping it! I ain't ever bothered having any of my kit inspected (doubt I'm the only one)! What's the chances of me being checked to see if I have been complying with LOLER regs (assuming I don't have a bad accident)?

 

please remember having your kit checked is not just about complying with regs it was brought in for your safety

[igottacabstar]

please remember having your kit checked is not just about complying with regs it was brought in for your safety

 

I check it myself every time I use it. Quite honestly if you're not capable of doing that then you must be a complete liability up a tree.

[Chris Harris]

I check it myself every time I use it. Quite honestly if you're not capable of doing that then you must be a complete liability up a tree.

 

Thats good mate, all you need to do is to record that test once a week. It dosent have to complicated just sign it off that you've checked that bit of kit & that its safe to use. All you need to do is then have it LOLER inspected every 6months. LOLER regs came into force in 1998 & it was to ensure that all lifting ops were properly planned using the correct equipment for the job. This also included periodic inspections of lifting gear to make sure they were up to scratch. All these regs were brought because of the high volume of accidents that were happening accros the whole lifting industry, of which arb falls into.So you can blame all the other cowboys in the different industrys not just our own.

To be honest there's a low chance of being caught because of the so called "grey areas" involved & lack of knowledge or understanding. Some insurance companies will ask for LOLER reports while some wont. Councils will also ask for LOLER reports if your doing work for them.But as i said earlier if you have an accident the likelihood of being checked is high.

Also by having it checked by an LOLER insp they might come accross something that you might think is safe (it opened my eyes when i did the course). I want to clarify something aswell,If something fails it does not mean your going to be reported. Only stuff that is obviously knackered & should of been binned ages ago.

[igottacabstar]

Thanks for the info Greenboy.

[Lancstree]

Back on this subject for a moment - currently our gear is inspected by someone from Zurich insurance and he admits that he has little idea of what some of the arb equipment is and what it is used for so I am presuming he has not done a 'thorough examination or arb equipment course'. From this I deduce that the person is not a 'competent person', though he may well be for checking such as a tail-lift on a van. Am I correct? If so how do we stand in terms of law?

[bob]

Back on this subject for a moment - currently our gear is inspected by someone from Zurich insurance and he admits that he has little idea of what some of the arb equipment is and what it is used for so I am presuming he has not done a 'thorough examination or arb equipment course'. From this I deduce that the person is not a 'competent person', though he may well be for checking such as a tail-lift on a van. Am I correct? If so how do we stand in terms of law?

 

we wont let the zurich man touch our kit although we are getting pressure to let him he does hiab, tractor ,winches , slings and chains.

They do the fire service kit so ought to know a fair bit but i do work stuff and he reconed it would only take him an hour or 2 to check and record 8 complex kits

If he checks your kit and gives you a written report i would say you are complying although you should have knowledge of kit you are checking.I would not check a mewp or telehandler ect

[Leyburn Lad]

Back on this subject for a moment - currently our gear is inspected by someone from Zurich insurance and he admits that he has little idea of what some of the arb equipment is and what it is used for so I am presuming he has not done a 'thorough examination or arb equipment course'. From this I deduce that the person is not a 'competent person', though he may well be for checking such as a tail-lift on a van. Am I correct? If so how do we stand in terms of law?

 

A previous company i worked for, had a company come in called Rite Light who supplied linesman Gear for the rail industry amongst other things, they had just completed the 6 monthly inspections as I started, the inspector never even uncoiled the lads ropes let alone checked karabiners etc he just marked every thing as fit foe use with either blue tape or a blue cablpe tie the bill for this £3500 for 25 kits, what did they get for this well actually bugger all no paperwork or transport records.

 

I have always done my own kit and any teams working with me, I have the 3yr NARC course which in my opinion is much better than the NPTC course as it covers a larger variation of equipment.

 

As for the start of this thread as far as I know you can inspect your own kit, you must keep a record of this inspection and a transport record should be availible at all times of equipment in use(this must be kept with kit at all times) on top of this there should be availible the certs of conformity for the equipment in use. What some people forget though is the 6Monthly or 12Monthly inspections do not mean the equipment will last another 6Months and should be treat like an MOT on your vehicle.

[Bundle 2]

Pete is absolutely right here on this...you may if you are a competent inspector, inspect your own gear. You must make it clear to your employer that you will act as an inspector on behalf of the company which means you will be utterly impartial.If you cannot do this then do not inspect his kit.

As for the self employed. I imagine you would have to be some sort of retard to pass your own kit when you know its not safe.

I like the idea of every other check being external even when qualified as competent yourself....

The current loler regs are 1998.

http://www.hse.gov.uk/lau/lacs/90-4.htm