The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER) requires that all equipment used for lifting is fit for purpose, appropriate for the task, suitably marked and, in many cases, subject to statutory periodic examinations. LOLER place duties on employers who own, operate or have control over lifting equipment. Before starting to use any equipment, a full risk assessment must be carried out to manage any risk and all lifting operations involving lifting equipment must be properly planned by a competent person, appropriately supervised and carried out in a safe manner.
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 cranes, forklift trucks, lifts, hoists, mobile elevating work platforms, and vehicle inspection platform hoists. The definition also includes lifting accessories such as chains, slings and eyebolts.
LOLER does not apply to escalators, which are covered more specifically by the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992. In most cases, lifting equipment is also work equipment, so the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) will also apply. Other more specific legislation may also apply, for example the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations, when safety harnesses are being used for rope access work during activities such as window cleaning.
Most lifting equipment and lifting accessories will also fall within the scope of the Machinery Directive, as implemented by the UK Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations. Such equipment must have been subject to conformity assessment and be appropriately CE marked and accompanied by a Declaration of Conformity (DoC). This includes lifting equipment whose only source of power is directly applied human effort (eg manually operated chain blocks and car jacks).
