Manual Handling and Lifting Equipment Regulations

LEEA Training Framework

• LEEA Academy provides the Overhead Travelling Cranes Advanced Programme to ensure comprehensive training.
• Students must adhere to health and safety guidelines, maintain cleanliness, and respect training protocols.

Employer and Employee Responsibilities

• Employers are legally required to provide safe working conditions and systems.
• Employees must cooperate and avoid actions that jeopardize health and safety.

Health and Safety Legislation

• Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 is a primary regulation, applicable across all sectors in the UK.
• It aims to secure safety for employees, protect the public from workplace hazards, and regulate dangerous substances.

Core Elements of the Health and Safety Act

• Employers ensure safe operations and adequate training for staff.
• Specific duties outlined for manufacturers, importers, and suppliers to certify equipment safety.

Risk Assessment Process

• Risk assessment evaluates potential workplace hazards, their likelihood, and consequences.
• Principal reasons for assessing risks include ensuring human safety, abiding by legal duties, and mitigating financial costs.

Definitions in Risk Assessment

• Hazard: Potential source of harm.
• Danger: Exposure to harm.
• Risk: Combination of likelihood and severity of potential harm.

Risk Assessment Steps

• Identify hazards, evaluate who might be harmed, and implement control measures.
• Control measures follow a hierarchy: Eliminate, Reduce, Isolate, Control, PPE, Discipline.

Safe System of Work

• A comprehensive system involves identifying hazards, assessing risks, and regularly reviewing procedures.

European Machinery Directive

• Aims to harmonize health and safety requirements across EU member states for machinery safety.
• Defines "Machine" as an assembly with interconnected components that includes a drive system.

Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008

• UK implementation of the Machinery Directive mandates safety tests and maintenance of technical records by manufacturers.
• Certificates like the Declaration of Conformity and CE marking are required to signify safety compliance.

Competent Person Definition

• A ‘Competent Person’ must possess knowledge and experience to identify equipment defects.
• Responsibility for safety is a collaborative effort between employer and employee.

Overview of Regulations

• Numerous regulations are derived from HSWA, including the Manual Handling Operations Regulations and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations.
• Regulations support health and safety compliance but are not acts of Parliament.

Competency in the Workplace

• LEEA emphasizes that competency involves ongoing information, instruction, training, and supervision.
• Competency ensures safe practices in the handling and operation of lifting equipment.### The Technical File and Health & Safety Requirements
• Essential Health and Safety Requirements for lifting equipment include methods to eliminate hazards, standards used in design, design documentation, and material traceability.
• Lifting equipment must comply with the Machinery Directive, ensuring it can sustain specific overloads:
  • Manually operated machines: 1.5 times Working Load Limit (WLL)
  • Other machines: 1.25 times WLL
  • Lifting accessories: 1.5 times WLL
• Equipment must also endure a dynamic overload of 1.1 times WLL.
• Instructions must be provided for safe care, installation, maintenance, and training.

Regulations Overview

• Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) applies to all work equipment.
• Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER) add requirements for lifting equipment, complementing PUWER.
• Both regulations are legal requirements in the UK and are seen as best practices internationally.

Key Essentials of PUWER

• Employers must ensure work equipment meets Essential Health and Safety Requirements (EHSRs) and is suitable for intended use.
• Regular inspections and maintenance logs are mandatory.
• Clear information must be provided to users, including safe operation manuals.
• Compliance with PUWER applies to equipment from all manufacturing dates, particularly emphasizing equipment used after December 31, 1992.
• Risks may arise due to differing applications, installation issues, or mismatches in legislation.

Checks for Compliance

• Employers should look for CE marking and the EC declaration of conformity to ensure compliance with PUWER.

Key Regulations under LOLER

• Regulation 4 mandates the strength and stability of lifting equipment for safe operation.
• Regulation 5 outlines additional requirements when lifting persons.
• Regulation 9 stipulates thorough examination before equipment use, with maximum inspection intervals:
  • Lifting Accessories: every 6 months
  • General Lifting Equipment: every 12 months
  • People Carrying Equipment: every 6 months

Reports of Thorough Examination

• Reports must include details such as employer information, safe working load, and identified defects.
• Competent persons must promptly report any defects posing imminent dangers to the employer and relevant authorities.

Written Schemes of Examination

• A written scheme should be created by a competent person, detailing scope, intervals, and procedures for thorough examinations of safety-critical components.
• The scheme should assess equipment conditions, usage, and operational changes to adjust thorough examination frequency as necessary.

Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992

• Regulations address manual load handling risks, encouraging assessments of tasks, loads, and environments to mitigate injuries.
• Introduces lifting appliances for high-risk tasks or those that could be made safer through mechanical assistance.

Working at Height

• Work at height poses significant risk of falls, requiring proper risk assessment and precautions to minimize accidents.
• Regulations emphasize avoiding work at height when practicable, using safe equipment for necessary tasks, and minimizing fall distance.
• Working at Height Regulations 2005 stress the importance of controlling risks and employing suitable means to ensure safety during lifting practices. ### Working at Height Safety Guidelines
• Prioritize working from the ground whenever possible.
• Ensure safe access and egress for workers at height.
• Use equipment that is sturdy, well-maintained, and suitable for the task.
• Implement precautions for working near fragile surfaces.
• Provide safeguards against falling objects.
• Establish and plan for emergency evacuation and rescue scenarios.

Restrictions for Working at Height

• Avoid overloading ladders and ensure compliance with weight limits.
• Do not overreach on ladders or stepladders.
• Ladders should not be placed against weak surfaces (e.g., plastic gutters).
• Use ladders only for light tasks, limited to a maximum of 30 minutes.
• Restrict work at height to trained and competent personnel.

Electricity at Work Regulations

• Applicable to all workplaces, imposing duties to minimize electrical risks.
• Responsibilities extend to both employers and employees.
• Employees must cooperate with employers and ensure compliance with safety duties.
• Electrical equipment includes all devices intended for generating or using electrical energy.

Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive

• Aims to harmonize technical rules for health and safety of new products in the EU.
• The Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive (2004/108/EC) prevents interference between electrical equipment.
• Regulations ensure both reduced electromagnetic disturbance and immunity of electrical equipment.

Lifting Equipment Legislation

• The Factories Act 1961 was the primary law for lifting equipment until updated regulations were enacted.
• The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 replaced previous legislation.
• New regulations address safety standards for lifting equipment usage and examination.

Standards for Overhead Travelling Cranes

• Divided into five categories: Design, Classification, Gantries, Thorough Examination, and Other Relevant Standards.
• Standards guide safe practices and specifications, such as BS EN 13001 for crane design.

Types of Standards

• Manufacturing standards focus on dimensions and load capacities.
• Performance standards outline criteria the final product must meet.
• ISO standards, although optional, are often the baseline for national standards.

Load Chains and Specifications

• Fine tolerance hoist chains are detailed in BS EN 818-7.
• Types include Grades T, DAT, and DT, intended for various lifting conditions.
• Load chains must resist wear, corrosion, and maintain strength.

Chain Inspection and Maintenance

• Conduct frequent inspections based on service levels: light, moderate, heavy, and very heavy.
• Periodic inspections require more comprehensive evaluations and records.
• Thorough examinations must be performed by a Competent Person, often requiring disassembly.

Stretch versus Elongation in Chains

• Stretch indicates exceeding the elastic limit; such chains should be withdrawn from use.
• Elongation refers to normal wear from chain movement during use.

Chain Guidelines

• Maintain proper alignment and tension for load engagement.
• Ensure load chains are clean, free from debris, and properly lubricated.
• Chains should hang straight; avoid twisting and back hooking.
• Inspect for wear, distortion, and damage, and comply with manufacturer specifications for safety.

This quiz explores important regulations and responsibilities related to manual handling and lifting equipment. It covers requirements for thorough examinations, the role of employers, and the obligations of employees under relevant regulations. Test your knowledge of safety standards in the workplace.