LEEA Foundation Certificate (Global) Course Workbook PDF

LEEA – Foundation Certificate (Global) – Course Workbook Welcome to the Foundation Certificate (Global) This Foundation Certificate training course provides the essential underpinning knowledge required for those wishing to continue their study for Diploma qualifications. Ther...

LEEA – Foundation Certificate (Global) – Course Workbook Welcome to the Foundation Certificate (Global) This Foundation Certificate training course provides the essential underpinning knowledge required for those wishing to continue their study for Diploma qualifications. There is a mandatory requirement to have successfully completed this Foundation Certificate before accessing LEEA’s Diploma qualifications. The core areas covered in this course are: Legislation, regulations, standards and best practice relating to lifting equipment Definitions Controlling risks Materials science Units of measure Basic machines Manufacturers verification Rating of lifting equipment Types of lifting equipment 2 Page © LEEA Academy - FOU (Global) Workbook v 1.6 Jan 2024  LEEA – Foundation Certificate (Global) – Course Workbook Legislation and Regulations In this section, we will explore the purpose of legislation and regulations in the lifting equipment industry. Legal frameworks establish a broad system of rules that govern and regulate decision making, agreements, laws etc. Health and Safety The responsibility for health and safety at work rests primarily on the shoulders of the employer, yet employees also have responsibilities under health and safety law. Employers have a moralresponsibility to ensure appropriate working conditions are provided and this is generally known as a ‘moral duty of care’. The consequences for employers failing to adequately manage the health and safety of their employees can have serious implications: Unsafe working conditions are likely to have an impact on production Loss of output leading to lowering of morale and motivation Loss of sales turnover and profitability Society and customer expectations of a company’s approach to managing safety – health and safety culture Negative PR would have a damaging effect on any business The financial cost from loss of output Fines, damages, legal costs, insurance etc. 3 Page © LEEA Academy - FOU (Global) Workbook v 1.6 Jan 2024  LEEA – Foundation Certificate (Global) – Course Workbook Common elements of legislation pertaining to lifting equipment, worldwide Previous versions of the LEEA Foundation Certificate training course focused on the UK legislative framework. All LEEA courses now build on these requirements to provide globally applicable and accepted industry-specific, best practice training. Throughout the world, there are numerous national legislative requirements concerning lifting equipment. For example, the legislative framework for health and safety in the UK is the Health and Safety at Work Act, which is the primary piece of legislation and is responsible for enforcing the act and a number of other acts relevant to the working environment. It also states that all staff should take reasonable care of themselves and others around them and for their safety. Other examples are Australia, where the model WHS Act forms the basis of the WHS Acts that have been implemented in most jurisdictions across Australia. In the USA, the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 is the primary health and safety legislation. ▪ Legislation: a rule or directive made and maintained by an authority ▪ Regulations: there are many sets of regulations applying to health and safety. Some apply to all places of work and others are specific to industries, operations, substances , materials and premises NOTES: 4 Page © LEEA Academy - FOU (Global) Workbook v 1.6 Jan 2024  LEEA – Foundation Certificate (Global) – Course Workbook Standards Standards are a published specification that sets a common language and contains a technical specification or other precise criteria and is designed to be used consistently, as a rule, a guideline, or a definition. Standards are applied to many materials, products, methods, and services helping to make life simpler and increase the reliability and effectiveness of goods and services. Standards are designed for voluntary use and do not impose any regulations, but many have such recognition that compliance with them gives a presumption of conformity and as such a quasi-legal status. ISO standards are international standards used globally. BSI standards are a ‘national’ British standard. ASME are American standards. Creating Standards Standards are usually created by a collective of subject matter experts, who function together as a committee. Details of proposed standards are agreed upon, and a draft of the standard is released for anyone who has an interest in the standard to make comments about the contents. When the reviews have finished, the standard is published. The four stages of creating any standard are, therefore: 5 Page © LEEA Academy - FOU (Global) Workbook v 1.6 Jan 2024  LEEA – Foundation Certificate (Global) – Course Workbook Codes of Practice, LEEA COPSULE and Best Practice A Code of Practice is a set of written rules which explain how people working in a particular profession should behave, or a set of standards agreed on by a group of professionals who do a particular job. There are various types of Codes of Practice: ACoP (Approved Code of Practice) RCoP (Recommended Code of Practice) A trade or professional Code of Practice Technical publications Safety information sheets The Regulations which provide the detailed requirements in respect of the general duties set out in ‘Acts’ do not specify how employers and others should meet those requirements. This is the role of the Approved Codes of Practice (ACoPs). These detail how to comply with the legal requirements. Who issues ACoPs? ACoPs are issued by relevant authorities with the consent of a government minister and following consultation with stakeholders, such as trade associations. There are ACoPs accompanying some of the health and safety regulations and they have a particular significance beyond providing guidance on complying with regulations. Contravention of the advice in a code of practice is admissible in evidence to prove a breach of the statutory provisions as set out in statute law and its associated regulations. Although failure to comply with any provision of the code is not actually an offence, such a failure may be used in criminal proceedings as evidence that a person has contravened a to satisfy the court that he has complied with the regulation in some other way. 6 Page © LEEA Academy - FOU (Global) Workbook v 1.6 Jan 2024  LEEA – Foundation Certificate (Global) – Course Workbook Working in a safe environment and with equipment that has been maintained and tested is vitalin this industry. Notes: 7 Page © LEEA Academy - FOU (Global) Workbook v 1.6 Jan 2024  LEEA – Foundation Certificate (Global) – Course Workbook Industry Relevant Definitions Duty Holder This is a broad concept used to capture all types of modern working arrangements. The duty holder is the person responsible for the lifting equipment that they own and use. Usually, this is the employer or self-employed person. The obligations imposed by legislation apply to the duty holder. However, in many cases, the duty holder will not possess the necessary skills required to fulfil these obligations. It is therefore acceptable for them to delegate some or all of their obligationsto suitably qualified personnel or organisations. If they do so, then it is important to note that this does not absolve them of responsibility, it simply changes the nature of their accountability. A duty holder who delegates or sub-contracts their legal obligations becomes culpable for ensuring that those undertaking the tasks are suitably qualified, experienced, trained, equipped, etc. In short, they are competent for their task. This means that they must ensure that employees are assessed and properly trained and provided with the necessary equipment for their role. In terms of external organisations, the duty holder must have procedures in place for vetting their competency. Modern legislation places responsibilities on users and those in the supply chain. In terms of use ultimate responsibility lies with the duty holder (employer of persons using the equipment), but employees also have obligations, typically to use only use equipment for which they have been trained and in accordance with that training. In terms of supply, ultimate responsibility tends to lie with the manufacturer. However, importers and distributors also have legal obligations. The reason for placing such responsibilities on suppliers and users is to protect the health and safety of everyone exposed to lifting equipment and lifting operations by ensuring that they are properly designed, constructed, maintained, and used correctly. 8 Page © LEEA Academy - FOU (Global) Workbook v 1.6 Jan 2024  LEEA – Foundation Certificate (Global) – Course Workbook If we consider what factors legislation may be required of the manufacturers to establish such levels of safety, we will need to include: Ensuring the product meets any, and all essential health and safety requirements Any necessary verification of the equipment Supplying the end-user with all necessary safety information Safety in use and during maintenance Information relating to any foreseeable hazards What about employers responsibilities? Of course, employers (persons responsible for controlling work equipment) also have an important part to play in ensuring the health and safety of their employees. Their duties include: ▪ Ensuring equipment complies with any essential health and safety requirements ▪ Ensuring equipment is maintained and regularly examined ▪ Providing equipment and systems that are safe and without risk to health ▪ Provide employees with the necessary information, instruction, training, and supervision ▪ Ensure equipment is correctly selected for the task What are the equipment manufacturers responsibilities? Equipment manufacturers must comply with all national supply legislation applicable. This legislation varies between countries worldwide, but their fundamental principles generally align to EN ISO 12100 – Safety of machinery. General principles for design. Risk assessment and risk reduction. The standard identifies the essential safety requirements that need to be considered by all manufacturers to overcome hazards in lifting equipment. Notes: 9 Page © LEEA Academy - FOU (Global) Workbook v 1.6 Jan 2024  LEEA – Foundation Certificate (Global) – Course Workbook The LEEA Code of Practice (COPSULE) is designed and established upon the general principlesof the requirements of the duty holder and work equipment legislation. We will look at COPSULE in further detail later in this course. Competent Person The term ‘Competent Person’ has long been used in legislation. Current legislation uses it for a variety of duties to describe a person with the necessary knowledge, experience, training, skills and ability to perform the specific duty to which the requirement refers. There can therefore be several ‘Competent Persons’, each with their own duties and responsibilities, i.e. competent for the purpose. The Competent Person should have the maturity to seek such specialist advice and assistance as may be required to enable him/her to make necessary judgements and be a sound judge of the extent to which he/she can accept the supporting opinions of other specialists. For example, the competent person inspecting, maintaining, or examining lifting equipment must be able to certify with confidence whether it is free from defect and suitable in every way for the duty the equipment is required. 10 Page © LEEA Academy - FOU (Global) Workbook v 1.6 Jan 2024  LEEA – Foundation Certificate (Global) – Course Workbook Competency What can be considered as the most important elements of competency? Notes: 11 Page © LEEA Academy - FOU (Global) Workbook v 1.6 Jan 2024  LEEA – Foundation Certificate (Global) – Course Workbook Factor of Safety, Inspection and Lifting Equipment Inspection We will consider 3 levels of inspection during this course: 1. Pre-use Inspection 2. Interim Inspection 3. Thorough Examination Notes: 12 Page © LEEA Academy - FOU (Global) Workbook v 1.6 Jan 2024  LEEA – Foundation Certificate (Global) – Course Workbook Pre-use Inspection: The pre-use inspection is normally carried out by the user of the equipment prior to use. The user will visually check for any signs of obvious defect or damage that give cause for concern. If such an issue is found, the user must report their findings to the appropriate maintenance/inspection personnel for further investigation before the equipment is made available for service. Interim Inspection: The interim inspection (sometimes referred to as the ‘frequent inspection’) is determined by risk assessment as to how often, and to what extent the inspection is performed. This level of inspection normally focuses on critical components that may become problematic prior to the next periodic thorough examination. Thorough Examination: The thorough examination (sometimes referred to as the periodic, or thorough inspection) is a visual examination of lifting equipment that is carried out by a competent person. The examination should be performed carefully and critically, supplemented by testing and measurements required by the competent person to ascertain the equipment’s fitness for a further period of service. Question: Why is regularly inspecting the equipment important? (Select all that you feel apply) □ Ensure that the equipment is safe to continue in service for another period □ To ensure you are competent to use the equipment □ To note any repairs that need to be made □ Ensure the equipment is working correctly □ Ensure that the equipment is safe to use □ To familiarise yourself with the equipment 13 Page © LEEA Academy - FOU (Global) Workbook v 1.6 Jan 2024  LEEA – Foundation Certificate (Global) – Course Workbook Lifting Equipment Lifting Equipment: This is a generic term used to describe all types of lifting accessories and appliances. Lifting Accessory: Sometimes referred to as lifting gear, lifting tackle or rigging equipment, an accessory is defined as a piece of lifting equipment that is used to connect a load to the lifting appliance. In ‘supply’ legislation, the lifting accessory may be included as an integral part of the load and independently placed on the market. In some national user legislation, accessories that are incorporated into the load are deemed to be part of the load and therefore not subject to the national lifting equipment inspection legislation. However, they must still be considered in the lift planning, be of adequate strength and be found to be free from defects. In which case it is recommended that there is an inspection regime that is as robust as that required by the national lifting equipment legislation. Examples of lifting accessories would include: ▪ Shackles ▪ Spreader beams ▪ Chain slings Lifting Appliance: Sometimes referred to as a lifting device or machine. An appliance is a machine that can raise, lower, or suspend a load. This excludes ‘guided loads’ such as lifts and continuous mechanical handling devices such as conveyors. Examples of lifting appliances would include: ▪ Cranes ▪ Hoists ▪ Jacks Notes: 14 Page © LEEA Academy - FOU (Global) Workbook v 1.6 Jan 2024  LEEA – Foundation Certificate (Global) – Course Workbook Manufacturers This in any natural or legal person who designs and/or manufactures lifting equipment or partly completed lifting equipment and is responsible for the conformity of the equipment with the applicable legal requirements with a view to its being placed on the market, under his own name or trademark or for his own use. In the absence of a manufacturer as defined above, any natural or legal person who places the equipment on the market or puts it into service shall be considered a manufacturer. Manufacturer’s Certificate, Record of Test or Statement of Conformity Depending on the standard being used, the manufacturer will usually issue a manufacturer’s certificate, a record of test, or a statement of conformity confirming the verification of the equipment. This document serves as the manufacturer’s confirmation that any necessary manufacturing test or other product verification required by the standard has been carried out and states the working load limit. Unless a specific document is required by the national supply legislation, then this document is also known as the ‘birth certificate’ for the product and it should be retained as part of the lifting equipment records. Notes: 15 Page © LEEA Academy - FOU (Global) Workbook v 1.6 Jan 2024  LEEA – Foundation Certificate (Global) – Course Workbook Industry Relevant Definitions It is important to have clarity on key industry relevant definitions. Minimum Breaking (or The minimum breaking or failure load is the specified load (mass or Failure) Load force) below which the item of equipment does not fail either by fracture or distorting to such an extent that the load is released. Multipurpose Multipurpose equipment is any equipment designed to a standard Equipment specification to lift a variety of loads up to the marked SWL, i.e., used for general (multi) purposes, and not designed for one specific lifting application. Operative An Operative is a trained person using the equipment. Rated Capacity This is defined as the maximum gross load that the lifting appliance can lift in any given configuration; generally used for lifting appliances in the same way as Working Load Limit is used for lifting accessories. Proof or Test Load A proof or test load is a load (mass or force) applied by the Competent Person for the purpose of a test. This load appears on reports of thorough examination if a proof test has been made by the Competent Person in support of their examination and on test certificates. Note: Proof load tests are also done as part of the verification of new lifting equipment or following installation. Single Single purpose equipment is any equipment designed for and dedicated Purpose to lifting a specific load in a specified manner or working ina particular Equipment environment, i.e., used for a single purpose. Report of Test Report of test, previously known as ‘test certificate’, is a report issued by the competent person who did the test and details the specifics of the test. Test reports are not legal documents allowing the equipment to be used, except when used in support of legal documents such as the EC Declaration of Conformity, ManufacturersCertificate or Report of Thorough Inspection/Examination. Note: new equipment for European or British markets this will be an EC or UK declaration of conformity respectively, or for products placed on other markets a ‘manufacturers certificate’. For older equipment test certificates and certificates of test and thorough examination were used. Previously these were known as a ' birth certificate'. However, all lifting equipment is verified in some way and manufacturers may append the verification details to the declaration of conformity / manufacturers certificate or combine them in a single document. Verification Verification is the generic term used to describe the procedures adopted by the manufacturer or Competent Person to ensure that lifting equipment is to the required standard or specification, meets legal requirements and is safe to operate. This includes proof load tests, sample break tests, non-destructive tests, calculation, measurement and thorough examination. 16 Page © LEEA Academy - FOU (Global) Workbook v 1.6 Jan 2024  LEEA – Foundation Certificate (Global) – Course Workbook Report of a Thorough Examination A report of a thorough examination (also known as a report of thorough inspection or report of periodic inspection) is a report issued by the Competent Person giving the results of the thorough examination, which will detail the defects found or include a statement that the item is fit for continued use. Where the Competent Person has carried out a test as part of the inspection/examination, the report will also contain details of the test. Key Note 1: The report of thorough examination must be retained as part of the lifting equipment records. Key Note 2: In some cases, a reference to the test report appears as an appendix to the thorough examination. Notes: 17 Page © LEEA Academy - FOU (Global) Workbook v 1.6 Jan 2024  LEEA – Foundation Certificate (Global) – Course Workbook Question: Would a proof load test be used as part of a ‘thorough examination’ for lifting accessories? (Select one answer) □ Yes □ No NOTE: Safe (Specific application) Working Load (SWL) The safe working load or specific application load (SWL) is the maximum load (mass) as assessed by a Competent Person which an item of lifting equipment may raise, lower or suspend under the particular service conditions. The SWL is marked on the equipment and appears in statutory records. In some geographical regions, the word ‘safe’ is not used in the description but the requirement is the same, so instead of safe the phrase ‘specific application’ is used instead and the acronym SWL will be used throughout this handbook. Working Load Limit (WLL) The working load limit is the maximum load (mass) that an item of lifting equipment is designed to raise, lower or suspend. In some standards and documents WLL is referred to as ‘maximum SWL.’ This term is more generally used for lifting accessories, but lifting appliances are now commonly marked with a rated capacity. Notes: 18 Page © LEEA Academy - FOU (Global) Workbook v 1.6 Jan 2024  LEEA – Foundation Certificate (Global) – Course Workbook WLL vs SWL Much confusion exists between the terms ‘SWL’, ‘working load limit’ and ‘rated capacity’. By way of explanation, working load limit or rated capacity is the load value assigned to the ‘maximum’ SWL under ideal conditions (by calculation) and in most cases, the working load limit or rated capacity and the SWL will be the same. However, depending upon the conditions of use, it may be necessary for the Competent Person to reduce this to a lower SWL, and it is in these cases that the working load limit or rated capacity and SWL will differ. Risk If the risk assessment of the application indicate that such reduction may be Assessment required, it is essential that the user declares this information at the time of ordering so that the correct SWL may be attributed to the equipment and documentation. In the absence of such a declaration, the manufacturer or supplier will assume that the application is suitable for equipment rated with the SWL equal to the working load limit. If the equipment is in service or the user has not declared this information to the manufacturer, then it is the user’s responsibility to determine and mark the appropriate SWL. Hazardous The conditions where it may be necessary to reduce the working load limit toa Duties lower SWL are HAZARDOUS DUTIES. Hazardous duties could, for example, be environmental conditions such as extremes of temperature, high windspeeds or lifting procedures such as a likelihood of shock loading or inaccuracy of weight. When such circumstances arise, it is essential that systems should be instituted to prevent normally rated equipment from being used to its full capacity. Key Whilst it is the responsibility of the user to take such steps, the following advice Considerations should be considered: ▪ For specific installations where the equipment is fixed permanently in position, the equipment may be marked with the reduced SWL for that specific duty ▪ For specific installations where the equipment is portable, the user should provide written instructions to the operative which include an instruction to use a normally rated piece of equipment (i.e. SWL = WLL) but of appropriately higher capacity thus achieving the same effective reduction ▪ For an industry or a definable section of an industry where the majority of tasks require equipment having a reduced working load, then all the equipment should have a reduced working load i.e. that corresponding to the most hazardous duty 19 Page © LEEA Academy - FOU (Global) Workbook v 1.6 Jan 2024  LEEA – Foundation Certificate (Global) – Course Workbook Controlling Risks Risks Before we delve into more detail, first we have to consider the factors that contribute to accidents / ill-health in the workplace. 20 Page © LEEA Academy - FOU (Global) Workbook v 1.6 Jan 2024  LEEA – Foundation Certificate (Global) – Course Workbook NET RESULT (Risk) = Likelihood x Severity 21 Page © LEEA Academy - FOU (Global) Workbook v 1.6 Jan 2024  LEEA – Foundation Certificate (Global) – Course Workbook Risk Assessment Many workplace activities are inherently dangerous, or they may be given a combination of circumstances. However, no one expects to risk life and limb, or their physical or psychological health, as a consequence of going to work. There is, therefore, a moral duty on employers to take appropriate steps to ensure the safety and health of their employees, and others. Risk assessment is the main means by which this can be effectively planned. Commonly referred to as Job Safety Analysis, Job/Task or Job Safety Review, simply put, this is a careful examination of all potential hazards that could cause harm to people so that a decision can be made as to whether enough precautions are in place, or if further control (precaution) measures need to be established. It is therefore a requirement that the totality of the risks in the workplace have been identified and that a plan is in place to control these. Although slightly different from nation to nation, a common approach to managing risk features a 5-step approach. Step 1: Identify the Hazards This is the process of identifying all the hazards that exist in the workplace. You need to be aware of all the possible hazards, but it is the significant ones that are important. Step 2: Decide Who Might Be Harmed and How This is the process determining who may be at risk from the hazards – the groups of staff and others likely to be affected in the case of an incident involving the hazard. Step 3: Evaluate the Risks and Decide on Precautions This is the process of assessing the significance of the risks and what needs to be done toprotect people. Step 4: Record Your Findings and Implement Them The significant findings of the assessment must be recorded and kept. There should, then, be a record of all hazards, the risks that they present and what precautions are in place to protect people from harm. Step 5: Review your findings The way we work is constantly changing – as a result of new or modifications of existing equipment, building alterations, new procedures, new or modified products, etc. Sometimes systems and procedures get changed by the staff themselves. These all bring their own hazards, but new hazards can also arise in existing methods of work – the effects of stress are a recent example. It is important to continue to be vigilant about hazards and risks and to review workplace conditions regularly. How often is 'regularly' will depend on the extent of the risks and the degree of change. 22 Page © LEEA Academy - FOU (Global) Workbook v 1.6 Jan 2024