The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER) have long resulted in safer lifting practices in the workplace, and have undoubtedly saved many lives.
Despite this, accidents and fatalities involving lifting equipment do still happen, often because companies aren’t fully aware of their legal obligations under LOLER. Unless you ensure your lifting equipment is appropriate for the tasks it is used for, that it is properly maintained, and your lifting operations are properly planned by a competent, experienced and qualified person, you are taking major risks with lives, your company’s finances and reputation. If disaster strikes, you can easily end up in court and be fined tens – if not hundreds – of thousands of pounds.
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In this post, we look at the three most common types of accidents that happen with lifting equipment, along with practical steps to help you avoid them in your workplace. The three accidents involve:
• Forklift trucks and lift trucks;If your workers use any of these types of equipment, the insight this post offers could help you both save lives and prevent you from being on the wrong side of the law.
Accidents with forklift and lift trucks still happen regularly. Things commonly go wrong when:
• Driver tragically killed after forklift fellIn essence, you need to ensure that forklifts are properly segregated from other workers, who could be hit, and to make sure equipment is fit for purpose, properly maintained and that staff are properly trained. The LOLER regulations can guide you as you do this, but you also need to aim for a culture of safety within the workplace and quick response to stop unsafe practices taking root.
The most common crane accidents happen because lifting operations have been poorly planned. Both LOLER and the PUWER (BS 7121-1) regulations provide information on how to control the risks of planning a lifting operation, with the latter giving detail on basic lifts, standard lifts and complex lifts. Factors that you might need to take into account include the correct selection of the crane, appropriate lifting accessories, full briefing of all involved in the lifting operation and assessing the wind area of the load and wind speed limit. There are 6 sections in part 2. BS 7121-2-1 is the general standard then there are additional part 2’s which are specific i.e. BS 7121-2-9 Cargo and container cranes
As with forklift accidents, crane lifts can result in injuries, death and litigation – and often on a larger scale. Some examples of serious accidents that have happened in the past include:
• A crane collapsing at a dockyard
• A construction site crane that collapsed and killed two people
• Tower crane collapse that left operators paralysed
• Maintenance failure that caused fatal crane collapse
Again, adherence to safe lifting practices and planning, appropriate worker training and an effective maintenance regime are essential to preventing tragedies like these.
Lift construction, where the lift is designed for the transport of persons, is covered by the Lifts Regulations, these are met by compliance with the relevant British Standard and the BS EN 81 series of standards. The problem is that many older lifts are still in operation and these design standards are not retrospective. The BS EN 81-80 standard considers the risks of older equipment and suggests ways you can work to update your installations.
It’s a worthwhile thing to do, not least because a number of accidents have occurred due to older lifts not meeting modern design standards. But there are many ways which, unfortunately, lifts can be dangerous. Some examples include:
• A worker crushed by paint tins in a lift with an uneven floorIf your lifts don’t meet modern standards, now is the time to upgrade or replace them. It’s wise to check lift installations daily, ensure their level, lighting and ventilation is adequate, doors work smoothly and emergency alarms and intercoms are functional.
If you use a forklift or lift trucks, cranes or lifts as part of your operations, then it’s essential to make sure that equipment is safe, appropriate to its function and that staff are properly trained. With complex procedures such as crane lifts, proper planning is essential and REQUIRED.
Avoiding accidents is often a case of thinking ahead and using common sense, but the LOLER Regulations are an essential part in helping you to ensure that safety procedures are not overlooked. Using them will enable you to avoid injuries and fatalities, as well as the risk of large fines due to non-compliance.
The insight this post offers into the most common types of accidents should help you look at your safety procedures afresh, but to give you complete peace of mind we recommend you undertake an independent LOLER inspection – this expert service will ensure your equipment is safe to use and that your competent person risk assessments are fit for purpose.