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General
This information sheet contains guidance notes on good practice
for the maintenance and safety of fork lift trucks. The status of
this guidance note is advisory and not mandatory, unless the note
indicates that it is included in the legislation. It is designed
to assist Fork Lift Truck owners in identifying their responsibilities.
They are intended to supplement the relevant legislation1
and the approved code of practice (ACOP) and guidance2
advised by the Health and Safety Executive. This note does not include
or provide advice on use, risk assessments by the owner or operator
and supervision of lifting operations.
Fork Lift Trucks
Generally and unless equipment is provided for private use unrelated
to the workplace, it is likely that Fork Lift Trucks would be recognised
as workplace equipment and subject to the appropriate legislation1.
Also included would be equipment, accessories and associated ties,
bolts, eyes, cages, chains and fixing equipment designed for lifting
use with the Fork Lift Truck.
General Responsibilities
The main legal responsibilities are designed to ensure the safe
use and operation of the Fork Lift Truck. This includes fitness
for purpose, proper use, lifting operations, operator training and
competence, safe equipment through servicing, maintenance and inspection
and associated record keeping. Employers and those responsible for
the workplace have responsibilities for their employees and other
persons working on their site. Employees also have responsibilities
in respect of their actions and also to report dangerous or potentially
dangerous activity. In addition owners/employers have specific legal
responsibilities to ensure work equipment is properly maintained
and, where legislated, undergo a thorough examination.
Thorough Examination
LOLER 1998 s9 states that a fork lift truck will require a thorough
examination by a competent person at certain periods and after significant
repair or modification to the equipment to assess its continued
safety. This is more than just an inspection of equipment assessing
its condition at the time of examination. The thorough examination
requires a full risk assessment of its safety and suitability for
purpose and includes use, the environment, rate of deterioration
and other influencing factors as well as the condition of the equipment.
This is normally carried out by an engineer surveyor, who is specifically
trained and competent to undertake such tasks. In addition the thorough
examination should not be confused with maintenance or servicing
although some activities may be similar. The thorough examination
may provide a check that maintenance is being carried out but is
not intended to replace it.
Any competent person can carry out a thorough examination but the
owner is responsible for ensuring the person is competent as given
in paragraph 294 of the ACOP2 In addition (paragraph
295) the HSE recommend2 that "it is essential the competent
person is also sufficiently independent and impartial to allow objective
decisions to be made". Independence in this case means a separate
reporting chain from other services on the truck such as servicing,
maintenance, hire or supply (manufacture).
Guidance3 on the inspection body standard advises that
the person carrying out the thorough examination should not be the
same person servicing or maintaining the equipment unless specifically
allowed in the legislation (eg nuclear industry), otherwise they
could be checking their own work. SAFed member companies are fully
independent and recruit, train and only employ competent persons,
being accredited to the international standard4 by the
sole government approved accreditation body (UKAS) to do so.
The legal requirement from a thorough examination is a completed
report in accordance with Schedule 1 to LOLER 1998 as soon as is
practicable. This report should list general particulars of the
owner, premises, truck etc, type of examination and periodicity
and associated tests carried out together with the results of any
defects identified which are or could become a danger to persons,
repairs required and due date. The report should be signed y the
competent person or his representative, dated and indicate the date
when the next thorough examination is due.
The competent person may add other notes, advice, minor defects
not amounting to a danger to persons or recommendations as appropriate.
The report should be kept by the owner/duty holder until the next
thorough examination and for two years as an audit trail should
the local authority or HSE request this. There is no legal requirement
to have a 'sticker' on the fork lift truck or specific check list
of tests carried out or any other certificate or documentation other
than that specified in Schedule 1 to LOLER 1998.
Other Relevant Information
Further information, including details of HSE publications can be
obtained from the HSE website: www.hse.gov.uk.
[For publications click on publications (home page top left) then
'L' in the alphabetical list, 'Lifting Operations' and chose the
appropriate HSE document.]
Safety Assessment Federation (SAFed)
The Safety Assessment Federation (SAFed) is the UK leading trade
association, for the independent engineering inspection and certification
industry. All SAFed Full Member Companies are accredited by the
government approved United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS)
to the formal international standards4 to provide thorough examination
services by a competent person to national regulations (LOLER, PUWER
and HSWA etc).
They only carry out the statutory and non statutory thorough examinations
and do not maintain, service, supply or manufacture equipment, ensuring
customers receive fully independent, comprehensive and professional
service free from any conflicting interests. SAFed also provides
advice, guidelines and publications, acknowledged as best practice
within the industry.
For more information or to find a SAFed Member company visit the
find a member company on the
website.
Notes
1. Health & Safety at Work etc Act (HSWA)1974
Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) 1998
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998
2. Safe Use of Lifting Equipment ë HSE Document L113 ISBN: 0-7176-1628-2
3. IAF/ILAC-A4:2004 Guidance on the Application of ISO/IEC 17020
4. ISO/IEC 17020 Inspection Bodies
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