Why service your lifts twice a year?

All of our plans include regular six-month visits by a fully qualified lift engineer, to meet our own and industry guidelines. This is reinforced by the BS7980, a code of practice that TotalKare works to, and guidance from the HSE in the form of their operational circular OC803-69 Paragraph 19 in particular.

There are also two sets of legislation that need to be followed by operators of heavy-duty vehicle lifts. Although LOLER 98 and PUWER 98 are very similar and share similar activities, they must not be confused.

It is important to service your lifts as they are required to be thoroughly examined periodically by a competent person, who should issue, under LOLER regulations, a ‘Report of Thorough Examination’. It is recommended that this is done every six months.

Although this should identify problems, it is not a replacement for the regular in-house checks and maintenance required by PUWER – in the same way that you shouldn’t rely on an MOT to keep your vehicle roadworthy.

We recommend that you service your lifts and undergo maintenance at least every six months on the grounds that the improper use of this type of equipment represents a high risk to personnel as:
Work is generally carried out under a suspended load, and therefore we classify as the same as a man riding lift (HSE also recommend 803/69)
Mobile vehicle Lifts are mobile and therefore at great risk to damage from moving around workshops and by collision from moving vehicles
Mobile vehicle lifts are often misused by operators outside their design which could lead to excessive wear and tear
Below is an extract from the HSE website that should also assist you with some information from the publications detailed in the extract:

“HSE has revised some of its guidance in two publications following legal advice from our solicitors. The changes occur in paragraphs 202 and 203 of Health and safety in motor vehicle repair and associated industries (HSG261) and on page 4 of Working safely under motor vehicles being repaired (INDG434). This advice is specific to vehicle lifts commonly used in motor vehicle repair and associated industries, and the requirements for their periodic thorough examination by a competent person.”
“The Lifting Equipment and Lifting Operations Regulations 1998 (LOLER) specify the periods between these thorough examinations in regulation 9(3). The changes to these publications clarify.”

The regulations surrounding the operation of heavy-duty vehicle lifts can be confusing, but with the help of TotalKare, operators can rely on the very best guidance and support to let them get on with the job in hand.