Construction Site Safety Central

Lifting Equipment Certification

Construction Lifting Equipment Safety InspectionsCertification of lifting equipment refers, not only to an entire piece of lifting equipment such as  a crane or a hoist, but to any component which is part of, or maybe responsaible for the functioning of and aspect the entire unit.

So for example a crane has many components which must be certified as safe, such as its steel cables, any steel lifting chains, and lifting hooks as well as its electrics, rigging components and many aspects of the lifting structure.

Several Companies now offer online certification processing on behalf of many equipment operators. This allows the recording of certifications of items to be uploaded on site by qualified inspectors and the stored certificates can be managed online and notifications of upcoming equipment cert expiries sent to the equipment owners.

When dealing with heavy machinery and critical jobs such as construction, you may have to handle dangerous equipment. You notice that with construction, you may have to build floors that are quite high and this implies that you may have to lift some materials. You need to protect your employees from risks and this can be done when you provide the correct safety equipment , which has been certified as fit for purpose and is free of any defect. Site managers and operatives should make themselves aware of lifting equipment certification requirements for any piece of safety equipment being used on site.

The Health and Safety regulation requires organisations to provide whatever information, instruction, equipment and supervision necessary to ensure the health and safety at work to their employees. When you heed such regulations, you notice that your employee productivity will increase and they will deliver top-notch services as they will feel that you value their health and well-being. You will prevent any lawsuits from your employees since they will always be protected. You notice that the number of accidents in your workplace will be reduced when all of your employees will be compliant to the height safety equipment and this will ensure that your operations will always be smooth.

You need to ensure that you check on the supplier you have to buy the height safety equipment from to be sure that you get the best products and at the best deal. There are a lot of suppliers dealing with the height safety equipment but it is not all of them that will provide you with the kind of equipment you will need. However much several height safety equipment suppliers exist, you may need to consider getting the right guidelines from this article.

Industrial Manipulators are another type of Material Handling Equipment which requires careful maintenance.

Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER)

The Lifting Operations Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER) are set of regulations created under the Health and Safety at Work. The purpose of the regulations was to reduce the risk of injury from lifting equipment used at work.

LOLER testing must be performed by what is known officially as a ‘competent person’, someone qualified to perform the thorough examination. In short, LOLER is a health and safety regulation specific to lifting equipment.

The Regulations cover a wide range of equipment including, cranes, forklift trucks, lifts, hoists, mobile elevating work platforms, and vehicle inspection platform hoists. The definition also includes lifting accessories such as:

Cranes
Workplace passenger and goods lifts.
Construction hoists.
Dumb waiters.
Scissor lifts.
Vehicle tail lifts.
Telehandlers and industrial lift trucks.

Types Of Lifting Gear / Construction Equipment Certification (Ireland)

Ga1 Lifting Gear Certification

GA1 is the approved HSA form for the testing, inspection & certification and it is provided after certain types of lifting equipment have been inspected. The inspections are in accordance with the Safety, Health & Welfare at Work Regulations of 2010 (Ireland). Employers are required to ensure safe working conditions for their employees. This includes having equipment inspected regularly.

Operators of this equipment are entitled to inspect the certificates for any piece of machinery they are required to operate.

Certification Of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE)

PPE EQUIPMENTPPE or Personal Protection Equipment includes those items whose purpose is to protect the person. Items such as 

  • Safety Helmets
  • Hearing Protection
  • Safety Goggles and Safety Glasses for eye protection
  • Safety Footwear
  • Safety Gloves
  • Height Safety Harnesses for working at height
  • Fire Protection Clothing
  • Respirators

These should also be certified and attention should be paid to the manufacturers specified operating limits of the equipment in the work environment.  Persons wearing or using the personal protection equipment ( PPE ) on construction sites should also inspect the equipment prior to use and request to inspect the certification document if in any doubt as to the PPE condition or suitability for the task they are required to perform.

At the European Union level, personal protective equipment is governed by various Directives on personal protective equipment (PPE). These Directives are designed to ensure that PPE meets common quality and safety standards by setting out basic safety requirements for personal protective equipment, as well as conditions for its placement on the market and free movement within the EU single market. It covers ‘any device or appliance designed to be worn or held by an individual for protection against one or more health and safety hazards’.

You need to ensure that you check on the supplier you have to buy the PPE equipment from to be sure that you get the best products and at the best deal. There are a lot of suppliers dealing with the construction site safety equipment but it is not all of them that will provide you with the kind of equipment you will need. 

Learn About Lifting Tables