Thorough examination of rental equipment
Most persons assume that when they hire equipment it has a current Thorough Examination and is certificated for use for 12 months. It is not only the responsibility of the rental Company but also the user, to ensure that the equipment they are using has current certification. Short term rental usually applies to equipment eg. forklifts, access platforms on site for under 12 months. After 12 months most times the equipment then becomes Long Term and the following inspection is then normally the responsibility of the Company who hire the equipment.
As the user/operator you should always ensure that the equipment holds a current report of Thorough Examination. When new equipment arrives, this should be checked immediately and if you are not provided with certification, showing the equipment has been examined and fit for use, then you should not use it until you have made enquiries and provided with a copy of the report and certificate.
If new equipment is a forklift with a high mast that is de-masted for transport and re assembled on site, then a installation examination is required before you use the equipment.
Equipment that LIFTS PERSONS are required to be inspected every 6 MONTHS. Your rental agreement may only cover 1 inspection per year, so you will need to ensure you have one carried every 6 months.
Forklift equipment that has attachments fitted to it. eg . Barrel clamp, rotators also requires inspection every 6 months.
You will not always be automatically told that your equipment is due for examination and your certification could run out mid term of the hire, so you should diary the renewal date to ensure your equipment is inspected. If it runs over for inspection, you should not use your equipment until you have contacted them and arranged for an inspection to be carried out.
Long term rental could have your LOLER examinations written into the contract. If not, then we can provide you with a quotation to inspect your equipment and diary for next due dates.
Equipment owned by you may have a service agreement and a LOLER examination included. Under these circumstances you should ensure that the examination is carried out by an Independent & Qualified inspector/engineer who is NOT the person who regularly services and maintains it. Otherwise they would be checking their own work,. Under LOLER Regulations this then would not be accepted as a legal document. If your service company also inspect, then ensure it is a different engineer to your normal service engineer. * http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg422.pdf
A Thorough Examination document should have a check list of items inspected so there are no grey areas as to what has been examined, so it is clear that a full inspection under LOLER & PUWER 1998 Regulations has been carried out and not just selected visual inspection, which would not constitute a Thorough Examination. If you are not sure, please visit www.thoroughexamination.org which for forklifts shows what should have been carried out. Some insurers only carry out the LOLER visual inspection and do not cover the PUWER side of the inspection.
The documentation is every bit as important as the inspection, so make sure your documentation is accepted as legal.