If you own and regularly operate a crane, or multiple cranes, at your business, then it’s your responsibility to arrange regular servicing for these to ensure safe lifting operations. Specifically, you need to arrange for an annual LOLER inspection, which ensures that your crane is safe to operate and identifies any maintenance or repairs that are required.
Read on as we look at this in more detail, discussing how you can then prepare for a crane servicing appointment.
What is a LOLER Crane Inspection?
LOLER refers to the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (1998). As part of these regulations, it’s required that all cranes undergo an inspection every 12 months (or every 6 months if it’s used to lift people). This must be carried out by a competent person that possesses the appropriate knowledge and experience in order to undertake the inspection; it’s also recommended that this be an individual outside of your organisation to remove any bias.
In a LOLER inspection, a thorough examination is carried out, looking at various aspects of the crane including:
● Its installation and positioning
● All markings
● How it’s being used
● Its strength and weight limits
● Whether there are any obvious faults or defects
Preparing for Crane Servicing
Have the Necessary Documentation Ready
Before your crane is due to be seen for a LOLER inspection or a service, make sure you’ve got all the necessary documentation ready to hand. You will need a copy of the crane’s previous maintenance and service documents, along with your last LOLER inspection report.
This may be required by the competent person undertaking the inspection to see the history of your crane and how it performed then compared with the state it’s in now.
As well as keeping records of any defects that have previously been found with your crane, you should also keep evidence that these were reported to the relevant authorities and have been appropriately rectified since.
Inform Your Employees
You should inform all relevant employees that an inspection or service will be taking place so that they know not to use the crane during this time or get in the way of the engineer.
By ensuring a tidy, spacious and non-disruptive environment, they will then be able to inspect or carry out maintenance on your crane (depending on which is happening) efficiently and without interruption.
Prepare Your Crane
Lastly, ensure that the environment around your crane is clean, clear, accessible and easy to walk around, as well as the crane cab. This will ensure that the person looking at or working on your crane has enough space to safely look at your crane without risk or injury or damage.
Find a Reliable Crane Service Company
Does your crane require a service or its next annual LOLER inspection? Look to us here at Crane and Lifting Services Ltd to help.
Our team of expert engineers offer high-end crane maintenance and servicing services across the UK, including load testing and LOLER crane inspections.
To discuss your requirements and arrange a service, then don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today.
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