Irrespective of their normal job designation or duties, the occasion may arise when personnel operate lifting

equipment and get involved with lifting operations. In other words, the users of lifting equipment are not
always experienced riggers. As it is a legal requirement that all lifting / rigging operations are carried out by
suitably trained and experienced personnel, this elearning course has been specifically designed to satisfy
part of this requirement by providing you with an awareness of the regulations governing this subject.
The prime considerations in any lifting operation are the safety of personnel and the protection of materials
being handled. The greatest threat to these considerations is the misuse of lifting equipment and its
inadvertent overloading.
Our aim, with the guidance given in this course, is to help you prevent this from happening in the future.
Lifting equipment has always been covered by various acts and regulations; however, in December 1998 two
sets of regulations came into force to implement the Amending Directive to the Use of Work Equipment
Directive (AUWED). These regulations were the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER)
and the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER).
The course addresses LOLER and covers:
 The actual regulations regarding lifting operations

 Lifting equipment

 Competence

 Planning

 Risk Assessment
The course is divided into short sections. At the end of each section is a questionnaire that must be
completed. Continuation through the course is dependent on you answering all the questions correctly. You
may wish to take notes as you go through to assist in answering these questions.
One set of regulations, which must be mentioned before we move on is, The Health and Safety at Work Act
1974. The main message contained within this document, is that you have a legal responsibility to take
reasonable care for your own health and safety and that of other people who may be affected by your
conduct at work. If you are in breach of the act, you will be committing a criminal offence and may be
prosecuted, whether or not an accident occurs.
The Lifting Operations & Lifting Equipment Regulations SI1998 number 2307, commonly known as LOLER,
became law on 5th December 1998.
The approved code of practice did not become available until late January 1999 and it was only then that
industry could start to address the various new regulations.
In the past, regulations on lifting equipment and lifting operations were very fragmented and varied
depending on the industry in which they were covering. This obviously created an interface problem when
working across industries, in fact, sometimes within the same industry. For example, if you were using a chain
sling with ordinary sling hooks (and no safety catches) in a workshop, it would comply with the Factories act,
but if you took that same sling out into the yard, it would come under the jurisdiction of the Construction
regulations and would no longer be fit for purpose as these regulations state that they must be safety hooks
or at least of the ‘C’ type design.
The good thing about LOLER is that it has gathered together the previously scattered lifting regulations and
re-issued them under the cover of one document. Consequently, most of the previous regulations have been
revoked, for example:
 The Offshore Installation (Operational Safety, Health and Welfare) Regulations SI1976 No 1019

 The Construction (Lifting Operations) Regulations 1961

 The Lifting Plant and Equipment (Records of Test and Examination) Regulations 1992
Plus one or two not-so-relevant regulations, such as, The Office, Shops and Railway Premises (Hoists and Lifts)
Regulations 1968
In addition to revoking regulations, LOLER also amended specific parts to regulations, relevant to lifting
operations and equipment, for example, LOLER amended:
 The Factories Act 1961

 The Dock Regulations 1988

 The Shipbuilding and Ship Repairing Regulations 1960

 In addition, the previous regulations were specific and prescriptive and only dealt with existing
equipment and practices at the time they were written.
 As an example, the previous regulations even set crane inspection periods, every 14 months, based
on the moveable Easter holidays. The inspection period being based on when steam boilers could be
shut down and inspected during the company holiday.
 LOLER has been designed to be goal setting. It lays out objectives and deals with the lifting operation
as a whole, which is covered in regulation eight. This allows scope for new developments in lifting
equipment and techniques.
 The regulations do not tell us how to achieve these goals; this has been laid out in a supporting
document called an approved code of practice, ACOP. This accompanying document gives the
controller of lifting operations and the user of lifting equipment practical guidance on how to comply
with the regulations.
 The function of this document can be best compared to the Highway Code, which supports the Road
Traffic Act.
SECTION 2
LOLER consists of 17 individual regulations; during this module we will cover regulations one to nine, which
are the most important to you, one at a time. The regulations are:
Regulation
1. Citation and Commencement Regulation

2. Interpretation Regulation

3. Application Regulation

4. Strength and Stability Regulation

5. Lifting Equipment for Lifting Persons Regulation

6. Positioning and Installation Regulation

7. Marking of Lifting Equipment Regulation

8. Organisation of Lifting Operations Regulation

9. Thorough Examination and Inspection Regulations

10 and 11 deal with the information required to be recorded in reports, the reporting of defects and the
keeping of information. Regulation 12 gives an exemption to our armed forces and visiting armed forces with
the remaining regulations giving the specific information on amendments, repeals and revocations.

Regulation 1 - Citation and Commencement

Officially the regulations are called Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations SI1998 No. 2307.
In industry they are commonly referred to as LOLER, which has also become synonymous with the
description of the lifting plan.
LOLER came into force for ALL lifting equipment on the 5th of December 1998. It regulates, existing, second
hand, leased and new equipment.
The description of new equipment also covers any new designs of lifting equipment allowing the regulations
to remain current in a continually progressive industry.
The Regulations apply both on and offshore by virtue of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
Regulation 2 – Interpretation
The regulations give various useful definitions allowing the user and controller of lifting equipment to
comprehend precisely the instructions being given and remove the risk of misunderstanding.
Lifting equipment comprises lifting appliances and lifting accessories, which are defined as follows:
Lifting appliances are any mechanical work equipment device used for lifting, lowering or suspending loads
including its attachments used for anchoring, fixing or supporting it. Examples include a crane, chain hoist,
lever hoist, runway beam, pad eye etc.
Lifting accessories are work equipment devices used, directly or indirectly to connect a load to a lifting
appliance and which does not form part of the load. Examples include a wire rope sling, shackle, hook etc.
Some items of lifting equipment, depending on their application, can fall into both categories, for example a
shackle used to connect between a sling and the load, will be categorised as an accessory, but used to
connect between a chain hoist and a ceiling pad eye, will now be categorised as an appliance. Obviously, the
question arises “How often do I have to have it inspected by a competent person, every 6 months or every 12
months”? For safety’s sake, always opt for the more robust criteria, that is 6 monthly and that way it will
always be in certification whichever purpose it is used for.
The regulations also encompass equipment that was not previously covered by various regulations; this
includes specialist items such as rope access equipment.
In cases where LOLER does not apply, for example pallets, which should be treated as the load, the
requirements of PUWER ensure similar levels of precautions and inspections are carried out.
A lifting operation is an operation concerned with the lifting or lowering of a load, including lifting at an angle
or on a slope. This definition will in addition cover loads, which are suspended or supported when a lifting
operation is temporarily stopped or interrupted, for example the time between raising a spool piece into
position and when it is finally bolted into position with the lifting equipment removed.
However, in general, the horizontal movement of a load is not covered by LOLER. This in most cases can be
categorized as a pulling operation, for example, skidding a compressor on level ground into position using a
rope hoist.
Hence it is important to differentiate between a lifting operation and a pulling operation:
A lifting operation is one in which a load does not become stationary should either the machine or any of its
associated equipment fail.
A pulling operation is one in which a load becomes stationary should either the machine or any of its
associated equipment fail.
The regulation also gives the definition of a thorough examination as being a thorough examination by a
competent person, which may include load testing where appropriate.
A written examination scheme is a suitable scheme which is drawn up by a competent person, for such
thorough examinations of lifting equipment at such intervals, as may be appropriate to ensure that it remains
in a safe condition.
The examination scheme shall state a period of time. After this period of time has elapsed the equipment
must undergo a thorough examination. LOLER states a fixed time frame, which is covered in regulation nine,
however the owner / operator of the equipment may set a period of time out with the guidance given in
LOLER.
For instance, if the equipment is used only once every two years, to carry out a specific task, and in the
period between uses is stored correctly, the owner / operator may state in their examination scheme that
this equipment will be thoroughly examined every two years before use.
If however, the owner / operator has no written scheme of examination in place, then lifting equipment must
be thoroughly examined within the fixed time periods laid down by LOLER.
Regulation 3 – Application
This section deals with where the regulations apply. This is namely in Great Britain and outside Great Britain
as defined by the Health & Safety at Work Act.
The regulations apply to lifting equipment provided for use or used by an employee at their work.
To explain this statement, an example would be the comparison of two lifts. One located in an office building
and used by employees at work, which has to comply with the requirements laid out in LOLER.
The other, which is located in a residential home and used by the homeowners, does not have to comply with
LOLER. However, the homeowner may employ the standards laid out in LOLER to ensure that their lift
operates and continues to operate safely.
The regulations also apply to self-employed persons and persons who supervise or manage the use of lifting
equipment.
In the case of a hired crane, it is the duty of the crane owner to ensure compliance with LOLER, but it still
remains the duty of the hirer to ensure that documented evidence exists to support this.
The hirer also has a duty to ensure that subsequent lifting operations performed by the crane are carried out
in a safe manner.
The regulations build on the requirements of The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER)
1998, therefore applying to all sectors e.g. factories, offices, schools, hospitals, offshore oil and gas
installations, places of entertainment, agriculture and forestry.
As far as ships go, they now have their own version of LOLER, which came into effect in November 2006. This
document produced by the maritime Coastguard Agency is called; Marine Guidance Note MGN 332 (M+F) -
The Merchant Shipping and Fishing Vessels (Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 2006).
Regulation 4 - Strength and Stability
As with previous regulations, the employer must ensure that lifting equipment possess adequate strength
and stability for each load being lifted, having regard in particular to any stresses induced at its mounting or
fixing points.
They must also ensure that every part of a load, anything attached to it and used in lifting it, is of adequate
strength.
As far as stability goes, the approved code of practice gives various factors that should be considered which
should be included in the planning and risk assessment stages of any lifting operation.
The factors include:
The strength of the ground or surface on which the lifting equipment is positioned or located, for example,
spreader plates may be needed under outriggers so they can safely support the weight of the equipment and
the maximum load to be lifted.
The stability of the surface under loaded conditions, for example, if the lifting equipment is too close to an
excavation the ground may slowly subside or collapse suddenly.
Whether the surface on which the lifting equipment operates is on a slope and the angle of any slope, this
will impose additional horizontal as well as vertical forces, which may be sufficient to de-stabilize the lifting
equipment.
Further consideration must also be given to the:
Size and nature of the load, for example whether the load itself is unstable. To avoid this problem, it is
preferred that the lifting points are above the centre of gravity.
How the load is intended to be lifted and,
The maximum wind loading that may occur, for example when advertising signs are installed on tower crane
booms. If the correct planning and calculation has not been carried out before hand, these signs can act as a
sail, which can over stress or even destabilize the crane.
Personnel should also consider, when siting a winch, not just the strength of the connecting points from the
winch to the base but also the strength of the floor the base is connected to. You may find when a load is
applied to a pre-tested winch that the floor might start to rise up.
Regulation 5 - Lifting Equipment used for lifting persons
The ACOP specifies various criteria for machinery and accessories, which are specifically designed for lifting,
lowering or suspending persons. It also addresses standard lifting equipment being used for this same
purpose but dictates that this should only happen in exceptional circumstances.
The regulations list the goals to achieve if we have to use lifting equipment for man-riding operations. It
should be borne in mind however, that man-riding should be the last option to be considered when planning
any task.
Under the regulations we must ensure that personnel cannot be:
Crushed, trapped, struck or fall from a carrier, which can be accomplished by having a fully enclosed carrier /
basket including internal handrails to prevent hands and fingers being crushed.
Again, crushed, trapped, struck or fall from a carrier while carrying out activities from it.
The owner / operator must ensure the equipment used has a suitable device to prevent the risk of a carrier
falling, which can be achieved by using secondary back up lines and secondary brakes fitted to the hoisting
unit etc.
If personnel become trapped in any carrier, they must not be exposed to any danger and can be freed.
The equipment must have an enhanced safety coefficient, which is twice the equipments normal factor of
safety and you should ensure the equipment is inspected by a competent person every working day.
Therefore, you must ensure man-riding equipment meets certain safety criteria such as over-speed
governors, secondary braking systems, safety back up lines etc.
A typical example of this kind of operation is the use of air winches on the drill floor. Once these have been
checked for compliance and de-rated accordingly (usually by 50%), they must be marked that they are
suitable for man-riding purposes.
With all these safety back-up systems in place, personnel must still operate the equipment safely.
Personnel must:
Know how to operate the equipment correctly
Know what do in the event of an emergency
Know where emergency equipment is located
Give their full attention during the whole operation
Personnel must also be aware of the need for a rescue plan in the event of an emergency. A well thought out
method of rescue planned before the operation commences, will save valuable time if personnel become
trapped.
Regulation 6 - Positioning and installation
This regulation deals with the safe siting and installation of lifting equipment to minimise the need to lift
loads over people. It also addresses the likelihood of injuring persons by the following possibilities:
The load striking a person:
This requires personnel to position themselves safely, to be aware of their surroundings and the potential
hazards, for example ensure they never position themselves between a load to be lifted and a bulkhead.
The equipment striking a person:
This requirement introduces the use of the crane pennant; it removes the hazard of the large headache ball,
fitted to the crane whip line hoist, from coming into contact with personnel.
The equipment crushing a person as it moves or rotates
And:
Personnel falling off the equipment, which can be simply achieved by installing suitable barriers and
handrails.
Consideration has also to be given to ground conditions, proximity of other moving plant, especially if lifting
in tandem with another crane.
The two major hazards that can affect the safe operation of mobile cranes after erecting or positioning are
the inability of ground conditions to support the crane and its load. The other is the proximity to overhead
power cables.
The suitability of the ground to support the load imposed by the cranes outriggers, tracks or wheels must be
determined before positioning the crane. The operator must ensure there is no danger to or from:
 Gas Mains

 Oil or chemical product pipelines

 Electric cables

 Water mains

 Drains
The ground must be even and firm and be able to support the bearing pressure from the outriggers or tracks.
The use of wooden sleepers or similar devices may be used to achieve this. The crane must also be level to
within manufacturers tolerances.
When the crane is positioned near the edges of quaysides or excavations. The cranes outriggers or tracks
should be positioned no closer to the edge of an excavation, than a distance slightly greater, preferably twice
the distance, than the depth of the excavation during normal lifting operations.
A number of hazards can be reduced by simply cordoning off the working area around the specific piece of
plant.
Regulation 7 - Marking of Lifting Equipment
The marking of the SWL on lifting equipment has always been a requirement but this regulation just enforces
the issue and also specifies that when the SWL is dependent on certain circumstances or varies with
configurations, this must also be marked on the equipment.
This information allows the user to understand the equipment’s capacity, which should never be exceeded.
The marking with a unique identification mark gives traceability back to certification.
It has long been an HSE requirement that lifting equipment for lifting persons must be marked as such.
Now, LOLER also specifies that any equipment in the vicinity of man-riding equipment, which is not suitable
for man-riding, but may be used in error, must be marked “not suitable for man-riding”.
In the oil and gas industry we will also see equipment marked with a colour code. This code only identifies
the equipment's certification status and never indicates that the equipment is safe to use, personnel must
always carry out a pre-use inspection before operating the equipment.
Regulation 8 - Organisation of Lifting Operations
It is a requirement of LOLER that every lifting operation is planned by a competent person. The operation
must also be appropriately supervised and carried out in a safe manner.
In addition, the personnel involved in the lifting operation must be suitably trained and competent for their
particular role in the activity.
When planning lifting operations:
For routine lifting operations the planning of each individual lifting operation will usually be a matter for the
people using the lifting equipment, such as a rigger, the forklift truck operator etc. The person carrying out
this part of the planning exercise should have the appropriate knowledge and expertise.
As part of the planning, you must include risk assessment. In lifting operations, practically each job is different
and the depth of planning and risk assessment will increase with the complexity of the job.
There are numerous factors to consider:
The weight of the load:
This must be determined first before any lift can commence. The weight of the load can be found on
container identification plates, equipment manifest lists, manufacturers guidelines or even calculated.
Position and height of the centre of gravity and the size, shape and stability of the load: This is the
relationship between the objects centre of gravity and the lifting points. Personnel should always strive to
have the lifting points above the centre of gravity, which will go some way to ensuring a stable lift takes
place.
Protection of load during lift:
This must be taken into account; loads may collapse if slung incorrectly and machined surfaces will be left
marked and unusable when certain types of lifting equipment, for example plate clamps, are used.
Availability of dedicated lifting points on the load:
If fitted, personnel must ensure dedicated lifting points are certified for use. Lifting points, which were fitted
by the manufacturer for installation purposes only, may still be attached but which are now uncertified and
unsuitable for lifting purposes.
Availability of suitable rigging:
Lifting equipment must be matched to the size of load to be lifted. Users must avoid lifting loads below 10%
of a chain hoist's capacity and NEVER lift loads below 5% of the capacity, as the weight of the load may not be
enough to activate the friction brake.
Protection of rigging against sharp edges:
Suitable packing should be placed to protect the rigging against damage from the load, especially when using
man-made fibre slings. Suitable packing would include rubber matting, wooden strips or even old flat
webbing slings but only if the lifting eyes have been removed.
Capacity of the crane / hoisting equipment:
Once the weight of the load has been determined, personnel may then ensure the correct capacity of the
hoisting equipment.
Availability of certified anchor points / support steelwork:
If a load has to be deviated from below the hoisting unit, for example to be landed after being lifted up
through a hatch, then secondary equipment and anchor points will need to be assessed to ensure they have a
sufficient capacity and are certified. If uncertified steel work is to be used, permission must be gained from
the relevant structural engineer before the lift may commence.
Available headroom:
This must be taken into consideration during the planning stage. Ideally the load should be lifted, travelled to
its destination then landed in one smooth continuous motion. If headroom is not considered, personnel may
find they cannot travel the load to its destination, resulting in the load being returned to the start point.
Route to be travelled:
When moving a load from A to B, the route to be travelled has to be planned and then checked for any
obstructions, which may impede the safe transportation of the load.
Obstructions:
Obviously, any obstructions in the travel route should be removed if possible. If not, checks should be made
to ensure they can be safely negotiated without compromising the safety of the lift.
Maximum height the load has to be lifted:
The load should be lifted only as high as required; lifting up high will only introduce further hazards. Keeping
the load as low as possible will avoid lifting the load above personnel and reduce impact forces if the hoisting
unit failed.
Any dynamic factors:
Dynamic, which means movement would include any environmental conditions, for example wind force, that
can apply additional forces to the hoisting equipment. A crane operator also has a duty to reduce these
factors by controlling the swing of a load and to ensure an appropriate crane operating speed.
Hazards to other personnel:
The use of barriers, to control the area where lifting operations take place, will ensure unauthorized
personnel do not wander into the area of operation. In addition, when lifting operations take place on deck
or vessel lifts are ongoing, personnel should be reminded to look up when leaving accommodation and
installation modules to avoid walking under loads.
Number of Banksmen required:
One banksman must be in control of the lifting operation ensuring they have a clear view of the load, the
handlers and the area of operation. The banksman must never touch the load when it is about to be lifted or
landed. If two banksmen are required, for example when a load is transported over a large distance, the
second or landing banksman must take the load from the first banksman. If the first banksman hands the
load to the second, they may find the load will have to be stopped in mid lift while the second prepares the
landing area. The lift, as stated previously, should be carried out in one smooth operation.
Communications:
Good communications are essential, whether they are relayed by radio or hand. Personnel must be aware of
the correct radio call signs and recommended hand signals.
Deck / floor capacity for landing the load:
This must be determined before the load is lifted to ensure the landing area is capable of withstanding the
weight of the load.
The need for tag lines:
This is a soft line designed to aid in the control of the load. Personnel must comply with their own company
procedures, which will dictate when and where they are used. However as a guide, they should never be
attached to container door handles, lifting equipment which may be dislodged, wrapped around hands,
trailed over equipment, knotted together or tied off to handrails to aid in the control of the load.
Available light:
If operators of hoisting equipment cannot see sufficiently, extra light must be supplied.
Experience / competence of personnel:
Companies should ensure the competence of personnel involved with lifting operations by providing training
and / or by workplace skills assessment by qualified assessors.

When planning a lifting operation, the biggest problem is knowing where to start, for example: How difficult
is the job? How many people will it take to do it safely? How skilled will they have to be?
To help you with this process, we have produced a flow-chart to aid your decision making.
This flowchart is based on the widely accepted practice of grading lifting operations into four categories
according to their level of difficulty.
The first step is to decide if the operation is routine or non-routine. If it is routine, there is further guidance as
to the qualifications or levels of competence required for the personnel carrying out the lifting operation.
There is also guidance as to the levels of planning, risk assessment and supervision required to do the job
safely.
If they are non-routine, the lifting operations are further sub-divided into; Simple lifts, Complicated lifts and
Complex lifts with the relevant suggested controls
The four categories are further broken down in the following slides but be aware that the “Minimum
qualifications” and “Planning” requirements are only guidance. The LOLER regulations do not state a level of
competence, therefore it is your own company who will dictate the level required.
Routine lifts:
Are uncomplicated lifts that are performed on a regular basis, which involve basic slinging practices, for
example the handling of pipe, tubulars, containers, the loading / unloading of trucks etc.
The deck crew, warehouse or yard personnel will usually perform this type of lifting operation.
Minimum qualification:
These lifts can be performed by personnel who have passed assessment on a Banksman / slinger course and /
or been involved in such operations for 6 months.
Reference material:
The Crane Operations and Cargo Handling Pocketbook or the International Rigging and Lifting Handbook.
Planning:
The use of generic plans and / or toolbox talks is usually adequate for this level of lifting operation.
Non-routine lifts consisting of:
Simple lifts:
Are lifts that involve the use of basic hoisting equipment, for example a crane or manual hoists, which are
suspended from a dedicated lifting structure, such as a pad eye or runway beam that are directly above the
load. The load would also require to have certified lifting points or be relatively easy to sling.
Minimum qualification:
These lifts can be performed by personnel who have passed assessment on a basic Rigging and Lifting or
Banksman / Slinger course and / or been involved in such operations for 12 months. Their competence
should be verified by qualified skills assessors.
Reference material:
The International Rigging and Lifting Handbook.
Planning:
The use of generic plans and / or toolbox talks is usually adequate for this level of lifting operation
Complicated lifts:
Are lifts that are difficult due to the nature of the load, for example awkward shaped, have an offset or high
centre of gravity, fragile, contain liquids, have no lifting attachments and are difficult to sling etc. The lift may
also require rotating or cross-hauled involving two or more sets of rigging and / or tandem lifted with cranes.
Minimum qualification:
This type of lift must be performed by qualified Riggers who have either attended an NSL/EAL or ECITB
approved Rigging and Lifting training courses and / or been involved in such rigging operations for 5 years
minimum. In either case, their competence should be verified by a qualified skills assessor against NSL/EAL or
ECITB competence criteria for Rigging.
Reference material:
The International Rigging and Lifting Handbook plus additional equipment lists, drawings / sketches as
required.
Planning:
A written plan combined with toolbox talks is required for this level of lifting operation.
Complex lifts:
These lifts could be any of the first three categories but with additional hazards, for example extremely heavy
loads, lifting in a confined space, area has restricted headroom, lifting over unprotected plant or equipment,
lifting sub-sea, lifts involving divers, lifts involving floating cranes, etc. Ultimately, lifting operations or
conditions, which would merit additional engineering input.
Minimum qualification:
This type of lift must be performed by Riggers qualified to an NSL/EAL or ECITB level, with engineering
support as deemed necessary.
Reference material:
The International Rigging and Lifting Handbook plus additional equipment lists, drawings / sketches as
required. Possibly a job pack detailing operating procedure, additional safety procedures, rigging details,
individual responsibilities, weather parameters, etc.
Planning:
A written plan / job pack combined with toolbox talks is required for this level of lifting operation.
Note: For both Complicated and Complex lifting operations, if a documented lifting plan already exists, it
should be re-used but only after review to ensure that provisions are made for any changes in circumstances.
This helps us in two ways; to decide on the level of planning and risk assessment required and with the
allocation of personnel to the various tasks depending on their levels of competence. They are obviously only
intended as a guide and are not meant to cover every eventuality.

To help you record the information you gather during this process in a more formal and consistent way we
have produced a one-page written planning form to cover routine and simple lifts. A copy of this form is
available in the “International Rigging and Lifting Handbook”.
The lifting plan format leads the planner through a series of steps, which enables them to record all the
relevant points required when planning a lifting operation.
Planning Lift
For the more complicated and complex lifts, you will need more room to record your information, so we also
produced a larger document for this purpose.
Once again, this contains prompts to try and ensure you consider every aspect of the lifting operation.
Your plan should always start with a brief description of the lifting operation containing the relevant
information to give an accurate outline of what you are trying to achieve. Obviously, the most important
thing to know about the lift is the weight of the item to be lifted. Without this information, you cannot safely
proceed.
There are a host of other considerations just as important and these are listed in section 2 of the form. Tick
the ones that are relevant to your specific lifting operation and make sure you address each point in your
lifting plan.
The next thing to do is a step-by-step procedure. This is where you imagine or visualize actually doing the lift
and write down the complete sequence of events in the correct order. When you write this part of the
procedure, imagine that a rigger new to the job may be doing the lift so make sure you put down every
relevant piece of information.
It often helps if you can “walk the job” as well so you can check clearances etc. By doing this, it will help you
identify any problems you may come up against, which may affect the way in which you do the job.
It often helps to make a sketch of the lifting operation. Try and do it to scale if possible so the rigger doing the
job gets a more accurate picture of what he has to do.
If the job has been done before and drawings already exist, check that they are still current and nothing has
changed that may now cause interference, e.g. additional steelwork may have been erected, new cable trays
may be in the way etc.
It is vitally important to check the route to be travelled. This part of the plan also has various considerations,
which have been listed in section 6 of the lift plan.
Route to be travelled - These considerations are common to most jobs but are not exhaustive:
1. Has route to be travelled been cleared of obstructions?

2. Is laydown / landing area adequate?

3. Is there suitable packing for landing the load?

4. If stacking materials, are they suitable for stacking?

5. Have barriers been erected to prevent unauthorized access?

6. Is the laydown area within safe reach of the lifting appliance?

7. Can the banksman remain in sight of the crane operator?

8. Are weather conditions OK for the lift?

Rigging Material List:

Finally, we have the rigging / materials list. This should be an accurate list of all equipment required to carry
out the lifting operation safely. Not just lifting equipment, but access equipment, safety barriers, safety
equipment, packing, rigging protection etc.
The equipment descriptions should be such that the correct and suitable equipment can be procured at a
future date. Descriptions should contain SWLs, lengths, dimensions where appropriate, manufacturer, etc.
Self-Assessment:
Once you have planned the job, you have to check your own ability to do the job safely. For this purpose, we
produced a useful self-assessment pocket card, which covers the majority of lifting operations.
When assessing your own ability to perform a lifting operation, you must ask yourself the six questions
contained on one side. If the answer to all six is yes, you may proceed with the lifting operation in accordance
with the documented lifting plan.
If you answer no to any of the questions, you can turn the card over and answer a further 12 questions. If the
answer is yes to all 12, you may again proceed. If you answer no again to any question, you should seek
further guidance from a supervisor or the appointed person for lifting operations.

Regulation 9 - Thorough Examination and Inspection

When it comes to examinations, what do we have to do to comply with the LOLER fixed period approach?
Under these regulations you are required to:
Carry out six monthly examinations on loose lifting equipment or accessories, for example this will include
slings, shackles etc.
Carry out twelve monthly examinations on all lifting machines and appliances, for example chain hoists,
winches, cranes etc.
However, any appliances or accessories designed to raise, lower or suspend personnel must be inspected on
a six-monthly basis.
One advantage in LOLER is that the person examining the equipment no longer needs to be from a third
party, which means you can use in-house personnel as long as they have been adequately trained to perform
the inspections and are sufficiently independent from the line management, in essence competent.
The tendency in industry has been to continue using specialist companies to perform these examinations for
speed and efficiency. However, in-house personnel may be used for the odd item required in a hurry, for
example pad eyes.
Another advantage, as stated previously, is that equipment, which is used infrequently, can have the
periodicity of their inspections extended accordingly.
The written scheme of examination should list all equipment, which will be covered under LOLER.
Other Legislation, which interfaces with LOLER:
 The LOLER Approved Code Of Practice

 The Amendment Directive to the use of Work Equipment Directive (95/63/EC)

 Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (section 2)

 Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (MHSWR) 1992 Regulation 3 (Risk
Assessment)
 ACOP - PUWER/Forklift Trucks-Power Presses - Woodwork Machinery

 Manual Handling Operations Regulations (1992)

 HSE 3628 Offshore Technical Guidance

 Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER II)

In summary, LOLER requirements are:

Companies should instigate the planning of all lifting operations
Introduce generic lifting plans for routine lifting operations
Carry out risk assessments for all lifting activities
Ensure levels of competency for all personnel engaged in lifting operations
Ensure the adequate control of third-party lifting equipment
Ensure the adequate control of third-party lifting operations
Introduce a Written Scheme of Examination, listing inspection time periods and a full list of lifting equipment