Thorough Examination
IMPORTANT HEALTH & SAFETY INFORMATION
The following information applies to all users of lifting equipment such as forklift trucks.
A Thorough Examination is a statutory requirement for lifting equipment under the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER 98), Regulation 9. It has the same purpose as an MOT inspection by providing a report, which identifies that the lifting equipment is safe to use, and/or advice that needs to be followed to avoid risks in use. It is just as important as an MOT – probably more so!
There is a legal requirement for a Thorough Examination to be carried out on fork lift trucks at least once a year, and often more frequently depending on conditions of use.
What does a Thorough Examination involve?
A Thorough Examination is the inspection of lifting equipment, as required by LOLER 98, and other safety related components or equipment, as required by PUWER 98. A Competent Person is required to examine these items, check them for serviceability and report accordingly. It is not a full maintenance inspection of the truck. A Thorough Examination is substantially different from a maintenance inspection and the Competent Person has different duties to fulfill under the law.
Who is responsible for making sure that a fork lift truck has a current Report of Thorough Examination?
In simple terms it is the employer of the operator who has this responsibility. Under Health and Safety legislation the employer has a duty of care – “it shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, as far as is reasonably practical, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his/her employees” The employer must ensure that the fork lift trucks that his/her operators use are safe. This is achieved through the implementation of a programme of Thorough Examinations. (It should be remembered that Thorough Examinations run alongside necessary maintenance procedures and checks, not in place of them.)
Where the employer is the owner of the fork lift truck this duty is clear. The employer must make arrangements for every fork lift to be Thoroughly Examined on a regular basis, at least once per year. (The actual frequency will be determined by the Competent Person.) If the employer is not the owner of the truck but leases the truck, or rents it on a long-term basis, usually 12 months or more, the responsibility is the same as though the trucks were owned by the employer.
Ability Handling offer the solution
Ability Handling are in a position to arrange and manage all your Thorough Examination requirements. We offer one off Thorough Examinations or can offer a management programme that will ensure Thorough Examinations are carried out at the required intervals. We will arrange and contact you when each Thorough Examination becomes due, taking away the need for you to remember or worry.
