LOLER 1998 — Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations
LOLER places duties on people and companies who own, operate, or have control over lifting equipment. It applies to all lifting operations on construction sites.
Regulation 4 — Strength and Stability
Regulation 6 — Positioning and Installation
Regulation 8 — Thorough Examination
- Every 6 months — lifting equipment used to lift persons, and all lifting accessories (slings, shackles, etc.)
- Every 12 months — all other lifting equipment (cranes, hoists, etc.)
- Examination must be carried out by a competent person
- Before first use if the equipment has not been examined before
- After any exceptional circumstances (e.g., damage, overload, major repair)
Regulation 9 — Reports and Defects
Regulation 10 — Lift Planning
PUWER 1998 — Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations
PUWER requires that equipment provided for use at work is suitable, maintained, inspected, and that operators are adequately trained.
Key Requirements
- Suitability — equipment must be suitable for its intended use and conditions
- Maintenance — equipment must be maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order, and in good repair
- Inspection — equipment must be inspected at suitable intervals and records kept
- Information and instruction — adequate health and safety information and written instructions must be provided
- Training — all persons who use, supervise, or manage the use of equipment must receive adequate training
- Dangerous parts — effective measures must prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery
- Controls — equipment must have suitable start, stop, and emergency stop controls
HASAWA 1974 — Health and Safety at Work etc. Act
The overarching piece of UK health and safety legislation. It sets out general duties for employers, employees, and directors.
Section 2 — Employer Duties
Section 7 — Employee Duties
Section 37 — Director / Manager Liability
CDM 2015 — Construction (Design and Management) Regulations
CDM 2015 applies to all construction projects in the UK. It sets out the roles and responsibilities of key duty holders.
Duty Holders
- Client — the person or organisation for whom the project is carried out. Must make suitable arrangements for managing the project.
- Principal Designer — plans, manages, monitors, and coordinates health and safety in the pre-construction phase.
- Principal Contractor — plans, manages, monitors, and coordinates health and safety in the construction phase.
- Designer — anyone who prepares designs for a construction project, including drawings, specifications, and bills of quantities.
- Contractor — anyone who carries out or manages construction work.
- Worker — anyone who carries out work on site. Must be consulted and given information, instruction, and training.
Construction Phase Plan
BS 7121 — Code of Practice for Safe Use of Cranes
BS 7121 is the primary UK code of practice for crane operations. It is published in multiple parts covering different crane types and aspects of crane use.
| Part | Scope |
|---|---|
| Part 1 | General — code of practice applicable to all crane types |
| Part 2-3 | Inspection, maintenance, and thorough examination of cranes |
| Part 5 | Tower cranes — specific requirements for erection, use, and dismantling |
| Part 11 | Offshore cranes — additional requirements for marine and offshore operations |
Risk Management Hierarchy
The hierarchy of risk controls must be applied in order when managing workplace risks. Higher-level controls are more effective and should always be considered first.
Eliminate
Remove the hazard entirely. Can the task be avoided or the substance removed?
Substitute
Replace with something less hazardous. Use a less toxic substance or a safer method.
Engineering Controls
Isolate people from the hazard. Guards, barriers, ventilation systems, enclosures.
Administrative Controls
Change the way people work. Training, procedures, signage, permit-to-work systems.
PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)
Last resort. Protect the individual worker — hard hats, hi-vis, gloves, hearing protection.
Remember: PPE is always the last resort. The hierarchy must be followed in order — if a higher-level control is reasonably practicable, it must be implemented before relying on lower-level measures.
