Ensure your lifting equipment is properly maintained

It is so very important that lifting equipment is properly maintained and that employees who use the equipment are fully trained to use it. Recently, there was a fatal accident in Glasgow where a crane collapsed and one man was killed and another seriously injured.The cause of the accident is at present unknown but this sort of incident really emphasises the importance of ensuring all safety measures are taken and adhered to.

Lifting equipment should be visually checked over daily before work begins so that any obvious issues can be addressed before they become a problem. Regular servicing is also a vital requirement so that all those unseen working parts are checked for wear or other problems. Of course no system is infallible but if the correct precautions are taken, there is less chance of an accident occurring.

Ensuring employees are properly trained is, in most cases, a legal requirement before they are allowed to operate lifting equipment. It is also a good idea to make sure that employees attend regular refresher courses as well as this will keep them updated with any changes to HSE regulations. There are often changes being made to the Health and Safety Executive regulations and it is the business owner’s responsibility to make sure that staff are kept informed and that they adhere to these rules.