Do you know your MEWP Maintenance
MEWP Maintenance And Safety Regulations
Powered access platforms are only safe and efficient if they are in premium working condition and regular inspections and MEWP maintenance are required by law for lifting equipment.
Making sure access equipment is stable, safe and fit for purpose is essential to health and safety and means jobs at height are completed faster and more efficiently. Whether it is a new or used access platform, keeping the access equipment in prime working condition extends its performance and lifespan and increases value for money.
There are two pieces of current legislation that govern MEWP maintenance:
• Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER)
• Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER)
It is a legal requirement to make sure access platforms are tested and thoroughly examined at regular intervals by a qualified person – six months for anything lifting people and 12 months for machines lifting just equipment.
Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER)
LOLER has the following requirements for servicing access equipment:
• Equipment used for lifting people should be safe to use and all necessary precautions must be taken to eliminate or reduce any risk
• Access equipment should be thoroughly examined before it is used for the first time
• Examinations should be carried out in use every six months for access platforms lifting people and 12 months for all other equipment
• Inspections and servicing should be carried out by a qualified person who submits a full report to the owner/employer
See the HSE publication “Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998. Approved Code of Practice and guidance” for the regulations.
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER)
The servicing requirements of PUWER for work equipment are:
• It should be suitable for use
• It is used and maintained in a safe condition for use so that people’s health and safety is not at risk
• Inspected regularly to ensure that it is safe for use
• A competent person should carry our inspections and a record kept until the next inspection
• Mobile access platforms used for carrying people should be fit for purpose with measures taken to reduce the risks to anyone using it or in the vicinity
The HSE publication “Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. Approved Code of Practice and guidance” is available from their website here.
The Promax Access LOLER Reminder Service
Without a valid LOLER certificate, you should not use your machine. We offer a free LOLER reminder service to save you the problem of remembering your access platform’s (LOLER) examination.
See our LOLER reminder and simply enter the date of your next LOLER examination and we will not only contact you prior to that date, but also issue a LOLER reminder to let you know when it is due.
Summary
Powered access platform maintenance is important to meet regulations and maximise the functionality and safety of the equipment. To comply with LOLER 1998 and PUWER 1998, have access equipment tested and thoroughly examined at regular intervals by a qualified inspector or engineer.
Getting your powered access platforms inspected and serviced regularly is not only a legal requirement but a way to guarantee it is operating at peak performance, getting jobs at height completed faster and more safely and to avoid any unnecessary accidents.