Can anyone help me here. I have a client who has a number of eye bolts which are effectively thredded bar with a nut welded to the top of it. They are used to lift product during a process which involves entering various chemicals and sometimes through heat treatment. The welds are done in house by a non coded welder. An operator then spends time around the product whilst suspended on said eye bolts doing prep work, sometimes underneath it!

I have instructed the client to remove the welded eye bolts and replacing them with one piece eyebolts, which has been kicked back as production will halt, I have then suggested to phase them out to which I was told do a "risk assessment on them" and get them sent of for testing and certification.

In my professional opinion these are absolutely non conforming and should not be used. Can anyone give me a bit more weight to my debate or perhaps link me to something solid to build my case.

Thank you.

LOLER Section 4 

Strength and stability

4.  Every employer shall ensure that—

(a)lifting equipment is of adequate strength and stability for each load, having regard in particular to the stress induced at its mounting or fixing point;

(b)every part of a load and anything attached to it and used in lifting it is of adequate strength.''

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1998/2307/regulation/4/made

It has been mentioned above that the equipment needs to be inspected (in the case of lifting equipment for lifting persons or an accessory for lifting, at least every 6 months;) and I would build my case around this. 

If your client is worried that the production is halted then remind them of how long an accident investigation would take to be completed and the cost implications - direct and indirect costs. 

Yes, a risk assessment should have been completed which would identify exactly the same thing.