Posted By Jo Scott Smith I work for a homeless charity and one of our tenancy sustainment projects works with families to help them set up in new accomodation. We have a handy person who does basic DIY (putting up shelves, helps with decorating). However the project is now asking whether they can loan out its tools/equipment (for free) to families so that they can get on with the work themselves. The tools on loan would be ladders, steam wallpaper strippers, electric drills, sanders etc The have systems for ensuring that the families have information about how the tool should be used, hazards and precautions to take etc (like you would get if you hired them) We will need to be inspected before it is leant out to ensure the equipment is safe before is it is loaned out. Can anyone tell me what needs to be looked at and how we ensure the people doing it are competent? Are there other things that we should be doing? Thanks JO

Posted By Jim Walker I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I would assume that your organisation's legal responsibilities would be exactly the same as if you were hiring out (for money)the equipment. Would lending a loaded gun to a depressive be less of a risk? Seriously, the electrical equipment needs checking (between loans) - commonly refered to as PAT (portable appliance testing)by a competent person. For me, this means someone who has passed City & Guilds 2377.

Posted By KATE PEARSON I think it is a issue that requires considerable considerations on safe systems of work. How they should be implemented and the caliber of people who are using them. I also agree witih the previous responses that PAT testing competent testers and insurancce are imperative. Also job specific risk assessments will be required to assess whether the correct control measures are in place Along side all this don't forget operator defects registers