Posted By Malcolm Greenhouse
I am currently working as a temporary buyer for a local authority. As such they have given me the new tender for LOLER inspection of social services occupational health equipment to look after. I have several questions I would like answering.

1. What determines a competent person to carry out LOLER inspections? The equipment is mostly bath hoists, elevating beds, mobile hoists, pillow lifters, elevating chairs etc.

2. I know that as equipment that is involved in lifting people they have to be inspected every six months. However I am also told that they have to be inspected on first installation and if they are moved. You can appreciate that whilst an initial commissioning inspection of new equipment is feasible, checking it every time it is moved from one location to another will be extremely costly as the equipment is on loan and it could be learnt out to several different people over the six month interval.

My solution to point 2 above would be to train the people who actually deliver and install the equipment to a suitable level to demonstrate competency in being able to sign that the equipment is installed correctly and serviceable. I would then use the appointed contractor to perform the initial commissioning and six monthly inspections.

Anyone any thoughts on this? Anyone running a LOLER inspection contract for community health equipment that would be willing to share their experiences?

Mal