Posted By toby liberson I would class the lugs as part of the load, so they would come under the PUWER regs. i.e. Reg4 (1)Every employer shall ensure that work equipment is so constructed or adapted as to be suitable for the purpose for which it is used or provided. So the inspection regime under PUWER Reg 6 which means inspected by a competent person would should be able to decide on the level of inspection/examination needed.

Posted By Colin Reeves I would tend to look at it this way. The lug's weld is faulty, the beam drops and injures / kills someone. What would you say when you were in the dock - "it did not need to be tested Your Honour"?? A load test is a simple way of protecting yourself from possible prosecution and others from damage! Colin

Posted By William I would definitely say yes, refer to section 4 of LOLER If it was to lift 1t then a proof load of at least 4t should be applied to give it a safety factor of safety of 4:1, you would also need to downrate the swl if it is not a straight lift, if you at an angle of 45 degrees, then I would downrate the swl to at least 50%, The weld should also be mpi/lpi before or after or even both. Hope this helps.

Posted By Ken M Thank you all who posted, your advice and comments are a great help. Much appreciated. Ken

Posted By Richard Altoft Go back to the question as asked. One lift. Hence the lug is part of the load but must be capable of taking the forces involved. Prove by design. Just same as the beam itself must be safe to lift. If beam was a very long slender one and lifted from each end will it buckle etc. If it is a concrete beam and lifted wrong way up will it crack and so on. Part of load.LOLER reg 4 part (b)says must be of adequate strength - no need to test if can prove adequate by other means. R

Posted By Richard Altoft A new thread is fairer to the original poster. Lifting a trailer to return it or stack it etc repeatedly still in my opinion makes it a load under LOLER and hence reg 4b applies and the lugs and the trailers themselves must be "of adequate strength". The trailers are also work equipment and also vehicles etc so must be suitable in all regards there as well which means means of lifting and of lashing and of unloading or towing etc must be suitable. It would not be a legal requirement in my mind to test or ID the lugs but it is in my opinion a legal requirement to test and inspect the shackles does exist in LOLER and hence they need an ID. So would be a good idea to test lugs and give them an ID as well. the trailer has an ID so that might suffice. Look at a skip - best ones show signs of weld tests or perhaps a colour code on the lugs. Some would argue that skip is the load and some argue lugs are part of the lifting system. Good safety says if it might fail then prove it will not and keep proving it if deterioration is an issue hence best companies test lugs on skips.