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Posted By Ben Hughes
Hi all,
I am currently looking at how we handle our lifting equipment/accessories and working on an overall program to improve the safety of lifting operations.
One aspect that has come to light is there is currently no method for tracing specific lifting accessories to where they are being used. The trouble is we send lifting equipment all over the world on projects.
Is having specific identification numbers on all items of lifting accessories (shackles, lugs, eyebolts, magnets etc) neccessary or is it nice to have? We have thousands of items and it would take significant amount of resources on the organisation to do - I dont think we would ever outsource this however.
The LOLER ACOP doesnt give too much guidance in this matter and is alittle grey. BS 7121 series doesnt assist too much either from my understanding.
Does anybody else have this problem, if so how do you handle this?
Thanks in advance.
Ben
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Rank: Guest
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Posted By TonyB
Ben,
With regards to unique identification numbers. If you don't have them how can you be sure, and demonstrate that they have been certified as suitable (e.g. SWL etc) under LOLER and that they are being thoroughly examined as required. Surely this is a given when you have so much equipment! How have you managed without them?
Once you have the numbers it should only be a logistical nightmare to log the equipments' location.
All the best,
TonyB.
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Posted By Dave Merchant
The applicable part of LOLER in this case isn't 7, but 9. You are required to be able to trace your TE report to the item, and vice-versa, and cannot do that without some form of ID on the item itself.
_New_ accessories (shackles etc.) often use batch numbering as their CoC is talking about identically-unused items; but once in use each will have a different history and so requires a unique TE report, hence a unique ID number to correlate to it.
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Rank: Guest
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Posted By Ben Hughes
Thanks guys,
Yeah I did think this was neccessary but just wanted to be sure before taking this up higher. We do use some sort of referance numbering system currently to correlate the certifcate to the equipment but I dont think it is suitable or sufficient.
Thanks again.
Best regards,
Ben
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Rank: Guest
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Posted By Glyn Atkinson
Two "must haves" should be individual I/D on each piece of lifting and ancilliary equipment, along with a definite knowledge of where the equipment is being held for use plus the name of the local responsible person to whom the equipment has been assigned.
How are you certain that every single peice of required equipment has been given its' Statutory Inspection if it cannot be found or identified from previous examinations.
Is your lifting equipment not "time inspected" colour coded so that an instant "good to go" can be achieved for all equipment? - ie red for months 1 to 3, yellow for months 4 to 6 etc - wrong colour on equipment - do not use under any circumstances.
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Posted By Dave Merchant
Glyn - I'd be wary of the color-coding system except for very regularly-used and controlled equipment, as it's all too easy for something to lay about for long enough to be "back in color". Have seen many examples over the years, the usual fix being to write the date on the marker, but as you have to read it to be sure, it defeats the usefulness of the color code in the first place!
It may sound counter-intuitive, but the most reliable marking systems are intentionally slow to check. Making someone read numbers on a label means they have to take the time to look for it and understand it, and it develops their habits correctly - whereas just glancing at something and thinking "green..OK" makes people mentally disconnected about what they're actually doing, and why.
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