Rank: New forum user 
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Hi, I wonder if anybody can assist. I look after safety issues for a lighting rental company supplying into the entertainment industry, rock and roll, theatre, television etc.
Some of the lifting equipment accessories used are steel slings, shackles and soft slings (spanset) amongst others etc.
All items are visually inspected prior to every job and inspected for damage on their return. Electric chain hoists etc and all items requiring certification are sent for test as per manufacturer’s guidelines.
Is there a specified time period between certified testing,? I have heard six months, but this would make having these products uneconomical as we have thousands of each item, we currently adopt an annual policy with visual inspections at all other times…
Thanks in advance for any help or guidance
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Rank: Super forum user 
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The legal default is indeed six months, but LOLER allows you to override this frequency with a written examination scheme determined by a "competent" person (probably whoever does your testing) - so long as it's safe to do so, and it's in writing.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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YOu can get a copy of the HSE Approved Code of Pratice and Guidance at http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/l113.pdf. paras 294 - 299 will help. There are a number of occassions when a thorough examination may be necessary, such as first installation, after it has been moved etc. Under Reg 9 (page 47 onwards) you will see that the 'default' frequency is TWELVE months, although equipment that is used for lifting people IS six months. You might want to read the bit of reg 9 (3) before it then becomes 9 (3) (a) carefully!
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Rank: Forum user
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Although you can push out your Thorough Exam intervals beyond 6 monthly, I'd caution against it for any items that have left the premises. A shackle sitting on the shelf untouched for a year will be fine, but we all know that people treat rental kit far worse than they'd treat their own, and part of the way a Written Scheme of Examination has to justify the extension is by showing that the item is known to have a nice, controlled usage pattern. You have no clue what loads some spark's hung with your bridles.
If you're doing visual pre/post hire inspections, then it's no more work to turn those into a TE for the accessories - you just need to fill in the form. There's no proofing required for bridles or suchlike. Of course the TE intervals for hoists are 12 monthly as they're "equipment" rather than "accessories", with the proviso they need 6-monthly tickets if they're flying people (a particular issue if they're flying a mother grid, and the riggers are lifelining onto the truss).
Suggest also you get hold of Chris Higgs' book, "Rigging for Entertainment: Regulations and practice" ( ISBN 9781904031215 ) as it lays out detailed suggestions for inspection and maintenance of tour, house and hire kit.
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Rank: Forum user
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afternoon all,
Ok, the written examination scheme is there but it is designed for such things as lifting points on ships in the engine room - this is because they (the lifting points) are used very infrequently, and there are thousands of them it would just become like painting the forth road bridge by the time you finish the last point it would be time to start again. So they can be examined and placed as "dormant" until they are required, but even then they must be re-certified prior to use.
So- yes it can be done - but only as described above.
In your circumstance blocks and machines every twelve months - slings steels and safetys every six months.
Yours
DB
Ps you have private message!
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Rank: Forum user
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Wrong - he's asking about lifting _accessories_, which are 6-monthly no matter what's hanging on them. Read 9(3)(a)(i). Phil Rose wrote:Under Reg 9 (page 47 onwards) you will see that the 'default' frequency is TWELVE months, although equipment that is used for lifting people IS six months.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Granted - he did ask about accessories - I stand corrected.
If I could add though, the TE requirement under 9 (3) isn't as 'absolute' as we all tend to think, which is why I have suggested reading 9 (3) carefully i.e. conditions/deterioration/dangerous situation
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Rank: New forum user
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I can only say I am impressed with the speed the comments to my question came in at.
Thanks guys for all your help... If for some eason I can't get back here before... everybody have a fab christmas and new year..
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Rank: Forum user
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Morning All,
Phils comment may miss-lead people into thinking that Thorough Examination periods can be extended They cannot. Phil is saying that in circumstances where the equipment is subject to arduous environments and possibility of shock loading the periodicity may be reduced by the competent person but never extended.
My earlier reference is to equipment that is used very infrequently (once every 5 or 10 years) where thorough examination is just wasting resource, but even then the equipment must be examined and certified prior to being used.
Just to clarify
yours aye
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