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We have a lifting accessory at work that weighs approx 500kg. I am farily up to speed with loler and understand the diffeernce between loads and accessorsies yet im trying to get my head around this aspect, which feels like its in a bit of a grey area.
We have an accessory that weighs approx 500kg and yet this is left suspended in air. Apparently it has been like that for quite some time. I have challenged and the response i receive is that you can leave an accessory suspended where as you cant a load (unless you have mitigation in place) . Due to the weight (and other factors such as the crane and beam have been de-registered!!) it feels wrong to have this up in the air, when i asked why it cant be parked off, firstly the crane is as ive just mentioned but there is nowhere for it to go.
My simple logic is that they should reate a park place, lower and remove. Or if this is difficult then at least lower so the crane is not under constant stress for the 'heavy' accessory.
Opinions?
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Rank: Super forum user
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Craig On the assumption that the lifting accessory is being suspended from a lifting machine then it is part of the "load" and if not being used is the "load. The guidance, NOTE guidance within the LOLER Approved Code of Practice and Guidance L113 says 26 As stated in regulation 2(1), a ‘load’ includes ‘a person’ as well as the usual material, animals or combination of these that are lifted by the lifting equipment. In some circumstances, such as in the use of a mobile crane, the weight of the lifting accessories (including the hook block) should be considered as part of the load being lifted. In addition, the weight of equipment designed to contain the load (eg skips or stillages, pallets, ladles) should be considered as part of the load.
In many circumstances the weight of lifting accessories will significantly reduce the effective load carrying capacity of a lifting machine. So, in your case if the lifting accessory weighs 0.5Te, and you want to lift 2 tonnes, then the lifting machine needs to be certified for at least 2.5Te. So, I suppose the first Q is "where is the lift plan" for leaving this 0.5Te load suspended?" !!! If the lifting machinery isn't up to date with its paperwork, that is another problem. AND if that doesn't convince them, ask them how long they wish to stand under the load. AND if that doesn't convince them, remind them that LOLER sits under HSWA and that even if LOLER didn't apply to this large item suspended in mid air, there are still duties to do what is reasonably practicable. How are they going to argue that it is not reasonably practicable to lower it to the ground? P
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 2 users thanked peter gotch for this useful post.
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Crag, I agree with you. If the crane is left for sometime and best to find a place to park the crane and remove the lifting gear rather left the boom with the lifting gear (500 kg) suspended in the air. We know the crane will be safe to carry the load (i.e. liftig gear of 500 kg) but we should not take it for granted. The first princples of prevention is to avoid the risks if possible. Lower down the boom with lifting gear if unuse for a period of time else swing to a direction and barricade the area as the worst scenario. The Crane owner will have responsibility over the crane safety, is for his interest not to place the crane at risks to others.
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1 user thanked Jason90212992 for this useful post.
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Originally Posted by: craigbutler2015 
Yes, agree with all you say. I might go further and say take it off even if it is 'difficult'. I don't think you should leave 500kg suspended un-necessarily.
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1 user thanked achrn for this useful post.
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It is depend on the safety factors of the lifting accessories, if the lefting weight meet very minimum load capacity then it can be suspend for reasonable amount of tiem, but if it is to the maximum load capacity then suspending load for long duration is not recommended.
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1 user thanked Shashendra Karkera for this useful post.
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Originally Posted by: craigbutler2015 We have a lifting accessory at work that weighs approx 500kg. I am farily up to speed with loler and understand the diffeernce between loads and accessorsies yet im trying to get my head around this aspect, which feels like its in a bit of a grey area.
We have an accessory that weighs approx 500kg and yet this is left suspended in air. Apparently it has been like that for quite some time. I have challenged and the response i receive is that you can leave an accessory suspended where as you cant a load (unless you have mitigation in place) . Due to the weight (and other factors such as the crane and beam have been de-registered!!) it feels wrong to have this up in the air, when i asked why it cant be parked off, firstly the crane is as ive just mentioned but there is nowhere for it to go.
My simple logic is that they should reate a park place, lower and remove. Or if this is difficult then at least lower so the crane is not under constant stress for the 'heavy' accessory.
Opinions?
Craig - do you work on one of Europe's most hazardous sites? If so, then suggest you speak with your site lifting authority, head of conventional safety or better still, run it past a site inspector. Ideally accessories are brought down and put on a stand, but if I'm assuming your work location - that can't always be done for a number of reasons which I'm sure, if you do work where I think, you'll know why. If you don't work on said assumed site, ignore the above! But nonetheless ideal world you'd lower, and either leave on a park stand or remove entirely. Not always possible or indeed the safest option. JSP
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