Rank: New forum user 
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I am looking for information/legislation on rating plates, a loading shovel has had a bucket replaced with a larger bucket but there is no rating plate attached, the hire company has give an estimated safe working load and weight of the attatchment which I dont agree with. Can someone put me in the right direction as Ive loked through PUWER and LOLER and cant find anything. Thanks
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Rank: Super forum user
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How old is the machine? Can you speak with the designers to establish its lifting capability. Do you consider the situation to be close to over loading the machine? Leading to a risk of the machine over turning etc?
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Rank: New forum user
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This is what I recieved from the hire company,
The set up on the shovel has also been confirmed as the below, so coming to a total of 4,970kgs. Hitch weight 320kg Estimated bucket weight 1475kg (This is what is concerning) Max bucket payload 3175kg Yes the machine is close to tipping over .
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Rank: Super forum user
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Its impossible to give an answer here, as regards the suitability of the machine. Not enough information. Suffice to say its a fundamental requirement of PUWER that the machine is suitable for its task and work. If you are the site HSE manager, put a stop to the work until you have the information you need or have otherwise resolved the issue.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Hi Stephen I am not a fan of the H&S professional "stopping the job" as doing so encourages line managers to get slopey shoulders. So the relevant manager(s) should make a decision as to whether this configuration is sufficiently safe to give them confidence. ....but I doubt that they have sufficient information to be confident. P
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Rank: Super forum user
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I don't agree with you here Peter. I do with most things you say. Surely its no different, to you as an ex HSE Inspector, giving out a Prohibition Notice if you consider a situation is so unsafe that life is at risk. In this case, from the information we have, it appears there is a risk of some form of excavator turning over becuase and/or the new bucket is too heavy and/or once loaded the machine might become unstable. Therefore I would consider that there seems to be a life/serious injury risk to at least the vehicle operator and maybe others who might be nearby should the vehicle turn over. Until information and confidence is achieved that the new bucket attachment is safe and within the capabilites of the machine, then stopping the work seems a fair decision.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Hi Ian We are not in disagreement that this plant should not be used. We just appear to disagree as to who should make the decision. The line manager needs to own H&S as an integral part of their line management function - that means balancing up the H&S risks (and any mitigations) with all the other priorities on their plate that the OSH professional doesn't know about. I do think that the OSH professional should be influencing the decision, but not making it. Working for an organisation whether as an in-house adviser or as a consultant is an entirely different proposition to the role of an HSE Inspector or perhaps the person doing a thorough examination of this lifting equipment. Parliament (or the "Minister") has specifically given them authorities.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Originally Posted by: stephenburrell  Estimated bucket weight 1475kg (This is what is concerning)
No weighbridges / scales in the vicinty to categorically correct the estimate?
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Rank: Super forum user
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Originally Posted by: stephenburrell Estimated bucket weight 1475kg (This is what is concerning)
No weighbridges / scales in the vicinty to categorically correct the estimate?
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Not enough information provided on the base machine to comment, but you know the make and model so I’m sure you can google the technical spec and its max working load, to see if nearly 5 tonnes is within its capability. Did they give you a copy of the LOLER examination report, that would normally state a working load. However, send the thing back and hire one from somewhere else as it obviously does not comply as required below if it is not marked. LOLER 1998 Marking of lifting equipment 7. Every employer shall ensure that— (a)subject to sub-paragraph (b), machinery and accessories for lifting loads are clearly marked to indicate their safe working loads; (b)where the safe working load of machinery for lifting loads depends on its configuration— (i)the machinery is clearly marked to indicate its safe working load for each configuration; or
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 1 user thanked chris42 for this useful post.
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