PUWER and LOLER Examinations

Safe and legally compliant equipment

"There is an obvious team spirit at K&W that makes these guys a pleasure to work with"

Choose from one of our distributors above.

Engcon

Engcon

We recently became Engcon UK Service Centre, approved by Engcon themselves to supply and install new equipment, along with the removal, reinstallation and repairs of existing equipment.

Prolec

Prolec

Are you seeking height limiters, slew limiters or rated capacity indicators for your project? Prolec are manufacturers of excavator safety systems - and here at K&W Mechanical, we are proud to be authorised distributors and installers of Prolec products.

Xwatch

Xwatch

Searching for fast, reliable supply and servicing of your XWATCH Safety Systems? Established in 1977, our highly-trained engineers have a rich knowledge of the ins and outs of a range of XWATCH products. Whether you need some advice picking a product, or a rapid repair to get your product up and running again - we can help.

Synergy Smart

Synergy Smart

Spot hazards quickly and easily with Synergy Smart Vision 360. This innovative technology creates a 360 degrees birds eye view, enabling the machine operator to see all hazards, in all directions - so you can make a safe move every time.

VEI

VEI

If you’re seeking accurate, professional on-board weighing systems and loader scales, we can supply and install VEI models wherever you are in the UK. Here at K&W Mechanical, we’re experts in the supply, installation, servicing and inspection of plant hire equipment.

Wire-Watcher

Wire-Watcher

Wire-Watchers are a vital overhead powerline detection system, most commonly found in vehicles with a ‘variable height factor’. Here at K&W Mechanical, we have over 40 years’ experience in the supply, repair and servicing of essential plant and construction equipment - including Wire-Watchers.

iDIG

iDIG

Dig is a leading excavator grade control system, which allows the operator to get total control over the slope, depth and distance of their excavations to the nearest centimetre. This guarantees a precise result, saving you time on your operation.

PUWER & LOLER

PUWER & LOLER

Don’t let your machinery let you down. Instead, avoid downtime and compliance issues with PUWER inspections and PUWER testing from K&W Mechanical. With 40 years’ experience, our engineers are fully qualified to carry out inspections in line with the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.

Why Choose Us?

  • Outstanding customer service
  • Professional engineering & technical excellence
  • Fully accredited. All staff fully trained & compliant
  • Brilliant reputation amongst customers
Find out more about us

PUWER & LOLER Inspections

"Specialists in the field of site safety"

Don’t let your machinery let you down. Instead, avoid downtime and compliance issues with PUWER inspections and LOLER testing from K&W Mechanical. With 40 years’ experience, our engineers are fully qualified to carry out inspections in line with the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. 

PUWER regulations are there to ensure any work equipment is:

  • Safe
  • Fit for purpose
  • Maintained to legal standards
  • Operated by trained individuals 
  • Displaying all the correct markings 

It’s vital you get a professional PUWER assessment carried out before using equipment, whether cranes, plant equipment, LLT shackles for the first time, and then every 6 – 12 months following. 

Professional PUWER Assessments

The engineers at K&W Mechanical are certified to carry out comprehensive PUWER inspections and testing. Established in 1977 in Bloxwich, West Midlands, we’ve built a strong reputation as reliable, highly-trained engineers with a vast knowledge of plant and construction machinery.

LOLER Inspections

Keep your lifting equipment fully functional with detailed LOLER inspections from our trained engineers. These checks will address any safety worries quickly and easily, thanks to our responsive service across Walsall, West Bromwich and beyond. 

We carry out LOLER testing and assessments in line with the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations – making sure your equipment is legal and safe to use. 

Our LOLER checks will ensure your lifting equipment is: 

  • Stable 
  • Fit-for-purpose
  • Used and stored safely
  • Marked with correct information
  • Operated by trained staff 

A UK-Wide Service

To discover more about our PUWER and LOLER inspections and how they can help your business, simply contact us today. We’re always happy to answer questions, and we provide a national service which includes our local areas of Walsall and West Bromwich. 

 

Call us today: 01922 496 394

Our Accreditations

  • ISO 9001
  • LEEA

Frequently Asked Questions

Loler Questions
arrow What does LOLER apply to?

LOLER (the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations) apply to any lifting equipment used at work – including employees’ own lifting equipment – for lifting or lowering loads, including attachments used for anchoring, fixing or supporting it. However, the Regulations do not extend to fixed anchor points that form part of a building or structure.

LOLER covers a wide range of equipment, including:

  • cranes
  • fork-lift trucks
  • lifts
  • hoists
  • mobile elevating work platforms
  • vehicle inspection platform hoists

The Regulations also include lifting accessories, such as chains, slings, eyebolts etc. LOLER does not apply to escalators, which are covered by the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations.

arrow When do the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) apply?

LOLER applies to work equipment used for lifting operations (ie ‘operations concerned with the lifting or lowering of a load’). The Regulations also apply to the safe installation, marking and thorough examination / inspection of lifting equipment. These requirements must be met by employers, the relevant self-employed and by people who have control over work equipment. If you are self-employed and your work poses no risk to the health and safety of others, then health and safety law may not apply to you. HSE has guidance to help you understand if the law applies. The recording of examinations and inspections is also required by LOLER, and those conducting them have duties under the Regulations for reporting serious defects – both to the user and to the relevant enforcing authority.

arrow What is lifting equipment?

Lifting equipment is any work equipment for lifting or lowering loads and includes its attachments used for anchoring, fixing or supporting it. It includes any lifting accessories that attach the load to the equipment in addition to the equipment which carries out the actual lifting function. A ‘load’ includes ‘a person’ as well as the usual material, animals or combination of these that are lifted by the lifting equipment.

arrow Can I use an excavator for lifting?

You can do this as long as:

  • lifting is permitted by the original manufacturer
  • the machine has dedicated lifting points (with safe working load markings)
  • it is used in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions
  • has been subject to a thorough examination

Where the lifting capacity of the machine exceeds one tonne, it should be equipped with a rated capacity indicator and boom check valves.

arrow What is a LOLER thorough examination?

This is a complete and thorough check of the equipment and safety-critical parts, carried out at specified intervals by a competent person and concluded with a written report. The report must include the date of the thorough examination and the date the next one is due. It should also specify any defects that are / are about to become a danger to people. Where serious defects are identified, the competent person carrying out the examination must report this verbally to the dutyholder and then provide this information in a written report. A copy of the report must also be sent to the relevant enforcing authority.

arrow What requirements apply to the use of fork-lift trucks?

When any fork lift is used to lift or lower loads, employers and others who may be in control of the lifting operation must ensure that it is planned, supervised and carried out in a safe manner. This doesn’t mean a formal plan has to be prepared for every individual lifting operation but, where there is a significant change from standard practice, additional effort may be required to ensure lifting is carried out safely. For further guidance, see: Managing lift trucks.

LOLER requires that the lifting chains, forks, hoist mechanism (ie mast and cylinders) and fork attachments are subject to a thorough examination , either at 12-month intervals or as specified in the written scheme of examination. In addition, as required by PUWER, lift trucks should be maintained at all times for safety, with other parts (eg brakes and lights) being inspected at regular intervals, including essential daily pre-use checks.

arrow Should lifting warning devices be part of a 'Thorough Examination'?

Yes. Devices fitted to machines, such as cranes, which cut-out hoisting, derricking or trolleying motions, eg when the SWL is exceeded, should be regarded as part of the lifting equipment and be included in the thorough examination. This applies also to any radius/load indicator fitted to lifting equipment.

Puwer Questions
arrow What are the main requirements of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER)?

The main requirements are essentially that any risks to people’s health and safety arising from the use of work equipment are prevented or controlled by:

  • selecting and providing the right equipment for the job
  • ensuring work equipment is safely used by trained people
  • inspecting and maintaining work equipment so it remains safe

These requirements must be met by employers, the relevant self-employed and by people who have control over work equipment. If you are self-employed and your work poses no risk to the health and safety of others, then health and safety law may not apply to you. HSE has guidance to help you understand if the law applies. There are also other more detailed requirements in PUWER, for example selecting equipment which meets product supply law and the guarding of dangerous parts. There are particular provisions in PUWER relating to mobile work equipment, woodworking machinery and power presses.

arrow What is work equipment?

Work equipment is any machinery, appliance, apparatus, tool or installation for use at work, whether exclusively used at work or not. The scope of work equipment is therefore extremely wide.

arrow Why do I have to inspect work equipment?

As an employer, you are legally required to provide safe equipment for use in connection with your work. Where the safe of equipment depends on the installation conditions or is exposed to conditions causing deterioration liable to result in dangerous situations, you must inspect your equipment to identify whether it can be operated, adjusted and maintained safely. Doing this on a regular basis can help you detect any deterioration and take action before it results in any health and safety risk.

In a few cases – such as power presses working on cold metal (referred to in regulation 33 of PUWER) – the law requires inspection of certain aspects at prescribed intervals. Further guidance is available in: Safe use of power presses ACOP and Guidance.

arrow How often do I have to inspect work equipment?

Inspection frequencies depend on the type of work equipment, its use and the conditions to which it is exposed. This should be determined through:

  • risk assessment, taking full account of any manufacturer’s recommendations
  • the advice of others, such as trade associations and consultants
  • other sources, such as published advice on health and safety

Different types of inspection include:

  • quick checks before use (eg the condition of electric cables on hand-held power tools, functional testing of brakes)
  • weekly checks (eg tyre pressures, presence of guarding, function of safety devices)
  • more extensive examinations, undertaken every few months or longer (eg the general condition of a ladder, close examination of a safety harness, portable appliance testing).

You should do what is necessary to ensure a reasonable level of safety with any item of work equipment.

Get in contact

    Call us today: 01922 496 394

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