Equipment Inspection

Equipment Inspection. Let us look at Personal Protective Equipment Regulation 2002. It just states that we must check our equipment on a regular basis, ideally before use, after use, and certainly in line with any manufacturer's recommendations. Then we have got the Lifting Operation and Lifting Equipment regulations, which came out in 1998, known as LOLER. Now, this also means we need to check our equipment, particularly if it is lifting people. Some examples would be ropes, winches, tripods, are all lifting equipment. You have to bring in an independent person to examine this equipment. They have to be competent. They have to do the tests, at least six monthly. Any defects, though, need to be either quarantined or labelled up to make sure that nobody uses it.

Let us now look at what we consider to be local site procedures. This is really a bit of a background of what we should have in place before we even start doing confined space entry. We agree the day, the task, and the location. Then we can confirm what is the actual entry classification. Next, this assessment method statements need to be produced. And drawings. Now, drawings are integral as part of our planning, both for the job that is being done, but also for the emergency phase: Being able to see inside, knowing the dimensions, all can help by having those drawings. Then we get the permits in place. A point of contact, usually a supervisor on site. Many sites insist on having a safety induction scheme. And then there are arrangements purely for contractors who are on-site. So all this is the pre-planning phase before we even start the job.