Engineering Inspections

Engineering inspections cover a range of statutory inspections applicable under the following regulations.

Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER 1998)

This regulation is applicable to:

• Power presses
• PPE and access equipment – harnesses, adders, restraint wires etc
• Pressure vessels under 250 bar/litres – air receivers, air/oil receivers, expansion vessels etc
• Earth moving equipment – excavators, dumper trucks, trenching buckets etc
• Workshop equipment – bearing presses, axle stands, pallet trucks etc

Regulation 5 of PUWER places the onus on employers to ensure that their work equipment is in good repair and safe for employees to operate.

Work equipment must be inspected:

• at installation, or when moved to a new site where installation conditions affect safety
• at regular intervals when exposed to conditions which can cause the equipment to deteriorate and pose a risk to employees

Statutory thorough examinations do not negate the requirement for regular servicing, inspection, and maintenance.

Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER 98 Regulations)

This regulation is applicable to:

• Any machine which lifts a load
• Lifting accessories which attach a load to a lifting machine (e.g. a grain bucket, fork tines on a forklift)

The usual Statutory Examination intervals are:

• 12 months for goods lifting machines (forklift, cranes etc)
• 6 months for personnel lifting machines (lifts, elevating work platforms etc)
• 6 months for lifting attachments (grain buckets, fork tines on a forklift)

These intervals can be extended or reduced in some very limited situations.

Pressure System Safety Regulations 2000 (PSSR 2000)

This regulation is applicable to:

• Any business or organisation which operates pressure systems or machinery which utilises a relevant fluid to function

What is a ‘relevant fluid’?

• Pressurised steam
• Compressed or liquified gas (which includes air), which is at an atmospheric pressure over 0.5 bar
• Water pressurised above 110°C
• A gas which dissolves when under pressure in a solvent (such as acetylene)

What is a pressure system?

The HSE defines pressure systems as ‘a system comprising one or more pressure vessels of rigid construction, any associated pipework, and protective devices.’

This includes machinery such as air receivers (compressor tanks), autoclaves, and commercial coffee machines.

There are varying examination intervals, with two types of examination:

• Thorough examination, which includes internals, testing of safety devices, and non-destructive testing (NDT)
• Working examination, which is a visual examination while the system is in use (normally annually)

Each system must also have a Written Scheme of Examination (WSE) accurately reflecting the system and items that must be included within the thorough examination. ABRM include the creation of these documents within their service charge at no extra cost to the client.

Control of Substances Hazardous to Health 2002 (COSHH 2002)

This regulation is applicable to:

• Spray booths
• Fume cabinets
• Dust extractors
• Welding fume extractors
• Vehicle exhaust fume extractors

Employers have a legal responsibility to ensure that employees’ exposure to dust and fumes is minimised and well controlled.

• Employers must assess the risks to their workers from hazardous substances (dusts, fumes, vapours) and decide what measures to put in place to protect their health.
• If the measures they adopt include the use of extraction systems (Local Exhaust & Ventilation (LEV) then they must maintain the LEV in efficient working order.
• A periodic thorough examination and test should be carried out at intervals of no more than 14 months. This may be as low as six-monthly, depending on the type of operations carried out.

Our engineering surveyors can provide a range of statutory inspections, ensuring you comply with the following: Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER), Pressure Systems Safety Regulations (PSSR) and Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH), the latter in terms of Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) examination and testing. The engineers also offer general advice/inspections in line with the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER).