1.1 FOREWORD

This code of practice was first published by the Lifting Equipment Engineers Association (then called the Chain Testers’ Association of Great Britain) in 1981. Since then the code has been regularly updated and expanded.

Most modern legislation, which forms the basic philosophy of this code, places responsibilities on designers, manufacturers, importers, and suppliers of equipment to ensure that the articles are designed and constructed to be safe and without risk to health; to carry out the necessary testing and examination and to ensure that the person supplied is provided with adequate information to ensure safety in use and maintenance, including information about any foreseeable hazards. They also place responsibilities on employers to ensure the health and safety at work of employees by the provision of equipment and systems which are safe and without risk to health; to provide maintenance of the equipment to ensure continued safety and to provide employees with information, instruction, training and supervision to ensure health and safety at work.

Manufacturers of lifting equipment, or other responsible persons with the duty of a manufacturer, must comply with applicable national supply legislation. Although this legislation varies globally the fundamental requirements, supported by EN ISO 12100 for lifting machines and accessories are the same in that they identify the ‘essential safety requirements’ to be addressed by the manufacturer to overcome the hazards related to lifting equipment.

In many countries’ employers, those responsible for the control of work equipment and self-employed persons, have duties under use of work equipment legislation. This legislation therefore forms the basis of this code of practice. Fundamentally this means that employers are assumed to be responsible for ensuring that work equipment complies with any requirements relating to its design or construction, that it is regularly inspected, maintained, thoroughly examined and is selected and used correctly for the required task.

This code has been published in order to provide guidance for all those persons and organisations having responsibility for safety in the selection and use of lifting equipment. Every effort has been made to achieve a high degree of accuracy and to ensure that all the advice given is in line with what is regarded by LEEA as best practice at the time of publication, but ultimate responsibility for safety must continue to rest with the above mentioned persons and organisations. Certain of the products covered by the code may be supplied either in the form of proprietary designs or to the design requirements of individual users and the persons and organisations concerned must accept responsibility for safety requirements.

The code covers many items of equipment available. However, it is not possible in a document of this nature to cover every application in detail and it is hoped that most problems can be settled by reference to the principles contained herein. For convenience, the code is presented in sections classified according to types of lifting equipment. This general section must be read in conjunction with other appropriate sections dealing with specific items of equipment.

Whilst it is the intention that this code shall apply to new and repaired equipment supplied by LEEA members, the practices covered can also be applied to existing equipment, although caution is advised on the use of older equipment where special requirements may apply. The respective sections highlight these requirements as appropriate and it is the user’s responsibility to ensure such equipment, and the use of that equipment, meets with the legal requirements currently in force.

The practices set out in this code, particularly the descriptions of the equipment, align to or quote current International or National Standards where they exist, as the working party consider that these provide a benchmark level of safety and performance in use. Whilst it is recognised that a variety of equipment can be supplied by LEEA members to their clients, it is not the intention to be restrictive on this aspect, apart from indicating that where equipment is purchased which does not conform to such a recognised standard, then the advice of a Competent Person should be sought before purchase. Where other national standards are invoked, users should ensure that the safety and performance requirements are equivalent to and definitely not inferior to the standards adopted by their national standards body. Throughout the code, references to Standards relate to the current issue in print, unless the date of the Standard is quoted.