INFORMATION CENTRE

1 MONTH

• LEV Plant (blasting of metal casting)

6 MONTHS

• Builders Hoists
• Chains, Ropes or Lifting Tackle (lifting accessories)
• Escalators
• LEV Plant (grinding of metal dust)
• Lifts – passenger carrying
• Motor Vehicle Lifting Table
• Order Pickers
• Permanently installed suspended access equipment
• Power Press/Press Brakes—automatic, interlocking or photo-electric guards
• Powered access Equipment

12 MONTHS

• Air Receivers (working examination)
• Bakers Ovens
• Cranes and other non-passenger carrying lifting machines
• Economisers
• Excavators
• Fork Lift Trucks
• Guard of Injection Moulding Machinery
• Lifts – non-passenger
• Overhead Crane Rail Tracks
• Power Press/Press Brakes—fixed guards
• Self Fired Vessels
• Steam Boilers
• Steam Receivers
• Superheaters

14 MONTHS

• LEV Plant (general dust and fume)

24 MONTHS

Air Receivers (thorough examination)

What is a Thorough examination?

A Thorough examination is required by law under the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER, 1998) to assess whether workplace lifting equipment is safe to use. It should only be carried out by a competent engineer who can identify dangerous defects and thoroughly report these findings. The report should include the date of the inspection and the date the next one is due.

Who is competent to carry out a Thorough examination?

Thorough equipment examinations and inspections should be carried out by an experienced engineer who meets the requirements of the LOLER Approved Code of Practice. A competent engineer has sufficient technical and practical knowledge of lifting equipment in order to assess potential risks.  This person should be independent and impartial in order to deliver an accurate and objective report. PSI LTD has over 30 years experience in engineering examinations.

How often should a Thorough inspection be carried out on equipment and machinery?

Health and safety regulations require all workplace equipment to be inspected on a regular basis, which is generally between 6-12 months. This is subject to different factors such as the intensity in which machinery is used and any significant changes made to its operating conditions. A competent examiner can determine the appropriate interval between each inspection. See our services page for more details on examination frequencies.

Is a Thorough examination or inspection the same as routine maintenance?

No they are not the same but both are required. A Thorough examination is a requirement of LOLER whilst PUWER requires the maintenance of work equipment and this applies to all types of machinery, including lifting equipment.

Who is responsible for ensuring equipment is safe?

The duty holder is responsible for ensuring that all machinery meets statutory regulations and is suitable for use in all sectors of industry. Employers have a duty to ensure that no person or employee is exposed to risk by arranging inspections to be carried out by a competent person. These duties are primarily covered by LOLER and PUWER and any other regulations applicable to health and safety.

For your PSI examination to take place it is essential that all legal obligations are complied with. The following inspection requirements should be noted and adhered to:

PLANT AVAILABLITY

All machinery requiring inspection must be withdrawn from normal operation for the duration of the examination. By prior arrangement, we will be able to advise which items of the plant require examination. This can be carried out either by post or on the telephone.

PLANT IDENTIFICATION:

It is essential that each piece of equipment that requires examination carries a clear and indelible identification mark. This is required by law and is a condition of our agreement to examine your equipment.

PLANT PREPARATION:

All preparations for examination must be completed to coincide with the engineer surveyor’s appointment time. Guidance of plant preparation requirements are available from PSI upon request.

PLANT ACCESS AND SAFETY:

If necessary, all keys should be made available at the arranged examination time. At all times, safe access must be made available, and must comply with relevant regulations. If temporary access arrangements are required, our engineer will advise of the measures that are required and how they should be organised. Assistance, if required, should be made available by your client’s staff, e.g. temporary ladders must be secure and footed by a member of staff.

Our engineer will require details of safe working procedures at your client’s premises, and details of any hazardous substances on site (please refer to COSHH Assessment).

To fulfill our obligations to The Health and Safety at Work Act, we may need to make other enquiries and will require the assistance and co-operation of all staff

PREVIOUS REPORTS AND OTHER RECORDS:

PSI hold a comprehensive record of all examinations it has previously undertaken. Where a plant has not been previously examined by PSI, it is essential that the following records are made available:

• The last report of thorough examination and a current test certificate.
• For pressure plants, the “Written Scheme of Examination” where applicable.
• For local exhaust ventilation plant – initial Assessment of Risk and Appraisal of Performance (commissioning reports).

PSI is a founding member of INITA, the Independent National Inspection & Testing Association. Founded in 1998, INITA was established in order to allow industry professionals to discuss the technical and resourcing issues surrounding the field of statutory inspections. A range of professionals agreed to attend the initial meetings and it was agreed that much benefit was to be found in sharing and exchanging technical and resource knowledge.

In order to join INITA a company must:

Carry out engineering inspections or testing.
Be approved by the majority of INITA members.
Meet INITA’s quality assurance demands.
Prove that they are insured with Professional Indemnity insurance.
Provide an appropriate Health and Safety Policy documents.

INITA began as a body of six independent inspection businesses. These members carefully selected other professional bodies and invited them to join. From those original six, INITA has grown to 25 members. INITA is unique in the sense that is predominantly made up of hands-on engineering surveyors who have direct experience carrying out examinations. INITA demands that a high level of professionalism is required of prospective members. In order to join, a business must prove that they are fully insured with Professional Indemnity Insurance. INITA is also concerned with professional integrity and impartiality when it comes to inspections. Every application for membership is closely scrutinised, and only the best are accepted.

Early after establishment, INITA made professional contact with HSE (the Health and Safety Executive) and have worked with them ever since in a professional dialogue. Periodic INITA meeting are also attended by HSE guest speakers. Meetings regularly discuss issues such as professional safety and statutory compliance issues. INITA are involved with the discussion in relation to new legislation, so our body has a real impact on the statutory inspection industry.

HSE and testing professionals find great value in coming together to discuss these issues. INITA’s goals are to promote safety standards within the engineering industry and at the same time excel in their knowledge and expertise of the field. At PSI Ltd we are proud to say that we had a hand in its conception and continual development.