Did you know that Regulation 9 of LOLER [2] requires that vehicle lifts are thoroughly examined by a competent person after installation and before being put into use?

A report of the thorough examination should be provided confirming whether the lift has been installed correctly and is safe to use. A load test should be carried out as part of the thorough examination to check for faults with the installation or the surrounding floor. Load tests should be carried out using the manufacturer’s rated maximum capacity of the lift. The test loads should result in an even loading of the lifting elements and be of proven accuracy to within ±1.0%. If test loads are proven on a weighbridge, the weighbridge should have been calibrated within the previous 12 months.

Of course, It might be desirable to test the lift at a lesser load than the rated capacity if grounds exist for this to be considered. In this case the marking of the rated capacity on the lift should be changed to suit the actual load used and the details recorded in the report of thorough examination.

This is why Bullworthy have heavily invested in vehicle and equipment to carry out the load testing of our vehicle lift installations. Upon completion of installation all vehicle lifts are left clearly marked with a large SWL label indicating the safe working load as you approach the lift. Our paperwork is completed on site electronically and within minutes is logged onto the Bullworthy portal system, offering our customers various ways in which they can observe their legal paperwork.

So be careful, make sure the company you choose to use for your lift installations does not put you, your company and your employees at risk by cutting out important legislation.

To find out more about our load testing service, please contact our service team on (01295) 768373 or alternatively you can email them us enquiries@bullworthy.co.uk.