EBME Forums Forums Management Medical Equipment Management Lifting Equipment

Hi
Can anyone shed any light on the great mystery surroundind the legislation/regulations involving lifting equipment in hospitals.
We have been advised by several 'informed' sources that we are obliged to have our patient lifting hoists,etc tested to the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLR)standards at six monthly intervals.
I have trolled through the LOLR regs and I can't find this specifically spelt out.
One of the major hoist manufacturers tells me that it not a requirement to test six monthly.
Would be grateful for any comments.
John

Check out the HSE booklet "simple guide to the lifting operations and lifting equipment regulations 1998" available on their site.
On page 3 it says equipment & acessories used for lifting people must be checked at least six-monthly.

Hi guys

Just had a HSE inspection / audit and it was interpreted and agreed to by them and us that lifting equipment has to be inspected 6 monthly by a competant person and must be on some form of schedule.

Testing / PPM / further inspection however is carried out every 12 months by Arjo or equivalent.

So PPM every 52
Inspect every 26

Hope this helps

Paul

(Oh and they wanted to see comprehensive objective evidence that these inspections had indeed been carried out - good old Equipment Management Systems eh ?)

Lifting and handling equipment should be passed on to Estates department. They are not Medical equipment and do we as professionals want to get involved in these issues?

I suggest you pass it on, otherwise we will get involved in beds, wheel chairs etc.

alex

Our Estates "look after" all the hoists and such like - but they recently tried to unload the beds onto my department. I posted a poll on here and over 60% of people said they didn't do beds. I bounced them back to Estates with an offer of support for the electric beds if the problem was with the handsets or control boxes.

If you read the Dept of Health definition of Medical Equipment and Devices you could certainly interpret it as including hoists and electric beds - both could come under the category of "treatment or alleviation of desease or symptoms". I simply don't have the staff, the workshop facilities or the equipment to start mending hoists and beds ! !

Historically, Our Estates dept has done Beds and Hoists. We don't have the space to do them (and we don't want to do them). I think an estates craftsman is easily capable of servicing these types of equipment.

Ah, now that alot of us are coming under the Facilities umbrella, including Estates - is it still to be 'them & us'?
Infact, we are all tradesmen - trained professionals.
Our Equipment Library, managed by Medical Electronics, could be taking on the management of such things as beds, hoists and wheelchairs - a centralised 'all in' service.

Merry Xmas
Mark

I check the exercise equipment, used within physiotherapy. LOLER regs also apply to multigyms and such like equipment.

Cheers
Mark

Roy, 8/12, I had the definitions of a bed and a hoist (we dont look after them) explained to me in a different way.
Bed = Main function, to lie upon a nd support weight during rest. Therefore not a piece of medical equipment.
Hoist = Main function, to lift and support weight. Therefore not a piece of medical equipment.
Both these type of equipment are looked after by our Lifting & Handling Management Team.
Also John 8/12, I cant help but feel your statement about estates craftsmen (person) being capable of looking after this type of equipment is a bit superior. All the estates bods I know are more than capable of doing our jobs if they where trained to do so.

Does one require some sort of lifting device to to get on/off of ones pedestal