4. Lifting equipment

Another very important piece of legislation is the Lifting Operations Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER).

LOLER defines a load as:

‘an operation concerned with the lifting or lowering of a load'. A "load" is the item or items being lifted, which includes a person or people.’

This regulation is concerned with equipment that is used to lift, or lift and transport a patient's weight.

The leglislation requires that equipment provided for use at work is:

• Suitable for the intended use.
• Safe for use, maintained in a safe condition and inspected to ensure it is correctly installed and does not subsequently deteriorate. In healthcare, hoists and slings must be checked by a competent person every 6 months.
• Used only by people who have received adequate information, instruction and training (accompanied by suitable health and safety measures, such as protective devices and controls).