While it may be fairly difficult to misplace a crane, bear in mind that LOLER defines lifting equipment as ‘work equipment for lifting and lowering loads and includes its attachments used for anchoring, fixing or supporting it.’ As a result, it covers a truly diverse array of products, including numerous small and simple items such as shackles and eyebolts. Furthermore, each of these items needs to be individually identifiable, and the employer must ensure that all lifting equipment is subject to an appropriate programme of test, examination and maintenance. They must also keep the records to prove it.

In terms of meeting these requirements, the good news is that technology is beginning to deliver the prospect of a slightly easier life. Leading contenders for the LEEA’s Innovation Awards at last year’s Liftex trade exhibition included two RFID-based tagging systems. This type of product offers the potential to link detailed information directly to the relevant item. As a result, it is possible to create full, cradle-to-grave histories that will literally follow the equipment around, without any need for time-consuming handwritten reports or inflexible, paper-based filing systems. 

Tags can easily be read using robust handheld readers or even suitably-enabled smartphones, and the accompanying software systems can be set up to issue engineers with automatic reminders when further action is required. While the technology is in itself not new, the cost of RFID tags has fallen significantly in recent years and consequently they have become far more viable for this type of application. Some manufacturers are now offering new equipment that already incorporates RFID tags. In most cases, retro-fitting is equally straightforward.

Although the popularity of RFID-based systems is set to grow, they are a long way from becoming a universal solution to the task of keeping lifting equipment under control. For the foreseeable future, many employers will still rely on more low-tech methods. Some use colour-coded systems of plastic tags, although unfortunately there is not an industry-standard approach for this type of scheme. Other engineers will hand stamp relevant information into the body of the equipment itself. However, this can prove difficult on smaller items. Furthermore, if the stamping is too sharp or too deep it will be a stress raiser and can lead to cracking. 

Whatever approach is adopted, if at all possible it should be combined with a central storage facility for all portable lifting equipment.  A formal system for issuing lifting equipment to staff should also be established, ensuring that only properly trained and experienced employees can get their hands on it. The person in charge of the store can also take responsibility for undertaking in-service inspection of the equipment before it is given to staff for lifting operations. Any items that give cause for concern should be quarantined prior to repair or disposal. And such procedures must always bear in mind that it is perfectly possible for lifting equipment to deteriorate in storage as quickly as it does in practice; the responsible person should never assume that equipment returned to the store in good condition will remain that way indefinitely. 

For many employers, the smallest and most straightforward items of lifting equipment can cause the biggest headaches. However, the importance of identifying and implementing an effective solution for keeping track of them should not be underestimated. Ultimately, it is just this type of equipment that tends to perform the most safety-critical roles, often taking responsibility for securing a load throughout the operation. As a result, there can be no excuse for failing to ensure that it is fit for purpose.