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SAFETYINFORMATIONSHEET
LiftingPlans(LOLER1998)
INTRODUCTION
ThisInformationSheetisoneofaseriesproducedbytheLEIASafetyandEnvironmentCommitteeontopics
relevanttotheLiftandEscalatorIndustry.Whilsteveryefforthasbeentakenintheproductionofthese
sheets, it must be acknowledged that they should be read in conjunction with the relevant legislation,
codes of practice etc. They should not be taken as an authoritative interpretation of the law but as
guidancetoit.
LIFTINGPLANS
TheLiftingOperationsandLiftingEquipmentRegulations1998(LOLER)Regulation8requiresthatevery
employershallensurethateveryliftingoperationinvolvingliftingequipmentis
(a) Properlyplannedbyacompetentperson;
(b) Appropriatelysupervised;and
(c) Carriedoutinasafemanner.
TheProductionofaLiftingPlancanensurecompliancetothislegalrequirement.
Liftingplanscanbedividedintotwocategories.

Routine(nospecificplanrequired)
Special(morecomplexlifting,mustbedocumentedwithaspecificplan)

TherearedefinedcircumstanceswhenaLiftingPlanmustbewritten,butawrittenplanisrecommended
forallbutthesimplest,routinelifts.Forroutineliftingoperationsaninitialplanmayonlyberequiredonce
butyoumayneedtoreviewitoccasionallytomakesurethatnothinghaschangedandthisgenericplan
remainsvalid.Wheretwoormoreitemsofliftingequipmentareusedsimultaneouslytoliftaloada
writtenplanshouldbedrawnupandfollowed.Awrittenplanmayalsoberequiredifyourinternal
processesoryourcustomersprocessesrequireit.
WHOSHOULDPREPAREALIFTINGPLAN?
Theemployershallensurethateveryliftingoperationinvolvingliftingequipmentisproperlyplannedbya
competentperson.Thecompetentpersonshouldhaveadequatepracticalandtheoreticalknowledgeand
experienceofplanningliftingoperations.
Competenceisnotdefinedinthelegislation,butcanbedescribedassomeonewith:

Appropriateexperience
Sufficientandrelevanttraining
Suitableskills
Aptitudeforthetask

INITIALPREPARATIONOFALIFTINGPLAN
Aliftingplanneedstoaddresstherisksidentifiedbytheriskassessmentandidentifytheresources
required,theproceduresandtheresponsibilitiessothatanyliftingoperationiscarriedoutsafely.
Initialplanningrequiresthepersonpreparingtheplantoensurethatliftingequipmentissuitableforthe
tasktakingaccountof:

Theloadtobelifted
Itsweight,shape,centreofgravity,availabilityofliftingpoints
Wheretheloadispresentlypositionedandwhereitwillbepositionedaftertheliftingoperation
Howoftentheliftingequipmentwillbeusedtocarryoutthetask

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Theenvironmentinwhichtheliftingequipmentwillbeused
Thepersonnelavailableandtheirknowledge,trainingandexperience.

DETAILEDPREPARATIONOFALIFTINGPLAN
Forplanningofliftingoperationitself(asimpleliftingoperationmayincludethefollowing):

Assesstheweightoftheload
Choosetherightaccessoryforlifting,(natureandweightoftheload,environment)
Checktheanticipatedpathoftheload(noobstructions)
Ensurevisibilityoftheloadduringtheliftingoperation
Prepareasuitableplacetosetdowntheload
Fittheslingtotheload(usinganappropriatemethodofslinging,takingaccoutoftheeffectonSWL
oftheslingingmethod)
Makethelift(atriallift,raisingtheloadacoupleofcentimetresmaybenecessarytosettletheload
andtotestthecentreofgravity)
Completethelift
Releasetheslings
Securetheloadatitsfinaldestination
Clearup.

STRENGTHANDSTABILITYOFTHEEQUIPMENT
Thecompetentpersonshouldassesswhethertheliftingequipmentandliftingpointshaveadequate
strengthfortheproposeduseandthatitwillbestableinuse.
FACTORSAFFECTINGTHESTRENGTHOFTHELIFTINGEQUIPMENT

Mountingorfixingpoints,typesofliftingeyes,liftingpointsonloadsetc.
Wind(mustbeconsidered,althoughmoreapplicabletotowercranes)
Modificationstoequipment
Weightofaccessories

FACTORSAFFECTINGTHESTABILITYOFTHELIFTINGEQUIPMENT.

Thestrengthofthegroundorsurfaceunderthecraneorliftingstructureandundertheloadandat
thelandingpointtakingintoaccountanyundergroundstructuresorservices
Whetherthesurfaceonwhichtheliftingequipmentoperatesisonaslope
Thesizeandnatureoftheload(e.g.whethertheloaditselfisunstable)
Howtheloadisintendedtobelifted
Windandotherweatherconditions

WHATTOINCLUDEINTHEWRITTENPLANDOCUMENT
SeeproformatemplateinAppendix1

Detailsofmethodstatement,risk
assessmentandcontrols
Loaditsweight(actualorassessed),
size,centreofgravity(sketchif
necessary).
Liftingequipmentandaccessoriestobe
used(type,SWL,examined)
Liftingpoints
Groundconditions

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Communicationtype(radio,hand
signalsetc),difficulties(language)
Lighting
Pathoftheload(hazards)
Methodofslingingetc.
Anyrequirementtoworkunder
suspendedloads
Useofhandlinestocontroltheload
Accessandemergencyescaperoutes
Competenceofpersonnel
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Numberofpersonrequired
Preuseinspections
PermittoliftfromPrincipalContractor
Numberanddurationoflifts

Visibilityofloadthroughoutlift

Controlofanyfallhazardsatlanding
point.
Otherconflictingtasks
Fullbriefingtoallinvolved
Debriefandlearning

OTHERCONSIDERATIONS
LiftingequipmentandaccessoriesmusthavehadaThoroughExaminationandinspectionandrecordskept
andavailable:

Liftingequipment(Installed)ThoroughExaminationafterinstallation/assemblyandpriortofirst
use;(e.g.builtinliftingbeams)
Liftingequipment(General)ThoroughExaminationbeforebeingputintoserviceatanewlocation
LiftingequipmentforLiftingPersonsThoroughExaminationwithinthelast6months;
Liftingaccessory(General)ThoroughExaminationwithinthelast6month
Liftingequipmentmustbemarkedwithitssafeworkingload

FURTHERINFORMATION
LiftingOperationsandLiftingEquipmentRegulations(LOLER)1998
SafeUseofLiftingEquipment:ApprovedCodeofPracticeandGuidanceHSEL113
BritishStandards:
BS71211:2006Codeofpracticeforsafeuseofcranes.General
BS71212:2003Codeofpracticeforsafeuseofcranes.Inspection,testingandexamination
BS71213:2000Codeofpracticeforsafeuseofcranes.Mobilecranes

ForanyclarificationofthisinformationsheetcontactyourcompanySafetyAdvisorortheLEIA
SafetyandTrainingManager.

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APPENDIX1
LIFTINGPLANEXAMPLE

Location

Area

Diagram/Sketchofliftingoperationattached

DescriptionofLiftingOperation

LiftingOperationCategory

WeightofLoad

LiftingEquipmentandAccessoriestobeused
(type,SWL,coding)

Taskdetails(stepbystep)

Method/sof
Radio
communicationtobe
used

PermitN

RiskAssessmentN

MethodStatementN

Yes

No

Routine

Special

Actual

Assessed

Oral

Handsignals

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APPENDIX1
LIFTINGPLANEXAMPLE
Considerthefollowinginpreparationoftaskdetails:
(notanexhaustivelist)
Detailsofmethodstatement,riskassessment

andcontrols
Groundconditions

Liftingequipmentandaccessoriestobeused

(type,SWL,examined)
Loadweight,size,centreofgravity(sketchif

necessary).
Pathoftheload(hazards)

Workingundersuspendedloads

Accessandemergencyescaperoutes

Numberofpersonnelrequired

PermittoliftfromPrincipalContractor
Yes/No
Visibilityofloadthroughoutlift

Fullbriefingtoallinvolved
Controloffallhazardsbefore,duringand
afterliftingoperation
Debriefandlearningpoints

Preparedby
Name

Reviewedby
Name

Approvedby
Name

DesignatedSupervisoroflift

Weightoftheload(actualorassessed)

Liftingpoints

Communicationtype(radio,handsignalsetc),
difficulties(language)
Lighting

Methodofslingingetc.

Useofhandlinestocontroltheload

Competenceofpersonnel

Preuseinspections

Numberanddurationoflifts

Otherconflictingtasksinthearea

Debriefandlearning

Signature

Date

Signature

Date

Signature

Date

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