Hello, I’m Lee Atterbury,  your Servicing Co-ordinator here at Hcsuk.

A question I regularly get asked by our servicing customers is:

‘When should thorough examinations/inspections/services be carried out on patient hoists, and what are the specified and recommended intervals?

So I wanted to write an article to address this question as it may be helpful to others too who are seeking more guidance and clarity on this important topic.

There is a legal requirement for patient hoists and other lifting accessories to be thoroughly examined or inspected every 6 months under LOLER (Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations) - a set of regulations applying to all lifting equipment and lifting operations in the workplace – regardless if it is patient lifting equipment or not administered by HSE.

Hoists and stand assists / stand aids should be examined after assembly, commissioned before use for the first time, and then at regular 6 monthly intervals, whilst in service.

For more information on our commissioning service, which we offer with the purchase of every hoist, as standard, for your convenience and safety, you can make an enquiry here: (link enquiry form)

NB: All associated lifting accessories used to lift people including patient slings also need to be inspected every 6 months.

You may also find this article helpful; How Often Should Patient Lifting Slings Be Inspected?

How often should patient slings be inspected?

What is a 'thorough examination' under LOLER?

The HSE states:

This is a systematic and detailed examination of the equipment and safety-critical parts, carried out at specified intervals by a competent person who must then complete a written report. This report must contain the following information as a minimum:

·   the examination date

·   the date when the next thorough examination is due

·   any defects found which are (or could potentially become) a danger to people

Where serious defects are identified, the competent person carrying out the examination must immediately report this verbally to the duty holder. This should then be followed by the written report, a copy of which must also be sent to the relevant enforcing authority.

Is your care equipment fully compliant? Get your free copy of our 'Industry Essential Requirements And Best Practice Servicing Guide' Here for the servicing and maintenance of your care equipment and more information on your responsibilities under LOLER regulations to help demonstrate that you run a SAFE service and to give you peace of mind.

Who does LOLER affect?

As a care provider, you are legally obliged to comply with LOLER regulations.

As a service provider, our engineers have a responsibility for ensuring equipment is safe to use for a minimum of 6 months.

Who is a 'competent person'? Here’s the official definition from the HSE…..

The term 'competent person' is not defined in law but the LOLER Approved Code of Practice and guidance states that:

'You should ensure that the person carrying out a thorough examination has such appropriate practical and theoretical knowledge and experience of the lifting equipment to be thoroughly examined as will enable them to detect defects or weaknesses and to assess their importance in relation to the safety and continued use of the lifting equipment.'

Although the competent person may often be employed by another organisation, this is not necessary, provided they are sufficiently independent and impartial to ensure that in-house examinations are made without fear or favour. However, this should NOT be the same person who undertakes routine maintenance of the equipment - as they would then be responsible for assessing their own maintenance work.

In our case, our very own competent person is our Servicing Superstar; Phil Cotton, who many of you will know. Phil has over seven years’ experience within the mobility and health care sector. A coach builder by trade, Phil worked his way up to become a Quality Control Manager, before applying his ‘healing hands’ to work wonders within the health care industry.

'What is actually covered by a hoist service and how frequently should this be carried out?

A hoist service is different to a LOLER thorough examination/inspection, much like you would service a car regularly, a hoist needs to be serviced regularly to keep it in tip top working condition to ensure the continued safety of your staff and residents.

A service needs to include all matters which affect the safety of the lifting equipment, including likely deterioration with time.

With a thorough service with Hcsuk, you can expect an inspection of all the following criteria:

·        Handset

·        Actuator

·        Mains Cable Charging Station

·        Electric & Mechanical Leg Action

·        Control Unit

·        Battery

·        Mast

·        Boom

·        Spreader Bar

·        Chassis

Visual examinations and functional checks are standard on all of the above. Phil will then hand a copy of this report to the duty holder so you can see what exactly has been examined and tested. This service needs to be carried out annually as a minimum.

For more information on patient lifting hoists and the different types of hoists which are available, you may find the following blog helpful:

http://hcsuk.co.uk/news/how-to-use-a-nursing-home-hoist-step-by-step/

Our engineer Phil works in a safe, courteous, and conscientious manner at all times, and prides himself on the level of service and inspection he provides, with the safety and comfort of your family member at the forefront of his mind at all times.

But don’t just take our word for it, here’s what one of our happy customers had to say about Phil:

‘I just wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you for an excellent service we received when we had our hoist, hoist slings and weight chair scales serviced. The gentleman who came was very polite and friendly with a professional manner. The reason we choose Hcsuk is that we have always received excellent service from you and always received a friendly response when we contact any member of your team.’ Colleen J (Care Manager)

If you have any questions regarding hoist servicing and inspections, or would like to benefit from our excellent service levels, for all of your care equipment please call us today on 01773 713713 or email us at servicing@hcsuk.co.uk

We're dedicated to your peace of mind and we’d love to hear from you.

You can download a copy of our latest servicing brochure 'Helping you to create safer care environments' here for full details of how you can benefit from our pre-planned service and maintenance packages, because we've been improving lives for over 30 years and our team are dedicated to your peace of mind.