Introduction to Health and Safety at Work

17.33.9
Inspection of Work Equipment – 
Regulation 12
This regulation applies only to work equipment to which 
Regulation 8 and Schedules 2 to 6 apply. The require-
ments include the following:
➤
where work equipment used for work at height 
depends for safety on how it is installed or assem-
bled, the employer must ensure that it is not used 
after installation or assembly in any position unless 
it has been inspected in that place
➤
where work equipment is exposed to conditions 
causing deterioration which is liable to result in 
dangerous situations, it must also be inspected at 
suitable intervals and each time that exceptional cir-
cumstances which are liable to jeopardize the safety 
of the work equipment have occurred, for example a 
severe storm
➤
in addition, a working platform used for construc-
tion and from which a person could fall more than 2 
metres has to be inspected in that position (mobile 
equipment on the site) before use and within the last 
7 days. The particulars for this inspection are set out 
in Schedule 7
➤
no work equipment (Lifting equipment is covered 
under LOLER) may either leave the undertaking or 
be obtained from another undertaking without evi-
dence of in-date inspection
➤
results of inspections must be recorded and retained 
until the next due inspection is recorded. Reports 
must be provided within 24 hours and kept at the 
site until construction work is complete and there-
after at the offi ce for 3 months.
17.33.10
Inspection of places of work at 
height – Regulation 13
The surface and every parapet, permanent rail or other 
such fall protection measure of every place of work at 
height must be checked on each occasion before the 
place is used.