Introduction to Health and Safety at Work

17.21.6
Positioning and installation – 
Regulation 6
Lifting equipment must be positioned and installed so 
as to reduce the risks, so far as is reasonably practica-
ble, from:
➤
equipment or a load striking another person
➤
a load drifting, falling freely or being released 
unintentionally
and it is otherwise safe.
Lifting equipment should be positioned and installed 
to minimize the need to lift loads over people and to 
prevent crushing in extreme positions. It should be 
designed to stop safely in the event of a power failure and 
not release its load. Lifting equipment, which follows a 
fi xed path, should be enclosed with suitable and substan-
tial interlocked gates and any necessary protection in the 
event of power failure.
17.21.7
Marking of lifting equipment – 
Regulation 7
Machinery and accessories for lifting loads shall be clearly 
marked to indicate their safe working loads (SWL), and:
➤
where the SWL depends on the confi guration of the 
lifting equipment:
➤
the machinery should be clearly marked to indi-
cate its SWL for each confi guration
➤
information which clearly indicates its SWL for each 
confi guration should be kept with the machinery
➤
accessories for lifting (e.g. hooks, slings) are also 
marked in such a way that it is possible to identify 
the characteristics necessary for their safe use (e.g. 
if they are part of an assembly)
➤
lifting equipment which is designed for lifting people 
is appropriately and clearly marked
➤
lifting equipment not designed for lifting people, 
but which might be used in error, should be clearly 
marked to show it is not for lifting people.
17.21.8