What is lifting equipment in agriculture?
In agriculture, the term covers a wide range of equipment including:
- Tractor foreloaders, fork-lift trucks and telescopic handlers (telehandlers);
- Workshop hoists and rope hoists;
- Cranes on machines (eg on lorries or fertiliser spreaders); and
- Lifting attachments and accessories.
What is not lifting equipment?
The three-point linkage on a tractor is not considered to be lifting equipment if used to lift implements and machines designed to be operated as such on a tractor.
Lifting equipment for lifting people
People should only be raised on work equipment which is specifically designed for that purpose but can, in exceptional circumstances be lifted by other machines provided that they have a purpose-made carrier, suitably constructed and attached – see HSE guidance PM28 - Non integrated platforms on lift trucks
Nobody should ever be lifted in a telehandler bucket, in a potato box, on the forks of a fork lift truck or similar attachment, to carry out work or used as a means of access eg to get onto the roof of a building or bale stack.
Marking of lifting equipment
Machines used for lifting should have their safe working loads marked on them. Examples are a crane mounted on a fertiliser spreader or a workshop hoist.
Where the safe working load depends on the machine's configuration eg with a telehandler, then the operator will need clearly visible information to keep both machine and loads within the safe working limits for any particular configuration.
Tractor foreloaders used in agriculture will not normally require marking.
Thorough examination
Thorough examination of lifting equipment is to protect both operators and people in the vicinity of lifting operations who may be at risk if the equipment suddenly failed.
Lifting equipment used to lift loads will require a thorough examination by a competent person. This includes but is not limited to telehandlers, fork-lift trucks, MEWPs and fore-loaders.
Further advice on thorough examinations is available.
Competent persons
Where lifting equipment requires a thorough examination, you will need to arrange for this to be carried out by a competent person. This will normally be an independent person, such as an engineer, who has the necessary knowledge and experience of the lifting equipment concerned to enable them to detect any defects.