LOLER stands for the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations – first issued by the Government in 1998, these regulations affect the way access platforms, cranes and other lifting devices are operated – adherence to LOLER is mandatory and failure to conform carries penalties. In essence, LOLER places responsibility on the employer to ensure that equipment is safely maintained, regularly inspected and operated (by suitably trained personnel) in a safe manner. All of the processes associated with meeting LOLER must be documented by the employer in order that all of the processes – inspection, maintenance, repair, training etc. are traceable. LOLER applies to all employers, regardless of the size of a business and regardless of the number of machines operated or staff employed. .

Western Platforms’ range of services fully conform to LOLER. We also offer a LOLER consultancy service with direct access to the HSE LOLER Policy Unit.

In order to conform to the Health and Safety at Work Act and LOLER it is vital that an employer can prove that it has taken steps to ensure that it’s personnel can operate equipment safely, whether it be hired or owned by the employer.

Western Platforms’ access platform operator training is a detailed, documented method of ensuring that an employer can meet the above duty. The training offered by our company ensures that personnel are educated in the following:

1) Checking an access platform for faults before use.
2) How to identify safe conditions for access platform use.
3) How to safely set up an access platform for work.
4) Safe clothing and tools for working with access platforms.
5) Safe operation of an access platform in normal circumstances.
6) Emergency recovery of an injured person from an access platform.
7) Emergency lowering of an access platform.
8) Trouble-shooting an access platform.
9) Safe stowage and transportation of an access platform.
10) An employee’s duty under LOLER.

The training session, which takes between 4 and 6 hours depending on numbers of candidates present and their level of prior experience. Training is completed by a written examination and, subject to a candidate demonstrating the required level of competence, a formal certificate of training is issued - We also provide a credit card size "Site Licence" which fully conforms with the requirements of the HSE for proof of training.