Lifting is one of the biggest risks on an offshore installation. Pedestal cranes, davits, padeyes, runway beams and hundreds of slings and shackles move loads every day, in weather and on a moving structure. The law that applies is the same LOLER and PUWER that apply onshore, and the HSE's technical guidance HSG221 explains how to apply it offshore. This guide covers what duty holders need to have in place.
In short: LOLER 1998 and PUWER 1998 apply to offshore installations on the UK continental shelf, fixed and mobile. The intervals are the same as onshore: thorough examination at least every 6 months for equipment lifting people and for lifting accessories, at least every 12 months for other lifting equipment, or as set by a written scheme. HSG221 is the HSE's technical guidance on applying the rules offshore. The practical challenge is the volume of loose gear and the number of contractors who examine it.
The legal position
The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 is applied to offshore installations and connected activities by the Application Outside Great Britain Order, and LOLER and PUWER apply through it. That covers fixed platforms, floating production units and mobile drilling units while they are on the UK continental shelf. On a ship, including a supply vessel alongside, the Merchant Shipping regulations and MGN 332 apply instead.
HSG221, Technical guidance on the safe use of lifting equipment offshore, is the HSE's guidance for installation managers, supervisors, competent persons and operatives. The current edition was published in 2007 and is available free from the HSE. It is guidance, not law, but it is what an HSE inspector will expect to see followed.
The intervals offshore
| Equipment | Thorough examination at least every |
|---|---|
| Pedestal and deck cranes | 12 months |
| Davits, personnel baskets, man-riding winches | 6 months (lifting people) |
| Runway beams, padeyes, monorails | 12 months |
| Slings, shackles, hooks, wire rope pennants | 6 months (lifting accessories) |
| Any item after damage, overload, repair or a long period out of use | Before use |
A written scheme of examination drawn up by a competent person can set different intervals based on the risk. Many operators use schemes for cranes, where the examination is split into parts examined at different frequencies.
The loose gear problem
An installation can hold several hundred items of loose lifting gear. They move between decks, get sent ashore for re-certification, come back with new certificates, and get lost in containers. Common practice on many installations includes:
- A rigging loft that controls issue and return of loose gear
- A unique identity on every item, usually a stamped number or a tag
- Colour coding by examination period, so a glance shows whether an item is in date
- Quarantine for anything damaged, overdue or without a certificate
The register is what ties this together. Every item needs its identity, its safe working load, its last examination and its next due date, and the register has to be kept up to date when gear goes ashore and comes back.
Different inspectors, one record
Offshore lifting equipment is examined by a mix of people: the operator's own competent persons, specialist inspection contractors, the crane manufacturer's engineers and the classification society's surveyors. Each produces a report in their own format. The duty holder still has to hold one record per item that shows the last examination, the defects found and the next due date, whoever did the work.
That is why installations move away from spreadsheets kept by one contractor. A single register across the installation, with each contractor recording against the same asset, means the installation manager can see what is due and what is overdue without chasing reports.
What an HSE inspector expects to see
- A register of lifting equipment and accessories, complete and current
- Reports of thorough examination for every item, available on the installation
- Evidence that defects reported under Regulation 10 were acted on
- Written schemes of examination where intervals differ from the standard
- Lift plans and risk assessments for lifting operations under Regulation 8
- A system for controlling loose gear and quarantining overdue items
Keeping one register across a fleet
LolerFlow treats each installation or vessel as a site and each deck, module or area as a location, so every crane, davit, padeye, sling and shackle sits in one register with its own due date. Whoever examines the item records against the same asset, the full lifting register for any installation can be produced in one report, and the operator sees what is due across the whole fleet from one dashboard.
Sources
- HSE HSG221: Technical guidance on the safe use of lifting equipment offshore, hse.gov.uk
- The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (SI 1998/2307), legislation.gov.uk
- The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (SI 1998/2306), legislation.gov.uk
- HSE L113: Safe use of lifting equipment, Approved Code of Practice
Frequently asked questions
Does LOLER apply offshore?
Yes. LOLER 1998 and PUWER 1998 apply to offshore installations on the UK continental shelf through the Health and Safety at Work Act's offshore application order. HSG221 is the HSE guidance on applying them.
What is HSG221?
Technical guidance on the safe use of lifting equipment offshore, published by the HSE. It covers lifting equipment and lifting operations on fixed and mobile installations and is aimed at installation managers, supervisors, competent persons and operatives.
How often are slings and shackles examined offshore?
At least every 6 months, as lifting accessories, unless a written scheme of examination sets a different interval. Many installations colour code accessories by examination period.
Do supply vessels alongside come under LOLER?
No. A ship's own lifting equipment is covered by the Merchant Shipping and Fishing Vessels (Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment) Regulations 2006 and MGN 332. The installation's crane lifting from the vessel is covered by LOLER.
Who is the duty holder offshore?
The installation operator or owner, and any employer whose employees use the equipment. In practice the offshore installation manager is responsible for making sure the register and examinations are in order.