What is Meant by a Hand Pallet Truck Inspection?
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What is meant by a hand pallet truck inspection and what are the requirements? These are easy questions but the answers are not straightforward. To some people it’s just a cursory glance over the truck. To others it means checking that it’s easy to pull and lifts and lowers. At HallmarkFIX we take it rather more seriously and use PUWER as our guide.
Provisions and Use of Workplace Equipment 1998 (PUWER)
We comply with PUWER by using a trained pallet truck engineer (the competent person) to carry out the inspection. The inspection is part of the pallet truck service and is an in-depth examination to ensure that truck is safe to use and is likely to remain that way until the next visit. Upon completion, the engineer signs to confirm that the equipment is safe to use.
The PUWER regulations state the equipment must be ‘safe for use, maintained in a safe condition and inspected to ensure it is correctly installed and does not subsequently deteriorate’. This is a useful snippet but we strongly recommend reading the regulations in full.
How often does it need inspecting?
We recommend an annual service for hand pallet trucks in line with the manufacturer’s recommendations unless:
- the application is particularly arduous e.g. 24/7
- the conditions are agressive e.g. wet areas, cold stores or corrosive agents are present e.g. brine
- the truck is beyond economical repair
More regular attention will be required for the first two issues, whilst scrapping may be the best solution to the third.
If you’re not sure, just call us on 0161 272 1900. We offer pallet truck maintenance across the UK mainland.
How often does a pallet truck need checking?
Daily. We’ve put together a free pallet truck checklist that can be downloaded here. We recommend that it’s printed off and put in a prominent position. Operators should be encouraged to report any faults on their truck immediately so that repairs can be carried out. This will not only improve safety, it will help keep costs under control. A small repair can become a big repair very quickly so it’s worth getting them done immediately.
Do pallet trucks need LOLER inspections?
Pallet trucks which only lift to about 250mm or less are excluded from LOLER. However, high lift pallet trucks (typically with around 700mm of lift) do require an annual LOLER inspection. We can undertake these on your behalf.
What our customers say
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