How to hand over hired plant safely before it is used
Before hired plant starts work, confirm that the delivered item is the one selected for the job, is suitable for the site and task, has the information and inspection evidence required for that type of equipment, and can be used by competent people under a planned method. Resolve visible defects or missing safety-critical evidence before use.
A hire company has supplier and equipment-control responsibilities, but HSE says the organisation using hired work equipment also has PUWER duties. Users of hired lifting equipment must satisfy themselves that a current thorough-examination report exists. A delivery note is proof of a delivery transaction. It is not proof that the machine fits the lift plan, the ground can support it, the right operator is present or a safety defect has been resolved. HSE PUWER overview. HSE equipment-hire FAQs.
Match the delivered item to the planned task
Compare the asset identification, type and configuration on the delivery note with the order, method statement and site assessment. Check the capacity, reach, attachments, power source and environmental limitations that matter to the task. A change to model or attachment may require revising the method, lift plan, exclusion zone or rescue arrangement. Site conditions are part of suitability: working area, access route, ground, slope, overhead services, nearby people and weather exposure. If a crane is hired, distinguish ordinary crane hire from a contract lift, because planning, supervising and carrying out the lift normally remain with the user unless the crane hire company explicitly takes them on. HSE construction lifting operations.
Inspect the condition and identify any defect
Carry out the checks appropriate to the equipment and the point of handover, then ensure the operator performs the relevant pre-use checks under instructions and training. Look for transport damage, missing guards or attachments, leaks, warning devices, damaged tyres or tracks and loose parts. HSE says simple pre-use checks may be sufficient for many items, and records are not normally required for the simplest such checks, while more formal inspection is required where significant risk may arise from installation, deterioration or exceptional circumstances. Do not leave a suspected unsafe item where the next crew may use it: mark and isolate it, notify the hire company and site controller, and link the decision to the asset identity. HSE inspection of work equipment.
Check the evidence that applies to this asset
For work equipment that requires inspection, HSE says an item obtained from a hire company should be accompanied by physical evidence of the last inspection, such as a report, tag, colour code or label. For hired lifting equipment, the user must satisfy themselves that a current thorough-examination report exists. Check the report's asset identity, date, competent-person findings, next due date or examination scheme, and any defects or restrictions. A generic certificate for a fleet of similar machines is not enough if it cannot be matched to the delivered item. Some equipment depends on installation or assembly at the site, so PUWER or LOLER checks after assembly may apply that a pre-hire report cannot answer. HSE thorough examinations of lifting equipment.
Provide usable instructions and competent operators
The machine should arrive with information needed for safe use, limitations, maintenance and emergency arrangements. Review manufacturer instructions for the actual model, including controls, attachments and operating limits. A card or certificate may be relevant evidence, but it does not show that the operator has been briefed on this site's traffic route, ground hazards, exclusion zones or emergency procedures. If the model is unfamiliar, arrange familiarisation before use, and cover every crew where work continues across shifts. Clarify who is allowed to alter configuration, fit attachments, service the machine and contact the hire company for faults.
Reconcile hire terms, then verify readiness at the workface
Before long-term hire, decide who will arrange periodic maintenance, inspection and any LOLER thorough examination during the hire, who receives reports and who acts on defects. For a hired crane, define lift planning and supervision separately from maintenance and examination. The final release is a site decision: is the correct asset here, in acceptable condition, with relevant evidence and instructions; are the operator and supervisor competent; are the route, ground, exclusion and emergency arrangements ready; has any substitution changed the RAMS, permit or lift plan? Record who made the decision and any restrictions, and check the first use because a machine can behave differently under load or in site conditions.
FAQs
Is the hire company responsible for all inspections?
No. HSE says hire firms have supplier and retained-control duties, while users normally undertake day-to-day and pre-use safety checks unless the hire agreement provides otherwise. For long-term hire, agree who arranges periodic examinations or inspections and how reports reach the user.
Does hired lifting equipment need a report at handover?
The user should satisfy themselves that there is a current report of thorough examination. HSE says the hire firm usually arranges it, but the legal responsibility for compliance rests with the user. Check the report against the actual item and any stated defects or restrictions.
Must every hired tool have a written daily inspection sheet?
No blanket rule appears in HSE's PUWER inspection guidance. Many items need only a quick visual check before use, with no normal written record for the simplest checks. More formal inspection and records apply when risk or the equipment requires them.
Can a document platform complete the handover?
It can hold asset identity, reports, operator records and the handover decision. It cannot inspect the delivered machine, assess ground conditions or confirm the people on the shift are familiar with it. Any claim that Complys performs a dedicated hired-plant acceptance workflow needs a product check before publication.
Where Complys fits
Complys can keep plant documents and operator evidence organised. It cannot inspect the delivered machine, assess ground conditions or confirm the people on the shift are familiar with it, so use a named site person to verify the delivered machine and workface conditions before first use.
Sources
- HSE PUWER overview
- HSE inspection of work equipment
- HSE equipment-hire FAQs
- HSE construction lifting operations
- HSE thorough examinations of lifting equipment
Related: PUWER vs LOLER, equipment defect to return to service, and LOLER thorough examination explained.
In this series: equipment defects and return to service, undefined.