Safety alert

Safety alert

29 Apr 2008

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Garages urged to check lift safety after HSE reveals rise of arm locking problem

THE HEALTH and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued a warning about serious safety problems with some two-post lifts.

HSE inspectors have recently uncovered numerous cases of problems with arm locking devices on the lifts.

The Garage Equipment Association (GEA), which was invited to an emergency briefing on the problem in Birmingham, says the problem occurs when the arm locking device does not engage properly and therefore fails to provide a satisfactory lock to the arm when a vehicle is raised.

HSE inspectors have issued prohibition notices to garages on several occasions to temporarily stop them using their two-post lifts because of such problems.

Dave Garratt, chief executive of the GEA says any garages with concerns about the safety of their lifts should contact their supplier immediately.

During some inspections, it was noticed that teeth did not engage correctly. The HSE says the problem is caused by a number of different problems.

“The general design of the locking device is not so much an issue, however, on some lifts the manufacturing quality and durability of the device, once in service, is a serious concern,” said a statement from the GEA.

“In one case on a nearly new lift, the channel section, which holds the toothed locking block, was welded out of alignment, meaning the block’s locking teeth did not fully engage with the radius plate.”

Lift danger: The pictures show (left to right) a lift with no engagement between the block and radius plate teeth; a lift where the block has been pushed backwards meaning the teeth become chipped; a lift where the block stays in the high position and therefore never becomes fully engaged

The HSE says there is no evidence any of the lifts in question were supplied or installed by GEA members. However, it is advising all service engineers to be aware of the problem in the interests of safety and insist that any problems are rectified before the lift is used.

At the same time, members of the Safety Assessment Federation are being asked to look out for the problem during routine insurance company inspections.

The main image (pictured top right) shows the location of the arm locking device on a two-post lift where HSE inspectors have discovered problems, although the lift shown is a correctly functioning lift.

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