Safe Working Period (SWP) Calculator - Notes

Introduction:

All hoist currently operating within the UK and European marketplace should be designed and manufactured in accordance with the Machinery Directive (2006/42/EC) and have an EC Declaration of Conformity by the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM).

Hoists are manufactured with 10 years of serviceable life before a major overhaul or replacement is required. The ten (10) year service life may not necessarily be a physical ten (10) years of operation, but may be used up more quickly or slowly based on how the machine is being operated during its working life.

In order to help evaluate the working life of a hoist we have developed this Safe Working Period (SWP) Calculator, which will help you try to predict when a hoist is at the end of its working life and should undergo a General Overhaul (GO) or be replaced. During the hoists ten (10) year serviceable lifetime, the unit should still undergo regular servicing in accordance with the manufacturers recommendations and also be thoroughly inspected on a regular based by a competent person under the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER).

The calculation sheet is setup to be easy to evaluate the serviceable life of the machine in accordance with the machinery directive (20006/42/EC) and can also be used to check if a hoist is suitable for particular application as buying an M3 duty rated hoist for an application which always lifts the maximum load or runs for a prolonged period may not be the best decision. In order to check if a hoist is suitable, key in the data of how you would like to use the machine in the future and adjust the duty factor variable to see the effect on the machine operating at that level for the period of time you would like to it to operate. From that data you will know if your machine is suitable or if you haven't already purchased the machine you will know the duty of the machine you need to purchase.

The SWP Calculation sheet has been designed to be printed for each hoist in your possession and updated based on your usage or information contained within a usage log book. Your calculation and evaluation of the serviceable life of the machine and then be printed and held with the EC Declaration of Conformity, service reports, LOLER inspection reports and any other relevant health and safety documentation for the unit.

If you find any problems or issues with this free utility, please email your comments to: technical@hoistuk.com and we will try to update the tool to accommodate your comments on future releases.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

This utility has been provided by Hoist UK Ltd; the results presented are indicative and will vary greatly depending upon the accuracy of the information inputted by the client. The results are intended as a tool to represent possible remaining safe working period for your lifting equipment based entirely on FEM recommended calculations for equipment without an up to date log book / record of “in service” hours for that equipment.

Whilst every effort has been made to offer accurate calculations, errors can occur. Furthermore this utility references standards and regulations current at the time of publication, standards and regulations will change over time and it is the user’s responsibility to ensure that this publication is relevant.

The information provided is indicative with no guaranties of completeness or accuracy, and without warranties of any kind, express or implied. Hoist UK Ltd does not warrant any information provided by this material will be error free, or free of viruses or any other harmful component.

Hoist UK Ltd accepts no liability for the content or for any consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided.