CareHomeDeskCareHomeDeskLOLER sets the minimum. Good hoist management in a care setting requires pre-use checks, sling management, and staff training on top of six-monthly thorough examinations.
Every hoist -- mobile floor hoist or ceiling track -- must be checked before each use. A pre-use check is not a LOLER thorough examination; it is a brief visual and functional inspection by the member of staff about to operate the equipment. The check should cover: the condition of the hoist chassis or track (no visible damage, cracks or distortion), the sling attachment points and spreader bar (no fraying, no damaged loops), that the SWL displayed on the equipment is not exceeded by the resident's weight, that the brake (on mobile hoists) engages correctly, that the battery is adequately charged, and that the pendant control operates correctly. Many providers operate a weekly formal pre-use check record in addition to pre-use checks before each lift.
Slings are arguably the highest-risk component of a hoist system and are frequently the cause of hoist-related incidents. Each resident should have their own slings, matched to their body type and assessed need -- universal slings shared between residents are poor practice and a cross-infection risk. Slings must be matched to the hoist: a sling from a different manufacturer or of a different type may be incompatible with the spreader bar and may fail. Inspect slings before every use for fraying at the loops, tears in the fabric, or damage to any stitching. Slings have a defined lifecycle -- follow the manufacturer's guidance and replace at end of life regardless of apparent condition. Keep a sling register recording issue date, resident, type and condition.
All staff who operate a hoist must hold documented evidence of competency before they are permitted to use the equipment unsupervised. Training must cover the specific equipment in use at your site -- not just generic hoist operation theory. Competency should be assessed practically, not just through a written test. Records of training and competency assessment must be held in each staff member's personnel file. Agency staff cannot be assumed to be hoist-competent: they must provide evidence of relevant training and should be assessed on your specific equipment before being permitted to use it. The responsibility for verifying competency rests with the care home manager, not the agency.
The Safe Working Load marked on a hoist is an absolute maximum, not a guideline. Exceeding the SWL -- even by a small margin -- can cause catastrophic failure of the equipment. Before any hoist transfer, confirm the resident's current weight and compare it to the SWL displayed on the equipment. If the resident's weight is close to or exceeds the SWL, do not use that hoist. Arrange for an appropriate bariatric hoist -- equipment specifically rated for higher loads -- to be provided before any manual handling takes place. Do not improvise; the risks of equipment failure during a transfer are serious and may be fatal.
Any incident involving a hoist -- whether or not injury results -- must be investigated and recorded. This includes: dropped loads, uncontrolled lowering, sling failure, mechanical failure of the hoist, a resident falling during a transfer, or any near-miss where equipment behaved unexpectedly. Where a hoist incident causes injury resulting in more than seven days away from work, or hospitalisation of a resident, it must be reported to the HSE under RIDDOR 2013. The hoist must be taken out of service following a significant incident until it has been inspected by a competent person and cleared for continued use. Retain all documentation of the incident, the investigation findings, and the remedial action taken.
CareHomeDesk gives you compliance checklists, maintenance logs, and contractor management tools built around exactly this kind of knowledge.