BSI, the business standards company, has revised BS 7212 Code of Practice for the Safe Use of Construction Hoists. Hoists are used to transfer people and / or goods between landing levels on construction sites. The revision comes after a hoist became detached from the wall at a building site in Leicester last year leaving two workers clinging to a ledge (see the report here).

The standard covers a number of developments which address safety issues described in good practice guidance produced by the industry and endorsed by the Health & Safety Executive since the last edition published in 2006. It also includes additional requirements for maintenance, inspection of thorough examination of hoists.

Anthony Burd, Head of Built Environment at BSI, says: “We can never be complacent about the health and safety of workers using, or being in the vicinity of those using construction hoists. This also means we must ensure that standards still remain fit for purpose. As such BS 7212 underwent a thorough revision to bring it in line with current practices.”

Some of the safety concerns that BS 7212 addresses include:

• Transportation of scaffolding
• Additional requirements for transport platforms
• Requirements for dual operating positions of goods hoists
• The continued used of rope drive hoists
• Review of all clauses to ensure that they comply with current good practice and regulatory requirements
• Expansion of the requirements for the competence and training of hoist installers and operators
• Additional requirements for gate interlocking, and landing and hoistway protection

What BS 7212 does:

• Gives recommendations and guidance on the installation, maintenance, examination and operation of construction hoists, including hoistway protection, and on the management of these activities
• It includes recommendations and guidance on erection, alteration and dismantling of hoists
• It sets out the responsibilities of the various parties involved in all these activities
• BS 7212 will be of use to anyone with an interest in the provision, installation, use, inspection, thorough examination, maintenance and dismantling of construction hoists. This includes hoist owners and their employees, hoist users (construction companies) and their employees, installation personnel, maintenance personnel, competent persons carrying out statutory thorough examinations and enforcing authorities (HSE and Local Authorities).

BS 7212 was developed using a collaborative consensus-based approach with input from such organizations as Build UK, Civil Engineering Contractors Association, Construction Plant-Hire Association, Health & Safety Executive (HSE),  Independent National Inspection & Testing Association (INITA) and Safety Assessment Federation Ltd.