Educational Establishments
A guide to inspection frequencies
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Employers have a duty of care to ensure the health, safety and welfare of their employees. Periodic inspections and/or thorough examinations on their plant and equipment form part of this vital duty, whilst also ensuring employer conformity to applicable health and safety legislation.
Plant and equipment within the workplace needs to be examined and properly maintained to ensure it is safe to operate, and that it complies with applicable health and safety legislation; requiring statutory examinations at specific intervals, which exist outside normal equipment maintenance and servicing procedures.
Regular inspections may also serve as a good preventative maintenance programme to ensure the integrity of plant and equipment; helping to minimise machinery breakdowns.
Inspection frequencies
Different types and categories of equipment have varying inspection frequencies according to applicable health and safety legislation.
Typical equipment and installations found within educational establishments are listed below, together with the applicable legislation.
UK
Lifting
Applicable legislation (1) | Premise type | Typical equipment | Inspection/thorough examination frequency (months) |
---|---|---|---|
Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 | Higher education or research establishments | Passenger lifts/elevators | 6 |
Platform lift | 6 | ||
Wheelchair/stair lift | 6 | ||
Window cleaning equipment/building maintenance unit | 6 |
Boiler/Pressure
Applicable legislation (1) | Premise type | Typical equipment | Inspection/thorough examination frequency (months) (2) |
---|---|---|---|
Pressure System Safety Regulations 2000 | Schools | Model engine boiler | 14 |
Schools and higher education or research establishments | Coffee machine boiler | 14 | |
Catering equipment | 14 | ||
Autoclave/steam steriliser | 14 | ||
Expansion vessel (used for hot water systems) | 26 | ||
Air conditioning units (>25kW) | 12/60 |
Electrical/Mechanical Plant
Applicable legislation (1) | Premise type | Typical equipment | Inspection/thorough examination frequency (months) |
---|---|---|---|
Provision and Use of Work Equipment 1998 | Schools and higher education or research establishments | Air conditioning units (<25kW) | 12 |
Hot water boiler (<100ºC) | 12 | ||
General mechanical and electrical plant (e.g. motors, pumps) | 12 | ||
Higher education or research establishments | Escalators | 6 | |
Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 | Schools | Playground equipment | 12 |
Local Exhaust Ventilation
Applicable legislation (1) | Premise type | Typical equipment | Inspection/thorough examination frequency (months) |
---|---|---|---|
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 | Schools and higher education or research establishments | Fume cupboard | 14 |
Dust extraction (metallic) | 6/14 (2) | ||
Dust extraction (non-metallic) | 14 |
Electrical Systems
Applicable legislation (1) | Premise type | Typical equipment | Inspection/thorough examination frequency (months) (2) |
---|---|---|---|
Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 | Schools and higher education or research establishments | Low voltage electrical installations | 60 |
Portable appliances | 12 |
Ireland
Lifting
Applicable legislation | Premise type | Typical equipment | Inspection/thorough examination frequency (months) |
---|---|---|---|
S.I. No. 299 of 2007: Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007 | Higher education or research establishments | Passenger lifts/elevators | 6 |
Platform lift | 6 | ||
Wheelchair/stair lift | 6 | ||
Window cleaning equipment/building maintenance unit | 6 |
Boiler/Pressure
Applicable legislation | Premise type | Typical equipment | Inspection/thorough examination frequency (months) |
---|---|---|---|
S.I. No. 445 of 2012: Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 | Schools | Model engine boiler | 14 |
Schools and higher education or research establishments | Coffee machine boiler | 14 | |
Catering equipment | 14 | ||
Autoclave/steam steriliser | 14 | ||
Expansion vessel (used for hot water systems) | 26 | ||
Air conditioning units (>25kW) | 60 |
Electrical/Mechanical Plant
Applicable legislation | Premise type | Typical equipment | Inspection/thorough examination frequency (months) |
---|---|---|---|
S.I. No. 299 of 2007 (Regulation 30): Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007 | Schools and higher education or research establishments | Air conditioning units (<25kW) | 12 |
Hot water boiler (<100ºC) | 12 | ||
General mechanical and electrical plant (e.g. motors, pumps) | 12 | ||
Higher education or research establishments | Escalators | 6 | |
S.I. No. 299 of 2007 (Part 3): Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007 | Schools | Playground equipment | 12 |
Local Exhaust Ventilation
Applicable legislation | Premise type | Typical equipment | Inspection/thorough examination frequency (months) (1) |
---|---|---|---|
Health & Safety Authority: Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) Guidance document | Schools and higher education or research establishments | Fume cupboard | 12 |
Dust extraction (metallic) | 12 | ||
Dust extraction (non-metallic) | 12 |
Electrical Systems
Applicable legislation | Premise type | Typical equipment | Inspection/thorough examination frequency (months) |
---|---|---|---|
S.I. No. 299 of 2007 (Part 3): Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007 | Schools and higher education or research establishments | Low voltage electrical installations | 60 (1) |
Portable appliances | 3-60 (2) |
How HSB can help
HSB Inspection Services: Our network of competent, multi-skilled Engineer Surveyors help customers throughout the UK and Ireland to maintain workplace equipment safety, optimise the efficiency of plant and equipment, and comply with applicable health and safety legislation; covering boiler/pressure, lifting, electrical/mechanical, dust and fume extraction, power press equipment, and fixed wiring installations.
HSB Risk Management Solutions: We can help businesses to reduce risks, costs, and deliver compliance via improved analysis of their equipment and health and safety practices. Consisting of three services, each service is further split into modules, allowing customers to build them to fit their business.
Plant guide: Diagrams
View detailed diagrams of typical plant and equipment used across various industries, together with applicable legislation for each item.