Lift Safety Policy

Introduction

Homes in Sedgemoor (HiS) manages, on behalf of Sedgemoor District Council (SDC), Passenger Lifts within Non-Domestic Properties and other Lifts and Lifting Equipment within blocks with flats/maisonettes and in individual dwellings which must be periodically inspected, kept safe for use and regularly serviced.

This Policy explains how HiS’ commitments to Lift Safety will be met. It will be supported by a Lift Safety Management Plan providing more detailed Guidance and Procedures. The current breakdown of a number of domestic and communal assets types is as follows:

Type	Number	Service Frequency	% Currently Compliant
Passenger Lifts in Domestic Blocks	12	Monthly	100%
Stairlifts in Domestic Blocks	1	Every 6 Months	100%
Through Floor Lifts in Dwellings	10	Every 6 Months	100%
Stair Lifts in Dwellings	34	Every 6 Months	95%
Bath Hoists in Dwellings	3	Every 6 Months	100%

Responsibility

The followings are those persons/bodies with the responsibility of ensuring this policy is implemented and adhered to. Detailed operational responsibilities will be set out in the Lists Safety Procedures which should always be read in conjunction with this policy.

SDC

SDC will remain the landlord responsible (Duty Holder) for ensuring that the requirements of this policy are adhered to by their Managing Agents, HiS. This will be achieved by scrutinising the quarterly report provided by HiS via SDC’s Committee and Board structure.

HiS Board

HiS Board will be responsible for monitoring performance and scrutinising the adherence to policy by HiS, holding the same to account and for achieving the

performance standards under the management agreement it has with SDC by ensuring:

• Both an effective Policy, supported by a robust management framework is in place to manage Lifts Safety.
• Individuals charged with the management of Lifts safety within HiS are competent and have the necessary resources at their disposal to undertake the work effectively

Chief Executive – Homes in Sedgemoor

Retains the overall responsibility for the monitoring of the consistent implementation of this Policy. If the regulatory standards are not maintained report any breach in standards to the Regulator of Social Housing.

Statement of Intent

The key objective of this Policy is to describe how HiS will meet the required statutory, legislative, and regulatory requirements in relation to Lift Safety. It will also cover how the HiS Board, as Duty Holder, will receive assurance of statutory, legislative, and regulatory compliance.

The scope of this Policy includes Passenger Lifts, Lifting Equipment, Stair Lifts, Vertical (‘Through-Floor’) Lifts, Ceiling Track Hoists, Mobile Hoists, Bath Lifts and Slings.

Homes in Sedgemoor will comply with all current and relevant legislation and specifically as detailed in the following:

• LOLER (Lifting Operation and Lifting Equipment Regulations) 1998
• Approved Code of Practice L113 (Second Edition 2014, amended 2018) Safe Use of Lifting Equipment
• PUWER (Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations) 1998
• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
• Approved Code of Practice L22 (Fourth Edition 2014, amended 2018) Safe Use of Work Equipment
• Building Regulations 2010 and as amended Parts M and B

PUWER and LOLER apply in workplaces and in non-workplace Communal Parts that may be used by workers. They may also apply in Properties that contain Equipment used by people in a work capacity. HiS will access each situation within individual Dwellings and decide if it has become a workplace if support services are being provided.

HiS also acknowledges its obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act (HASAWA) 1974 and Landlord Tenant Act 1985. In addition, as a Landlord and provider of Social Housing SDC must meet the requirements of the Regulator of Social Housing’s (RSH) Home Standard.

It is essential to ensure customers, contractors, staff, and visitors remain safe in SDC premises (both individual homes and offices).

Failure to properly comply with and/or discharge statutory, legal, or regulatory responsibilities may result in:

• Prosecution by the Health and Safety Executive under HASAWA 1974.
• Prosecution under Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007.
• Regulatory intervention (via scrutiny and potential determination of a breach of the Home Standard and serious detriment having been caused/potentially caused) by the RSH.
• Reputational damage.
• Loss of confidence by stakeholders in the organisation.

Policy

In order to comply with statutory, legislative, and regulatory standards, and to ensure the safety of our customers, staff, contractors and visitors to our properties, HiS will:

• Provide clear lines of responsibility for the management of Lifts Safety, supported by written guidance in the Lifts Safety Procedure.
• Ensure that a clear and consistent process including front-line engagement and enforcement is in place to obtain access to properties to conduct the Lifts Safety Checks and any subsequent remedial works, which shall include legal action when required.
• Proactively assess available data for relevant information about the customer to help gain access (disability, vulnerability, local connections, etc.).

Delivery

Homes in Sedgemoor will:

• Ensure a Thorough Examination is undertaken, where applicable, to all Lifts and all its associated Equipment by a Competent Person
• The Thorough Examination will be undertaken at no more than 6-month intervals for Lifts that carry people.
• Thorough Examinations will be undertaken throughout the lifetime of the Equipment, as follows:

• Before using it for the first time.
  • After assembly and before use at each location.Regularly, while in service.
  • Following exceptional circumstances (damage or failure/major changes etc.).

• Ensure the Thorough Examination Report contains information compliant with LOLER Schedule 1.
• Undertake Supplementary Testing in accordance with the Safety Assessment Federation (SAfed) Guidance if requested by the Competent Person.
• Thorough Examination duties notwithstanding, ensure all Equipment is maintained for the continued safety of staff, customers, contractors, and visitors and that it remains in a state of good repair.
• The frequency and nature of maintenance will be based on a Risk Assessment which considers the following:
• • The intensity of use.The operating environment (e.g. the effect of temperature, corrosion, weathering), user knowledge and experience.
  • The risk to Health and Safety from reasonably foreseeable failure or malfunction.
  • The Manufacturer’s Recommendations.
• New Passenger Lifts will be installed in accordance with the BS EN 81 Series of Standards (81-20 and 81-50) and the Equality Act 2010 and as amended.

Contractor Competency

Homes in Sedgemoor will ensure:

• All associated Lifts Safety-related Works will be undertaken by trained and competent contractors. This will include a Competence Assessment against the nature of the Works to be completed for any proposed contractor.
• Carry out an assessment of all contractor competencies annually or at the change of contract/contractor, as detailed within the Lifts Safety Management Plan.

Internal Competency

Homes in Sedgemoor will:

• Maintain a Skills/Training Matrix to ensure that all staff undertaking key roles within the scope of this Policy have appropriate training.
• Operate a detailed Competence Framework – including regular appraisals – as part of the Lifts Safety Management Plan.

Data

• Maintain a Master Database of all Properties where HiS has a responsibility to provide Lifts Safety Checks and Maintenance.
• For each relevant property, record and maintain up-to-date data confirming which aspects of the Lifts Systems and Appliances within the scope of this Policy exist and do not exist and the organisation’s associated responsibility.
• Hold Lifts Safety Maintenance Records electronically in the Master Database, by the relevant Operational Department (to be specifically identified in the Lifts Safety Management Plan), with other Landlord Compliance records. There may be instances where a hard copy is kept on-site and these will be detailed again in the Management Plan.
• Where a requirement exists hold data and Certification relating to the last two Safety Checks and the next due date.
• Where a requirement does not exist hold appropriate evidence.

Assurance

Homes in Sedgemoor will:

• Ensure that all persons involved with Lifts Safety are professionally trained and accredited.
• Carry out Works-based Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) activity – including checks on Certification and Post-Inspection of on-site Works
• A proportion of such checks will be carried out by an Independent 3rd Party.
• Set a timetable for the review of the Lifts Safety Policy

Communication

Homes in Sedgemoor will:

• Encourage customers, through the provision of publicity information, on the importance of Lift Safety and of allowing access to carry out Surveys and undertake Works
• Maintain a clear Complaints Process and monitor and record complaints that indicate a risk to Safety.
• Periodically communicate with Leaseholders to remind them of the importance of undertaking Lift Safety Inspection Checks.

Implementation

This Policy will be effective from 28th July 2021 following HiS Board approval.

Staff will be made aware of the Policy at priority training and a copy will be available on the Intranet. The Policy will also be uploaded to the HiS website.

This Policy should also be read in conjunction with the Lift Safety Procedure. Appropriate training will be provided for all those staffs involved with the operational delivery and implementation of the Landlord Compliance requirements and obligations in respect to Asbestos Safety detailed within this Policy.

Consultation

This Policy is based on statutory, legislative, and regulatory requirements and, as such, consultation with customers has not taken place. There has been consultation with internal teams within HiS.

Equality and Diversity

HiS believe all people should be treated with dignity and respect regardless of their age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race (including, nationality, ethnic or national origins), religion, belief or non-belief, sex, or sexuality or by association with someone with any of these characteristics or perception of having any of these characteristics.

Monitoring Performance

The following Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) will be reported via the monthly Compliance Report:

% of Passenger Lift LOLER Inspections completed on time.

% of overdue Passenger Lift LOLER Inspections.

% of Passenger Lift Service Inspections completed on time.

% of overdue Passenger Lift Service Inspections.

% of Stair, Hoists and Vertical Lift Service Inspections completed.

% of overdue Stair, Hoists and Vertical Lift Service Inspections completed

Commentary will be provided for any Properties out of date to include the date they became overdue, days overdue and the action proposed to bring them back into a compliant position. Commentary will also be provided if any Properties have outstanding overdue actions. Additional context commentary will also include information on the proportion of activities within the reporting period that were undertaken before and after their due date.

Emergency Planning

HiS will provide procedures for emergency planning including:

• Suitable and sufficient means of raising the alarm or summoning help in the event of a fault with a lift and the maintenance and inspection of those systems.
• Resources for dealing with emergencies will be identified as well as processes for reporting incidents and names of responsible persons.

Policy Review

This Policy will be reviewed every 36 months or earlier if deemed necessary through the Performance Monitoring process.