Lifting inspectors can be heroes  

Ross Moloney, CEO of Lifting Equipment Engineers Association (LEEA), on what makes being a Lifting Inspector a heroic occupation to which the Lifting Equipment Technician apprenticeship opens the door.

Lifting Inspectors are in demand wherever lifting equipment is used. This globally recognised occupation is certainly a fulfilling role in anything from manufacturing, logistics, ports and maritime, construction, mining, quarrying and renewables. And there are a multitude of non-industrial sectors that offer their own attractions to many, such as entertainment, medical, aeronautical, agricultural and the military.

What these sectors have in common is they will use a variety of cranes, hoists, platforms, cradles and their associated chains, ropes, slings and other tackle that will require pre-use checks, inspection, maintenance and Thorough Examination.

Lifting Inspectors can find themselves working in all kinds of environments some of which can be quite challenging.  Lifting Inspectors and service engineers will ensure the safety and suitability of the equipment used for lifting loads in order to meet regulatory requirements.

Many sectors will set a variety of their own challenges, nevertheless, all of the lifting equipment needs to be inspected and maintained, not only to ensure reliability that will minimise downtime and boost efficiency but, more importantly, to make lifting tasks safe. So we see that Lifting Inspectors really can be heroes.

In fact the world of the Lifting Inspector is full of interesting opportunity. It offers travel opportunities, challenging environments and satisfying work that makes a real difference to peoples’ lives. We would encourage anybody with an interest in such things to consider this occupation.

To provide an easier way in, the Lifting Equipment Technician apprenticeship, which is available now, is transforming the way in which young – as well as the not so young – people are brought into, and developed in, the profession. It is the outcome of several years’ hard work by the Trailblazer team, chaired by the current LEEA Chair, Kat Moss, and incorporating LEEA members and other industry representatives, colleges and training providers.

Apprenticeships are a great first step towards not only creating expertise from the first day a career commences, but also for generating a new breed of experts that can keep pace with the changing world of lifting around them. LEEA offers a range of courses to nurture expertise.

The Level 3 Lifting Equipment Technician Apprenticeship is now available for delivery to residents of England at companies registered in England as an Open Programme. This means the teaching is delivered via online classrooms and there are no minimum cohort requirements. One cohort will run every 3-months, with mock exams conducted at LEEA in Huntingdon and End Point Assessment delivered on-site.

The apprenticeship opens up a wide choice of opportunities to work with lifting equipment in all kinds of applications and career paths – from lifting of lighting rigs at festivals to chain slings on construction sites. Equipment can be in almost any type of industry, including onshore or offshore, in car plants, aircraft manufacturing organisations, ship building, yacht building, food processing, warehousing and general engineering facilities.

As a safety organisation with zero accidents and injuries from working at height being our prime goal, LEEA wants to remind end users how important it is to use expert Lifting Inspectors with expertise and high-quality training, and who routinely develop innovative solutions. Always look for the LEEA logo, whether it is on the in-house Lifting Inspector’s qualifications or if bringing service provider to provide the service, because it gives assurance of safe and expert practice when it comes to lifting equipment and services such as maintenance and inspection.