This regulation applies if you have any of the following:
• chain slings, wire rope slings, woven webbing slings, master links, hooks, shackles and swivels, eye bolts, lifting or spreader beams, tongs, ladles, coil lifters, plate lifting clamps and drum lifting clamps used to attach a load to a lifting machine; or
• a lifting device consisting of one or more sheave components reeved with chains, steel rope or fibre ropes, used solely for the raising and lowering of a load or for moving it horizontally and includes chain blocks, lever hoists, steel-wire rope pullers and winches; or
• power driven machine that is designed and constructed for the purpose of raising or lowering a load or moving it in suspension.

Compliance Obligations?

A user may not use or permit the use of a lifting machine or hand powered lifting device unless:
• The lifting machine or hand powered lifting device is designed and constructed in accordance with accepted technical standards;
• Is clearly marked with a safe working load;
• There is a manufacturer’s identification plate displaying the name of the manufacturer, design standard, serial number and country of origin;
• There must be at least three full turns of rope on the drum of each winch that forms part of the machine, and when such winch has been run to its lowest limit and that is controlled by an automatic cut-out device.

Every power-driven lifting machine must be fitted with a brake or another device capable of holding the safe work load so that in the event that the power supply or lifting effort fails or the load condition is greater than the rated load condition of that machine, there will be a safety mechanism in place.

Every chain or rope that forms part of the load path of a lifting machine or hand-powered lifting device must have the factor of safety prescribed by the standard to which that machine was manufactured. In the absence of such prescribed factor of safety, chains, steel-wire ropes and fibre ropes will have a factor of safety of at least four, five and ten with regard to the safe working load of the machine.

Every hook or load attaching device of a lifting machine must be designed in such a way that accidental disconnection of the load cannot take place.

Each lifting machine or hand powered lifting device must be subjected to a thorough examination and a performance test by a lifting machinery inspector at intervals not exceeding 12 months.

In the absence of a manufacturing standard, the whole installation of the lifting machine must be tested with 110% of the safe working load applied over the complete lifting range of such machine and in such a manner that every part of the installation is stressed accordingly.

All ropes, chains, hooks or other attaching devices that form an integral part of lifting machines must be subjected to a thorough examination by a person who has the knowledge training experience and qualifications specific to the work performed at intervals not exceeding six months.

A register must be created whereby full particulars of any performance tests, modifications or repairs are recorded. The register must be kept on site and available on request for inspection by an inspector.

No person may be moved or supported by means of a lifting machine unless the machine is fitted with a man-cage designed and manufactured according to SANS 18893 and which has been approved for that purpose by an inspector after a risk assessment has been done.

A power driven lifting machine may not be used unless the following requirements have been met:
• If it has a lifting capacity that is greater than 5000kg, a load indicator that is capable of indicating the mass of the load being lifted must be provided;
• A load limiting device also must be provided. This device will automatically arrest the driving effort of the lifting machine whenever the load being lifted is greater than the safe working load of the machine.

Lifting tackle may only be used if the requirements of regulation 18(10)(a)-(e) have been complied with.

The most important are:
• every item of lifting tackle is well constructed of sound material, strong enough and free from defects;
• all the various components of the lifting tackle must be clearly marked with identification particulars and the safe working load that it is designed to lift;
• all lifting tackle must be inspected and potentially discarded if there is any sign of damage that makes them unsafe for use; and
• the lifting tackle must be examined at intervals not exceeding three months by a competent person that has been appointed in writing and who shall record the results of the examination;
• the ropes, chains or woven webbing must have a safety factor with regard to the safe working load that they are designed to lift, the safety factor requirements are listed in regulation 18(10)(c).

Every lifting machine must be operated by an operator that has been specifically trained for that particular type of lifting machine and if that particular machine is listed in the National Code of Practice for Training Providers of Lifting Machine Operators, then the operator will must be in possession of a certificate of training which is to be issued by an accredited training provider.

The National Code of Practice for the Training Providers of Lifting Machine Operators, 2024 is now incorporated into the Driven Machinery Regulations, 2015 under Section 44 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act (Act No.85 of 1993).

Exempt Training Providers in terms of Section 40 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act as required by regulation 18 (11) of the Driven Machinery Regulations on a condition that they are accredited by Quality Council for Trade Occupations (QCTO) or Transport Seta (TETA) until end of June 2027. With effect from end of June 2027 all training providers shall be accredited by QCTO.