Open Letter regarding HSG 175 In-service Annual Inspection

The Amusement Device Safety Council (ADSC) recently instructed ADIPS to write to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) regarding the guidance within HSG 175 and specifically the circumstances around issuing Declarations of Operational Compliance (DOC).

The HSE have since responding stipulating that at present there will be no relaxation of any of the rules regarding statutory inspections as referred to in the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 of which Amusement Devices fall under. This is consistent with other statutory inspections such as thorough examination and testing of lifting equipment and pressure systems as required by the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) and Pressure Systems Safety Regulations (PSSR). The consequences of this are that DOCs cannot exceed 12 months and will not be extended beyond this regardless of the current COVID-19 situation the UK finds itself in.

ADIPS urge Controllers of Amusement Devices to get in touch with their Registered Inspection Body (RIB) at their earliest opportunity to ask what is possible regarding their inspection. Each RIB is different but all work within the rules and early consultation is encouraged.

ADIPS is working with the National Association for Leisure Industry Certification (NAFLIC) and the Amusement Device Inspector Support Group (ADIS) to try and find suitable consistent agreement across RIBs to facilitate inspection to continue with the rules of HSG 175, ADIP Scheme document and Government rules on COVID-19. Once details of this are agreed they will be published via ADSC member associations and the ADIPS website and social media.

I thank you for your patience during this testing time.

Jon Ruddock MBA, IEng, MIET General Manager

ADIPS Ltd