DMR 18 at a glance
| Regulation | Driven Machinery Regulation 18, under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993 |
|---|---|
| Governs | Design, use, examination and testing of lifting machines and lifting tackle |
| Lifting tackle in use | Examined at intervals not exceeding 3 months |
| Lifting machine | Thoroughly examined and performance tested at intervals not exceeding 12 months |
| Where no test standard applies | Whole installation tested at 110% of the safe working load over the full range |
| Records | Register kept on the premises, available to an inspector on request |
Toco Lifting is a registered Lifting Machinery Entity (LME 008), approved under DMR 18(5) to examine and performance test chain blocks, steel wire ropes, chain slings, steel wire slings and flat webbings.
Driven Machinery Regulation 18 (DMR 18) is the South African regulation, made under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993, that governs the design, use, examination and testing of lifting machines and lifting tackle. Under DMR 18, a lifting machine must be thoroughly examined and performance tested at intervals not exceeding 12 months, and lifting tackle in use must be examined at intervals not exceeding three months.
This guide sets out what Driven Machinery Regulation 18 requires, drawn from the wording of the regulation itself. It is a general explanation for site engineers, rigging supervisors, safety officers and procurement teams, and is not a substitute for the regulation text or for advice from a registered Lifting Machinery Inspector.
What is DMR 18?
DMR 18 stands for Driven Machinery Regulation 18. The Driven Machinery Regulations are made under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993 (Act 85 of 1993), and Regulation 18 is the regulation that deals with lifting machines and lifting tackle. It sets out the legal requirements for the design, construction, marking, examination and testing of this equipment.
What does DMR 18 require of a lifting machine?
Under DMR 18, a lifting machine may only be used if it has been designed and constructed in accordance with a generally accepted technical standard, is conspicuously and clearly marked with the maximum mass load it is designed to carry, and is fitted with the safety devices the regulation requires.
In the South African Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHS Act), Driven Machinery Regulation 18(5) mandates that a user must ensure all lifting machines are examined and performance tested by a competent Lifting Machinery Inspector (LMI) before being put into service, after any major repairs or modifications, and at regular intervals not exceeding 12 months. Subregulation (5)(a) requires this examination and performance test to be carried out as prescribed by the standard to which the lifting machine was manufactured. Only where no such manufacturing standard prescribes a test does DMR 18 require the whole installation to be tested with 110% of the safe working load (SWL), applied over the complete lifting range so that every part of the installation is stressed accordingly.
How often must lifting equipment be examined and tested?
Under DMR 18, lifting tackle in use must be examined at intervals not exceeding 3 months; the ropes, chains, hooks, attaching devices, sheaves, brakes and safety devices of a lifting machine must be thoroughly examined at intervals not exceeding 6 months; and the lifting machine itself must be thoroughly examined and performance tested at intervals not exceeding 12 months. The maximum intervals are set out below.
| Requirement | Maximum interval | Regulation |
|---|---|---|
| Visual examination of lifting tackle in use, signed into a register | 3 months | DMR 18(10)(e) |
| Thorough examination of the ropes, chains, hooks, attaching devices, sheaves, brakes and safety devices of a lifting machine | 6 months | DMR 18(6) |
| Thorough examination and performance test of a lifting machine | 12 months | DMR 18(5)(a) |
A lifting machine must also be examined and tested before it is first put into use and every time it is dismantled and reassembled.
What records must the equipment user keep?
DMR 18 requires every user of a lifting machine to keep a register on the premises in which full particulars of any performance test and examination prescribed by the regulation, and any modification or repair to the lifting machine, are recorded. The register must be available on request for inspection by an inspector.
Toco Lifting and DMR 18
Toco Lifting is a registered Lifting Machinery Entity (LME 008), approved by the Department of Labour under DMR 18(5) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993 to examine and performance test chain blocks, steel wire ropes, chain slings, steel wire slings and flat webbings. These examinations and performance tests are carried out on Toco Lifting’s premises by a Lifting Machinery Inspector registered with the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA Reg. 201112078). For equipment outside these categories, contact Toco to be advised.
To arrange an examination, performance test or recertification of lifting equipment, see Lifting Equipment Testing & Certification or call +27 (0)11 345 8800.
Frequently asked questions
What does DMR 18 stand for?
DMR 18 stands for Driven Machinery Regulation 18. It is a regulation made under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993, governing the design, use, examination and testing of lifting machines and lifting tackle.
How often does a lifting machine need to be examined and tested?
Under DMR 18, a lifting machine must be thoroughly examined and performance tested before first use, after any dismantling and reassembly, and thereafter at intervals not exceeding 12 months. Its ropes, chains, hooks, attaching devices, sheaves, brakes and safety devices must be thoroughly examined at intervals not exceeding six months.
How often must lifting tackle be examined?
Under DMR 18, lifting tackle in use must be examined at intervals not exceeding three months by a competent person, who must enter and sign the result of each examination in a register kept for that purpose.
What is the 110% test under DMR 18?
Where the standard to which a lifting machine was manufactured does not prescribe a performance test, DMR 18 requires the whole installation to be tested with 110% of the safe working load (SWL), applied over the complete lifting range so that every part of the installation is stressed accordingly.
What records does DMR 18 require?
DMR 18 requires the user of a lifting machine to keep a register on the premises recording full particulars of every performance test, examination, modification and repair. The register must be available for inspection by an inspector on request.
