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Abrasive wheels training online in Ireland: Part 12 of the 2007 Regulations, who may mount a wheel, and what Schedule 14 says training must cover

What Irish law requires before an employee mounts an abrasive wheel: Part 12 of the 2007 Regulations, employer authorisation and the Schedule 14 training list.

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Last reviewed 4 min readBy Lift College Editorial

CPD guide

Abrasive wheels are one of the few pieces of work equipment where Irish law spells out the training content. Since 2016 the rules sit in Part 12 of the General Application Regulations, and Schedule 14 lists what an employee must be trained in before the employer authorises them to mount a wheel. This guide explains the law, the authorisation step, the Schedule 14 list, and where an online course such as Lift College's Abrasive Wheels Training (Ireland) fits.

The law

The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) (Amendment) Regulations 2016 (S.I. No. 36 of 2016), read on 9 November 2026, revoked the Safety in Industry (Abrasive Wheels) Regulations 1982 and inserted Part 12, Abrasive Wheels, into the 2007 General Application Regulations (S.I. No. 299 of 2007). Part 12 runs from Regulation 208 to 214: interpretation, application, use of abrasive wheels, speed of revolution, mounting, authorisation and training, and guarding and rests for workpieces and flanges.

Regulation 213 is the training regulation. An employer must ensure that an employee does not mount an abrasive wheel unless the employee has been authorised by the employer to mount that wheel or that class of wheel, and the employer may not authorise an employee unless the employee has been trained and instructed in accordance with Schedule 14 and is competent to mount the wheel. Anyone appointed under the 1982 Regulations before Part 12 came in is treated as authorised.

The general duties still apply: Chapter 2 of Part 2 of the 2007 Regulations on work equipment, and sections 8, 10 and 19 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005.

What Schedule 14 says training must cover

For each wheel or class of wheel the authorisation covers:

  • Proper methods of mounting the wheel.
  • The hazards arising from its use and the precautions to observe.
  • How wheels are marked as to type and speed.
  • Storing, handling and transporting wheels.
  • Inspecting and testing wheels for damage.
  • The functions of the components used with the wheel, such as flanges, blotters, bushes and nuts.
  • Dressing and truing, and the adjustment of the work rest.
  • The use of advisory literature on mounting.
  • The requirements of Part 12 itself.

Where an online course fits

Lift College's Abrasive Wheels Training (Ireland) is 1.5 hours in 4 modules, written for Ireland with Part 12, the 2007 Regulations, the 2005 Act and the HSA. It covers the Schedule 14 topics as knowledge: wheel types and markings, speeds and why wheels burst, inspection and the ring test, mounting, balancing and dressing, guards and work rests, PPE, storage and handling, and kickback, with a check after every module and a dated, verifiable certificate. It is priced in euros. It costs €22.99, pay once, with 14-day money back. Lift College recommends a refresh every 3 years, free.

What it cannot do

  • Authorise anyone. Regulation 213 puts the authorisation on the employer, who must also be satisfied the employee is competent to mount the wheel, which means watching it done on the machines in that workplace.
  • Replace the practical element. Mounting is a physical skill; the course prepares you for the supervised practical and the sign-off.
  • Stand in for the SOLAS Safe Pass card on a construction site, which is a separate requirement for being on site at all.

Where to go next

Frequently asked questions

Is abrasive wheels training a legal requirement in Ireland?
Yes, for anyone who mounts a wheel. Regulation 213 of the 2007 General Application Regulations (inserted in 2016) says an employer may not authorise an employee to mount an abrasive wheel unless the employee has been trained and instructed in accordance with Schedule 14 and is competent. Operators who only use a wheel still need training under the general work equipment duties.
Does the course authorise me to change wheels?
No. Only your employer can authorise you, and only once you have been trained on the Schedule 14 topics and shown you are competent to mount the wheel in practice. The course gives the knowledge and a dated record of it; the practical sign-off is on site.
Is online abrasive wheels training accepted in Ireland?
The Regulations list what training must cover but do not name a format. An online course covering the Schedule 14 topics, followed by a supervised practical and the employer's authorisation, is how many Irish employers meet Regulation 213.
What happened to the 1982 Abrasive Wheels Regulations?
They were revoked by S.I. No. 36 of 2016, which moved the rules into Part 12 of the 2007 General Application Regulations. Anyone appointed under the 1982 Regulations before the change is treated as authorised under Regulation 213.
How often should abrasive wheels training be refreshed?
The Regulations fix no interval, but authorisation is for a wheel or class of wheel, so new equipment means new training. Lift College recommends a refresh every 3 years, and the refresher is free.
Is the course written for Irish law?
Yes. It covers Part 12 and Schedule 14 of the 2007 General Application Regulations as amended in 2016, the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 and the HSA, and it is priced in euros. Lift College does not have a separate UK abrasive wheels course.

Sources checked

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