What the regulations actually ask for
LOLER, PUWER, the Work at Height Regulations and PSSR all turn on the same phrase: a competent person. Not an accredited firm, not a brand — a person with the practical and theoretical knowledge of the equipment to find defects and judge how serious they are, and with enough independence and authority to say so plainly.
Andrew has spent over twenty years in the inspection industry, examining lifting equipment, work equipment, height safety kit and pressure systems across manufacturing, warehousing, construction, agriculture and the motor trade. That is twenty years of knowing which defects matter, which are cosmetic, and which mean the machine goes out of service today.
That last part is the one that gets quietly dropped. An inspector who also maintains the equipment, or who is employed by the company that hired it to you, is not in a strong position to condemn it. Independence is not a nicety in this work; it is the thing that makes the report worth anything.
How we work
Independent by design
We do not sell, hire, repair or maintain equipment. There is nothing to gain from a pass and nothing to gain from a fail, which is the only position from which a report means anything.
One engineer, every visit
The same person attends each time. Your site, your kit and its history are already known, so nothing has to be explained twice and nothing gets missed between inspectors.
Plain findings
Defects are described in terms you can act on — what it is, how serious it is, and what has to happen before the equipment goes back into service.
Production comes second to safety, not to convenience
If something is dangerous it is condemned. If it is serviceable with a repair, that is said clearly too — nothing is failed to be seen to be thorough.
Same-day certification
Reports issued the day of the visit. Equipment does not sit idle waiting for paperwork, and audits are never held up by a missing document.
Sensible pricing
A one-man limited company with low overheads. You are paying for engineering judgement, not for a call centre, a fleet and a marketing department.
What a visit looks like
-
01
The call
Tell us what you have got — roughly is fine. We will tell you which regulations apply, what the interval should be, and what it will cost. No charge for that conversation.
-
02
Attendance
We work around production: early starts, late finishes, quiet periods and shutdowns. Multiple regimes are covered in one visit wherever the equipment allows.
-
03
Examination
Each item examined and recorded individually. Anything with an immediate or imminent danger is raised with you the moment it is found, not saved for the report.
-
04
Debrief before leaving
A verbal summary on site so you know where you stand and can plan repairs before the paperwork lands.
-
05
Report and certification
Issued the same day, in a format auditors, insurers and principal contractors accept, with next-due dates for your schedule.
Common questions
What is a competent person under LOLER?
Someone with the practical and theoretical knowledge and experience of the equipment to detect defects and assess how significant they are, and with sufficient independence and authority to report them honestly and without commercial pressure.
Can our own maintenance engineer be the competent person?
Only where they genuinely have the knowledge and, critically, sufficient independence from the maintenance of that equipment. Someone examining their own work is not in a position to report on it impartially — which is why most businesses appoint an external competent person.
Are you insured?
Yes. Central Safety Inspections Ltd holds public liability and professional indemnity insurance and is a limited company registered in England and Wales. Certificates are available on request before we attend.