What a LOLER inspection actually is
The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 require every piece of lifting equipment in use at work to be thoroughly examined by a competent person at regular intervals, and for the report of that examination to be kept and available for inspection.
A thorough examination is not a service and it is not a visual glance. It is a systematic examination of the equipment and its safety-critical components, carried out by someone independent enough to condemn it — supported by testing where the condition of the equipment or its history makes that necessary. Maintenance keeps a machine working; a thorough examination establishes whether it is safe to keep using.
Equipment we examine
Forklift trucks
12 months
Vehicle lifts
6 months
Overhead cranes
12 months
Jib & gantry cranes
12 months
Chain blocks & hoists
12 months
MEWPs & scissor lifts
6 months
Passenger lifts
6 months
Slings & chains
6 months
Shackles & hooks
6 months
Lifting beams
6 months
Forklift attachments
6 months
Engine & workshop hoists
12 months
Not on the list? Almost anything that lifts a load falls under LOLER — call and we will confirm.
What gets checked
- 01Structure, load-bearing members and welds for cracking, distortion and corrosion.
- 02Ropes, chains, hooks and terminations for wear, stretch, damage and correct fitment.
- 03Brakes, limit switches and overload protection for correct function and setting.
- 04Hydraulics and pneumatics for leaks, security of hoses and condition of rams and seals.
- 05Controls, interlocks and emergency lowering for correct operation and identification.
- 06Safe working load marking, identification and traceability of the equipment.
- 07Previous reports, defect history and the completeness of your examination records.
Inspection intervals under LOLER
| Equipment | Minimum interval |
|---|---|
| Equipment used to lift or lower people | 6 months |
| Lifting accessories | 6 months |
| All other lifting equipment | 12 months |
| Equipment under an examination scheme | As the scheme specifies |
Equipment also requires examination after installation or assembly at a new site, and after exceptional circumstances such as damage, modification or long periods out of use.
What you receive
Report of thorough examination
The statutory record: what was examined, its condition, any defect found, and the date the next examination falls due.
Certification
Issued the day of the visit so nothing sits waiting for paperwork before it goes back into service.
Defect briefing on site
Anything serious is raised with you in person before we leave, not buried in a document a week later.
Asset register
A running schedule of your lifting equipment with due dates, so renewals never take you by surprise.
LOLER questions
How often does lifting equipment need a LOLER inspection?
Every 6 months for equipment used to lift people and for lifting accessories, and every 12 months for all other lifting equipment — or at the intervals set out in an examination scheme drawn up by a competent person.
Is a LOLER inspection a legal requirement?
Yes. Regulation 9 of LOLER 1998 requires lifting equipment to be thoroughly examined by a competent person, and Regulation 11 requires the report of that examination to be kept available. Enforcement action follows missing or out-of-date reports.
My forklift is on a service contract — is that enough?
No. Maintenance and servicing are not a thorough examination. LOLER requires an examination by a competent person in addition to routine maintenance, and the two are recorded separately.
What happens if equipment fails the examination?
You are told on site, and the report records the defect and whether it presents an existing or imminent danger. Equipment with a serious defect is taken out of service until it has been repaired and re-examined.
Where we work
Based in Nottingham, we carry out LOLER inspections across the East Midlands — Derby, Leicester, Mansfield, Lincoln, Chesterfield, Loughborough, Newark and Worksop. See all areas covered.