LOLER 1998 · Lifting equipment

Personnel hoist thorough examination

Independent thorough examination and certification of your personnel hoist as lifting equipment, by a competent person under LOLER.

A personnel hoist climbs the outside of a building on a mast it grips by its teeth. There are no ropes and no counterweight: a pinion drives the cage up a toothed mast, and an overspeed device clamps that same mast if the cage ever runs away. The examination follows the cage up the rack.

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  • Independent and impartial
  • Competent engineer surveyors
  • Reports issued promptly
6 monthsThe interval for a personnel hoist, because it carries people
DriveA rack and pinion climbing a toothed mast, no ropes or counterweight
Overspeed deviceA mechanical safety that grips the mast on overspeed
ReportA Report of Thorough Examination, your legal record
Lifting equipment we examine

Why your personnel hoist needs LOLER examination

A personnel hoist, the rack and pinion hoist that carries people and materials up a construction site, is lifting equipment that carries people, so LOLER requires a thorough examination at least every six months by a competent person independent of whoever erects or maintains it. It is also equipment that is assembled on site, so the whole installation is thoroughly examined before it is first used, and again after it is climbed, extended or altered. The mast, the ties, the gates and the base all form part of that examination, not just the machine.

What sets it apart is the drive and the safety device that go with a toothed mast. A competent person proves the rack and pinion, the gear teeth and the pinion engagement, and the mast sections, their bolts and the ties that hold the mast to the structure, because an untied or under-bolted mast is the classic serious finding. Then come the parts that catch a failure: the overspeed safety device that grips the mast and holds the cage if it descends too fast, the landing and cage gate interlocks that stop the cage moving with a gate open, and the buffers and final limits. These hoists are built and examined to standards such as BS 7212 and BS EN 12159.

Construction personnel hoists
Passenger and materials hoists
Twin-cage mast hoists
Rack and pinion drive
Mast sections, bolts and ties
Overspeed safety device
Landing and cage gate interlocks
Buffers and final limits
How it works

How we examine your personnel hoist

A competent person examines the whole installation and runs the cage through its travel. We prove the rack and pinion and the pinion engagement, the mast sections, their bolts and the ties to the structure, function test the overspeed safety device and the gate interlocks, and check the buffers and final limits, because a hoist that climbs a building on its own teeth has to be caught by the same mast the instant it overspeeds.

  • 1

    Get in touch

    Tell us the hoists on site, the make and mast height, and whether they carry people, materials or both.

  • 2

    On-site examination

    A competent person examines the whole installation and runs the cage through its full travel.

  • 3

    Your record

    You receive a Report of Thorough Examination for each hoist, with any defect flagged and the next date set.

Why businesses choose SEIS

  • Independent and impartial: we examine the hoist, we do not erect or maintain it
  • Competent persons who function test the overspeed device and prove the mast ties
  • Whole installation examined before first use and after every alteration
  • Reports issued promptly, with defects and the next due date set out clearly
What we examine

Personnel hoist: what a thorough examination covers

Rack and pinion

The gear teeth and the pinion engagement examined, because the pinion drives the cage up the toothed mast and worn or poorly meshed teeth are a direct loss of drive.

Mast and ties

The mast sections, their bolts and the ties to the structure proved, because an untied or under-bolted mast is the classic serious finding on a hoist that climbs a building.

Overspeed device

The overspeed safety device function tested so far as it is safe, because it is the mechanical device that clamps the mast and holds the cage if it descends too fast.

Gate interlocks

The landing and cage gate interlocks proved, because they stop the cage moving with a gate open and a gate opening onto a moving cage.

Buffers and limits

The buffers and the final limits examined, because they are the last protection at the top and bottom of the mast.

Base and structure

The base frame and the cage structure checked, because the whole installation, not just the drive unit, carries the load and is examined as one.

Intervals and certification

How often, and what you receive

A personnel hoist carries people, so it is thoroughly examined at least every six months, and because it is assembled on site it is also examined before its first use and again after it is extended, climbed or altered. The toothed mast puts the rack and pinion, the mast ties and the overspeed device at the centre of the examination, not ropes and a sheave. A competent person can set a tighter interval in a written scheme where the duty or the site is demanding. Whatever the interval, the examination is independent of the maintenance, and the overspeed safety device and the gate interlocks are proven every time, because they are what hold the cage on the mast when the drive cannot.

6 monthsEquipment that lifts people, and all lifting accessories
12 monthsOther lifting equipment, unless an examination scheme sets otherwise
Schedule 1A Report of Thorough Examination, your legal record
IndependentWe examine it, we do not sell or maintain it

You receive a Report of Thorough Examination, the record LOLER requires, with anything that needs attention set out clearly.

The price follows your equipment, not a rate card: see what drives a LOLER quote.

Full statutory cover

Part of our full LOLER inspection service

Personnel hoist is one of the many kinds of equipment we cover. We inspect the full range, across every sector, as an independent provider, one item or a whole site, anywhere in the UK.

See our full LOLER inspection service
Other services

Other statutory inspections we carry out

Many sites run more than one regime. We can examine all of it, under one independent provider.

PUWER inspectionInspection of work equipment against the five PUWER duties, with a written record. PSSR examinationWritten Schemes and certified examination of pressure systems. LEV testingLEV thorough examination and test of your extraction systems.
LOLER FAQs

Personnel hoist examination: common questions

Does a personnel hoist need a LOLER thorough examination?
Yes. A personnel hoist carries people, so it is lifting equipment for lifting people and LOLER applies in full. You can read the duty in the HSE guidance on LOLER.
How often must a personnel hoist be examined?
At least every six months because it carries people, and also before first use and after it is extended, climbed or altered, since it is assembled on site.
Is it a certificate or a report?
You receive a Report of Thorough Examination, the record LOLER requires. People call it the LOLER certificate, which is fair shorthand, but the legal document is the report. Our guide to LOLER sets out what it must contain.
How does a rack and pinion hoist differ from a roped lift?
It has no ropes and no counterweight. A pinion gear drives the cage up a toothed mast, and an overspeed device grips that mast to arrest the cage, so the rack, the pinion and that device are central to the examination.
Why do you examine the mast ties and bolts so closely?
The mast is tied to the building to stay upright as it climbs. An untied or under-bolted mast is a serious finding, so the sections, their bolts and the ties are proven at every examination.
Do you test the overspeed safety device?
Yes, so far as it is safe to do so. It is the mechanical device that clamps the mast and holds the cage if it descends too fast, and it is the hoist's last line of defence.
Does the whole installation get examined, or just the machine?
The whole installation: the mast, ties, gates, landings and base, as well as the drive unit. Because the hoist is built on site, the assembled installation is examined before it carries anyone.
Do you examine hoists on sites across the UK?
Yes. We work nationwide, attending construction sites wherever they are, and around the programme on site. Call 0330 043 8191 to arrange a visit.

Is your personnel hoist due a thorough examination?

Talk to an engineer surveyor, get a quote and book your inspection anywhere in the UK.

0330 043 8191 Request a quote