PUWER 1998 · Work equipment

Dock leveller inspection under PUWER

Independent inspection of your dock leveller as work equipment, against the PUWER duties, by a competent engineer surveyor.

A dock leveller carries a loaded forklift across the gap to a lorry, and if the lip fails the load and the truck go over the rear of the trailer. PUWER treats the leveller as work equipment and puts the duty to keep it safe on the person who operates the bay.

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  • Independent and impartial
  • Competent engineer surveyors
  • Reports issued promptly
Risk basedInterval set by how busy the bay is, not a fixed date
Loading bay dutyWork equipment your loaded trucks cross every day
A written recordA dated inspection record, not a certificate
Where it liftsAny powered lift function examined under LOLER
Work equipment we inspect

Why your dock leveller needs PUWER inspection

A dock leveller is the hinged bridge between your dock and a lorry: a deck that raises and lowers in its pit, a lip that swings out to rest on the trailer bed, and a toe guard that deploys to keep a foot from under the raised deck. Pallet trucks and forklifts run loaded across it all day, which is why its condition is not a small matter.

Under Regulation 6 the inspection is risk-based rather than fixed, and where the leveller has a powered lift that function may also fall to LOLER. We work the deck through the loading sequence, raise, deploy the lip, lower onto the bed, and examine the lip and its operating ram and hinge, the hydraulics and holding valve, the structure and pit, and the toe guard and maintenance support prop.

Lip and front edge
Operating ram and hinge
Hydraulics and holding valve
Toe guard
Structure and welds
Pit and corrosion
Dock bumpers
Maintenance support prop
How it works

How we inspect your dock leveller

A competent engineer surveyor works the leveller through the loading sequence and examines what carries the load: the lip and its operating ram and hinge, the hydraulics and the holding valve that should stop the deck creeping, the structure, pins and pit, the toe guard that deploys as the deck rises, and the maintenance support that holds the deck for anyone working beneath.

  • 1

    Get in touch

    Tell us how many dock levellers you run, their type and how busy the bays are.

  • 2

    On-site inspection

    A competent engineer surveyor works each leveller through its loading sequence and examines the lip, hydraulics, structure and toe guard.

  • 3

    Your record

    You receive a clear, dated inspection record, anything that needs attention flagged and the next date to plan around.

Why businesses choose SEIS

  • Independent and impartial: we inspect the leveller, we do not sell or service it
  • Engineer surveyors who report the defects that cause a load to fall at the rear
  • Inspection through the loading sequence, not a generic checklist
  • Clear records issued promptly, with the next due date flagged
What we check

Dock leveller: what a thorough inspection covers

Lip, operating ram and hinge

The parts that extend and hold the lip on the trailer, examined for distortion, cracking and wear, because a failed lip drops the load and the truck over the rear of the lorry.

Toe guard

The screen that deploys as the deck raises to stop a foot going under it, checked so it deploys and sits correctly with the operator often standing right alongside.

Hydraulics and holding valve

The rams, hoses and the valve that should hold the deck, checked for creep and leaks, so the deck does not sink under a forklift.

Structure, pins and welds

The deck frame, hinge pins and welds that take the impact of loaded trucks, examined for cracking and fatigue.

Pit, corrosion and bumpers

The pit for debris and moisture that corrode the mechanics, and the dock bumpers that absorb the lorry as it reverses onto the bay.

Maintenance support prop

The prop or strut that holds the deck up for maintenance, because no one should ever work under a raised leveller on the hydraulics alone.

Intervals and your record

How often, and what you receive

PUWER sets no fixed interval for a dock leveller. Under Regulation 6 the frequency follows the risk: after installation where safe use depends on how it was fitted, at suitable intervals because it takes constant impact and load, and again after any event that could have affected it. Where the leveller has a powered lift, that function may also fall to LOLER, and many operators and insurers fold the leveller into a single annual examination. Busy bays warrant more frequent checks.

No fixed intervalFrequency set by risk and how the equipment is used
After assemblyRe-inspected where safe use depends on correct assembly or relocation
A written recordA dated inspection record, not a statutory certificate
Where it liftsAny powered lifting function is examined under LOLER

Anyone selling a PUWER certificate is using a marketing word, not a legal one. We issue a clear, dated inspection record you can hand to an HSE inspector or your insurer.

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

Full statutory cover

Part of our full PUWER inspection service

Dock leveller 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 PUWER 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.

LOLER inspectionThorough examination and certification of lifting equipment and accessories. PSSR examinationWritten Schemes and certified examination of pressure systems. LEV testingLEV thorough examination and test of your extraction systems.
PUWER FAQs

Dock leveller inspection: common questions

Does a dock leveller need a PUWER inspection?
Yes. A dock leveller is work equipment, so PUWER applies: it must be suitable, kept in good condition and inspected where it is exposed to wear and impact. The duty is set out in the HSE guidance on PUWER.
Is it a PUWER certificate or a record?
A record. PUWER produces a written inspection record, not a statutory certificate, kept at least until the next inspection. There is no such thing as a PUWER certificate. We issue a clear, dated record you can hand to an HSE inspector or your insurer, and our guide to PUWER explains the difference.
Is a dock leveller covered by LOLER or PUWER?
As work equipment, the structure, lip, hinge and toe guard are inspected under PUWER. Where the leveller has a powered lifting function that raises the deck and its load, that lifting part may also be examined under LOLER. We set out in the report which regime covers which part, and many sites fold it into one annual visit.
What is the most serious defect on a dock leveller?
A failed lip. If the operating ram or hinge distorts and the lip lets go while a forklift is crossing, the load and the truck can fall at the rear of the lorry, with potentially fatal results. The lip, its ram and its hinge are at the centre of our inspection.
What does the inspection cover?
The lip, its operating ram and hinge, the hydraulics and holding valve, the structure, pins and welds, the pit and dock bumpers, the toe guard, and the maintenance support prop. We work the leveller through its full loading sequence.
Who is competent to inspect a dock leveller?
PUWER requires a competent person, someone with the knowledge and experience to know what to look at, what to look for and what to do about anything found. Our engineer surveyors are out in loading bays and report the defects that cause loads to fall.
Is it safe to work under a raised leveller?
Only on its maintenance support prop, never on the hydraulics alone. We check that the prop or strut is present and sound, because a holding valve or ram can fail and drop the deck on anyone working in the pit beneath it.
Do you inspect dock levellers across the UK?
Yes. Our engineer surveyors travel to distribution centres and loading bays nationwide, one leveller or a full row of docks. Call 0330 043 8191 to arrange a visit around your operation.

Is your dock leveller due a PUWER inspection?

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

0330 043 8191 Request a quote