Lifting Operations & Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998

LOLER inspections & thorough examinations

Statutory examination of lifting equipment by a competent person

If you own, operate or control lifting equipment at work, LOLER places a legal duty on you to have it thoroughly examined at set intervals. SEIS engineer surveyors carry out independent LOLER thorough examinations on everything from a single sling to an overhead crane, then issue your Report of Thorough Examination, your legal proof of compliance.

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  • Independent & impartial
  • Reports issued fast
  • 6 & 12-month schedules
LOLER thorough examination: lifting equipment verified safe to use by SEIS SWL within limit Examined & certified Report of Thorough Examination issued
Regulation 9 explained

What LOLER actually requires of you

LOLER applies to any equipment used at work for lifting or lowering loads, including the attachments used for anchoring, fixing or supporting it. The core obligation sits in Regulation 9: lifting equipment must be thoroughly examined by a competent person before first use, at regular intervals while in service, and after any exceptional event that could have affected its safety.

A thorough examination is not a quick visual check and it is not the same as your routine maintenance. It is a detailed, systematic assessment of condition, installation and continued safe use, and it must result in a written report.

The legal duty stays with you
Outsourcing the examination does not transfer the duty. Under LOLER the responsibility for safe, examined equipment sits with the duty-holder, the employer, owner or operator, throughout the life of every item on the register, not with the inspection contractor.
  • Examined by a competent person
    Someone with the practical and theoretical knowledge to detect defects and judge their importance, and independent enough to report them objectively, not the person who maintains the equipment.
  • Recorded in a written report
    Every examination produces a Report of Thorough Examination listing condition, any defects, the action required and the next due date. This is your evidence of compliance if the HSE asks.
  • Defects acted on promptly
    Where a defect could become a danger to people, it must be reported to you and to the enforcing authority, and the equipment taken out of service until it is made safe.
What a LOLER examination covers
The areas our engineer surveyors assess on every visit
  • 01
    Structural & load-bearing condition
    Wear, corrosion, distortion, cracking and fatigue across the frame, members and load path.
  • 02
    Safe Working Load & marking
    That the SWL is clearly marked, legible and appropriate, and the equipment is being used within it.
  • 03
    Mechanical function
    Ropes, chains, sheaves, brakes, gearing, hydraulics and moving parts checked for condition and operation.
  • 04
    Safety devices & controls
    Limit switches, overload protection, interlocks and emergency stops tested for correct operation.
  • 05
    Attachments & accessories
    Slings, hooks, shackles, eyebolts and anchor points, examined as part of the lifting system.
Where a proof load test is needed to verify strength, we can arrange this alongside the examination.
Two types of examination

Initial & in-service examinations

LOLER calls for a thorough examination at more than one point in an item’s life, and it helps to know which one applies to you so nothing is missed before equipment goes to work.

  • Initial thorough examination
    Before lifting equipment is put into service for the first time, to confirm it is safe. New equipment supplied with a valid CE/UKCA Declaration of Conformity less than 12 months old may satisfy this, but anything assembled or installed on site, where safety depends on the installation, still needs examining first.
  • In-service thorough examination
    The recurring examination once equipment is in use, at 6 or 12-month intervals, or to a written scheme. This is the one most duty-holders mean by a “LOLER inspection”.
  • After exceptional circumstances
    An extra examination is required after anything that may have affected safety, such as major repair, an accident, long out-of-use storage, or relocation of installed equipment.
Examination, inspection or test?
Three terms that are often confused, set straight
Thorough examinationStatutory
The detailed, formal LOLER assessment by a competent person that produces a written report. This is the legal requirement.
Interim inspectionIn-house
Lighter user or maintenance checks between examinations, such as daily forklift or weekly sling checks. Useful, but they do not replace the thorough examination.
Load / proof testWhen needed
Applying a known load to verify strength and performance. Not always required, but sometimes carried out alongside an examination.
Only a thorough examination by a competent person satisfies LOLER. SEIS provides that examination, independently.
How often

6 months, 12 months or to a scheme

The interval depends on what is being lifted. The simple principle: if there is any chance a person could be lifted, the shorter six-month interval applies. The breakdown is shown alongside.

These intervals are a statutory floor, not a target. A competent person can set different intervals through a written examination scheme tuned to how hard your equipment actually works.

A scheme works in both directions
A round-the-clock forklift in a cold store may need pulling in below 12 months as wear accelerates; a lightly used lift may be justified at a longer interval. We can draw up a scheme for your critical assets and examine to it.

A LOLER examination is also triggered sooner if equipment is moved to a new location, significantly altered, or involved in an incident, regardless of when the last one was due.

LOLER examination intervals
The statutory minimum under LOLER 1998
6
6 MONTHS
Equipment used to lift people (passenger & platform lifts, MEWPs, hoists) and all lifting accessories.
12
12 MONTHS
All other lifting equipment that lifts loads only, such as cranes, hoists and fork lift trucks.
Or as set by a written scheme of examination drawn up by a competent person.
What we examine

Lifting equipment we examine

If it raises, lowers or suspends a load at work, it almost certainly falls under LOLER, and that includes the slings, chains and hooks used with it. Our engineer surveyors examine the full range of lifting equipment and accessories, across single items or whole fleets on one schedule.

Not sure whether a particular item needs a thorough examination? Tell us what you run and we will confirm what LOLER requires and when it is next due.

Ask about your equipment
Lifting equipment we examine
A selection of equipment covered under LOLER 1998
Cranes & hoists
Fork lift trucks
Slings, chains & hooks
Passenger & goods lifts
MEWPs & platforms
Tail lifts & jacks
Plus patient hoists, runway beams, lifting eyes and any other machinery used to raise or lower a load.
Areas we cover

LOLER inspections across our coverage area

We work nationwide, with established local engineer surveyors across our coverage area. Choose your county to find loler inspections in your nearest town.

Cambridgeshire2 towns
LOLER inspections in Cambridge LOLER inspections in Peterborough
County Durham1 town
LOLER inspections in Darlington
Derbyshire1 town
LOLER inspections in Derby
Lincolnshire3 towns
LOLER inspections in Grimsby LOLER inspections in Lincoln LOLER inspections in Scunthorpe
Nottinghamshire3 towns
LOLER inspections in Mansfield LOLER inspections in Nottingham LOLER inspections in Retford
Tyne and Wear1 town
LOLER inspections in Newcastle
Yorkshire15 towns
LOLER inspections in Bradford LOLER inspections in Castleford LOLER inspections in Doncaster LOLER inspections in Halifax LOLER inspections in Harrogate LOLER inspections in Huddersfield LOLER inspections in Hull LOLER inspections in Keighley LOLER inspections in Leeds LOLER inspections in Pontefract LOLER inspections in Rotherham LOLER inspections in Selby LOLER inspections in Sheffield LOLER inspections in Wakefield LOLER inspections in York
Due a LOLER examination?
Talk to an engineer surveyor about your lifting equipment, get a quote, and book your thorough examination, wherever you are in the UK.
0330 043 8191 Request a quote
LOLER FAQs

Common questions about LOLER examinations

Clear answers to the questions duty-holders ask most about LOLER thorough examinations. If yours isn’t here, our engineer surveyors are happy to help.

What is a LOLER thorough examination?

A LOLER thorough examination is a detailed, systematic inspection of lifting equipment carried out by a competent person at set intervals, to confirm the equipment is safe to keep using. It is a legal requirement under Regulation 9 of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998, and it results in a written Report of Thorough Examination. It is not the same as routine maintenance or a quick user check.

How often is a LOLER inspection required, 6 or 12 months?

It depends on what is being lifted. Equipment used to lift people, and all lifting accessories such as slings, chains and hooks, must be examined at least every 6 months. All other lifting equipment that lifts loads only, such as cranes, hoists and fork lift trucks, must be examined at least every 12 months.

A competent person can set different intervals through a written examination scheme, which may shorten or, where justified by low risk, extend the period for a particular item.

Who can carry out a LOLER examination?

Only a competent person, someone with the practical and theoretical knowledge and experience to detect defects in the equipment and judge their importance. They must also be sufficiently independent and impartial to make objective decisions, which generally means they should not be the same person responsible for maintaining the equipment. SEIS provides this as an independent service.

Is a LOLER inspection a legal requirement?

Yes. If you own, operate or control lifting equipment used at work, LOLER places a legal duty on you to have it thoroughly examined. The duty is enforced by the Health and Safety Executive, and it stays with the duty-holder, the employer, owner or operator, even when the examination itself is outsourced to a provider.

What is the difference between a LOLER examination and a load test?

A thorough examination is the detailed assessment of condition and safe operation that LOLER requires, and it produces the statutory report. A load (or proof) test applies a known load to verify strength and performance. A test is not always required, but where it is, it can be carried out alongside the examination.

What happens if a defect is found?

The competent person records it in the Report of Thorough Examination along with the action needed and a timescale. Where a defect is, or could become, a danger to people, the equipment should be taken out of service until it is made safe, and the defect must also be reported to the relevant enforcing authority.

Do I need an examination before using new lifting equipment?

Often, yes, an initial thorough examination before first use. New equipment supplied with a valid EC/UKCA Declaration of Conformity issued less than 12 months earlier may satisfy this. However, anything that is assembled or installed on site, where safety depends on the installation conditions, still needs a thorough examination before it is put into service.