LOLER 1998 · Lifting equipment

Straddle Carrier Thorough Examination

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

A straddle carrier drives over its load and lifts it between its own legs, so the driver sits above every lift the machine makes. We carry out LOLER thorough examinations on straddle carriers in ports, terminals and yards, and certify each machine with a Report of Thorough Examination.

0330 043 8191 Request a quote
  • Independent and impartial
  • Competent engineer surveyors
  • Reports issued promptly
12 monthsStatutory maximum interval for container and goods lifting
TwistlocksSpreader locks and their interlocks are proven, not assumed
Reg 10Report of Thorough Examination issued to the duty holder
Whole machineFrame, hoist, spreader and load path examined together
Lifting equipment we examine

Why your straddle carrier needs LOLER examination

A straddle carrier is a portal framed machine that positions itself over a container or cassette, locks on with a spreader, lifts the load clear inside its own frame and carries it across the yard, stacking two or three high. Ports, rail terminals, inland container yards and heavy manufacturers use them because one machine picks, carries and stacks without a crane or a truck in support.

The design puts the load, the hoist and the driver in the same vertical envelope. Hoisting is typically hydraulic cylinders pulling wire ropes over sheaves inside the legs, with balance or holding valves to stop the load running down if pressure is lost, and twistlock interlocks that should make lifting impossible until all four corners are engaged. Those protective layers only count if someone independent proves they still work.

Port straddle carriers
Terminal sprinter carriers
Inland yard carriers
Industrial straddle carriers
Spreaders and twistlocks
Hoist ropes and sheaves
Hydraulic hoist cylinders
Cassette and frame handlers
How it works

How we examine your straddle carrier

Our engineer surveyor examines the portal frame and leg connections, hoist cylinders, ropes and sheaves, the spreader with its twistlocks and interlocks, holding and balance valves, wheel drives, steering and brakes, then proves the hoist, the locks and the limits through a working cycle with a container on.

  • 1

    Examine inside the legs

    The ropes, sheaves and cylinders that do the lifting live inside the frame. We open up and examine the load path most daily checks never see.

  • 2

    Prove the interlocks

    The twistlock engagement interlock is demonstrated live: no lift until all corners are locked, and no unlock while the load hangs.

  • 3

    Certify and record

    The Reg 10 report classifies findings, sets the next date and reaches your portal the same day, keeping vessel and rail schedules unbroken.

Why businesses choose SEIS

  • Experience across port machines and industrial straddle carriers
  • Examinations scheduled into terminal downtime, including nights
  • Independent of the manufacturer and your maintenance contractor
  • Same day reports and defect notifications through the SEIS portal
What we examine

Straddle carrier: what a thorough examination covers

Twistlocks and their interlock

Worn twistlock noses and bypassed interlocks are how containers get dropped. We gauge the locks and prove the interlock sequence live.

Hoist ropes inside the legs

Ropes running over sheaves in the leg cavities corrode and nick out of sight. They are examined along their length, not just where they emerge.

Balance and holding valves

If pressure is lost mid lift, the valves are all that stops the load running down. Drift is measured with the load held, not taken on trust.

Portal frame and leg welds

The frame flexes with every pick and every turn. We examine the leg to beam connections and known crack initiation points.

Sheaves and rope terminations

A worn sheave groove destroys a new rope in weeks. Grooves, bearings and terminations are checked as one system.

Height limits and load indicators

Top of hoist limits and any load sensing are proven under power. A limit that has been wound out to reach the top tier is a defect.

Intervals and certification

How often, and what you receive

Each straddle carrier examination is certified with a Report of Thorough Examination under LOLER Regulation 10. It records the machine, the findings, any defects with their timescales, and the latest date for the next examination. Dangerous defects are notified immediately, and where the law requires, reported to the enforcing authority. Every report is filed in your SEIS client portal, so berth audits and insurer requests are answered without a paper chase.

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.

Full statutory cover

Part of our full LOLER inspection service

Straddle carrier 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

Straddle carrier examination: common questions

Do straddle carriers fall under LOLER?
Yes. A straddle carrier lifts and lowers loads at work, so LOLER applies in full: thorough examination by a competent person at statutory intervals, with a report each time.
How often must a straddle carrier be examined?
At least every 12 months for container and goods handling, or to a written examination scheme. High cycle terminal machines are often placed on shorter intervals by the competent person.
Is the spreader examined separately?
The spreader is examined with the machine, and if it is detachable it is also treated as lifting equipment in its own right. Either way the twistlocks, seals and interlocks are within scope every time.
Can you examine automated or driverless straddle carriers?
Yes. The load path is the same whether a driver or a control system commands the lift. We coordinate with your terminal operating system procedures to take the machine safely out of automation for the examination.
What is the most common defect you find on straddle carriers?
Worn twistlock noses and hoist rope damage inside the legs lead the list, followed by holding valve drift. All three are invisible from the ground, which is rather the point of a thorough examination.
Does an examination mean taking the machine off the berth all day?
No. A well planned examination fits inside maintenance windows or shift changes. We schedule with your engineering team so the fleet keeps its availability.
Is our planned maintenance enough to comply?
No. Maintenance keeps the machine running, but LOLER requires an independent thorough examination and a report. HSE guidance on LOLER explains the duty, and our LOLER regulations guide covers the intervals and defect handling in plain terms.
How do I book a straddle carrier examination?
Call 0330 043 8191 or use the contact form with the fleet size and site. We will build the examinations into your downtime plan and confirm dates the same day.

Is your straddle carrier 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