LOLER 1998 · Lifting equipment

Shear Legs Thorough Examination

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

Shear legs are the simplest lifting structure in the workshop, two legs and a head fitting with everything hanging from one point. We examine shear legs, lifting A frames and portable gantries under LOLER, together with the tackle beneath them, and certify each with a Report of Thorough Examination.

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  • Independent and impartial
  • Competent engineer surveyors
  • Reports issued promptly
12 monthsStatutory maximum interval for the structure lifting goods
6 monthsThe chain block and slings hung from it, as lifting accessories
Reg 10Report of Thorough Examination for every item examined
500 kg to 5 tThe workshop and site range we most commonly certify
Lifting equipment we examine

Why your shear legs needs LOLER examination

Shear legs, often spelt sheer legs and also sold as lifting A frames, are a pair of rigid legs joined at a head fitting from which a chain block or tackle is suspended. Workshops, plant rooms, boatyards and field engineers use them because they assemble in minutes, stand on any firm floor, and lift half a tonne to five tonnes without a crane, a runway or a power supply.

Their simplicity is why they get taken for granted. Every kilogram passes through one head pin, adjustable legs rely on locking pins seated in the right holes, and the feet decide whether the frame stands or walks. Because shear legs are often shared, hired and stored outdoors, they miss the maintenance attention a fixed crane gets, which makes the statutory examination the one occasion the whole structure is properly judged.

Workshop shear legs
Lifting A frames
Split leg site shears
Adjustable height frames
Portable lifting gantries
Engine and plant lifts
Head fittings and anchor eyes
Suspended chain blocks
How it works

How we examine your shear legs

The examination takes the structure from the floor up: feet, castors and brakes, leg condition and straightness, locking pins and their holes on adjustable frames, the head fitting, pin and anchor eye, welds at the crutch, and the SWL markings. The chain block and slings hung beneath are examined as items in their own right on the same visit.

  • 1

    One visit, the whole assembly

    The frame, the block and the slings are examined together, so nothing in the load path is left on a different date to the rest.

  • 2

    Judge the structure, not just the shine

    Bent legs, elongated pin holes and cracked crutch welds are measured and probed, including on frames that look freshly painted.

  • 3

    Certify every item

    Each piece receives its own Reg 10 report with the next date, delivered to your portal, so the frame and its tackle never fall out of step.

Why businesses choose SEIS

  • The frame and its suspended tackle certified on one visit
  • Sensible scheduling for hire fleets and shared workshop kit
  • Independent judgement, not a rubber stamp on a repaint
  • Reports and reminders through the SEIS client portal
What we examine

Shear legs: what a thorough examination covers

Head pin and anchor eye

The single point carrying every lift. We measure wear and elongation at the pin, the eye and the crutch plates, where load concentrates.

Locking pins on adjustable legs

A pin seated in the wrong hole or a homemade replacement changes the frame's geometry and capacity. Pins, lanyards and hole wear are all checked.

Leg straightness

A leg bowed by a dropped load or a forklift strike loses buckling strength invisibly. We sight and measure the legs rather than trusting the paint.

Feet, castors and brakes

The frame is only as stable as its contact with the floor. Bent feet, seized castors and failed brakes turn a lift into a walk.

Weld cracking at the crutch

The head bracket welds work hardest and crack first. They are cleaned and examined closely, with dye penetrant where indicated.

SWL marking and identity

No legible safe working load, no lift. We confirm the marking, the identity and that the rated capacity matches the configuration in use.

Intervals and certification

How often, and what you receive

Every shear legs examination is certified with a Report of Thorough Examination under LOLER Regulation 10, and the chain block or tackle beneath the frame receives its own report on its own 6 monthly cycle. Defects are classified with timescales, dangerous ones are notified immediately, and all reports are held in your SEIS client portal so shared and hired frames can always show their papers.

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

Shear legs 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

Shear legs examination: common questions

Do shear legs need a LOLER thorough examination?
Yes. Shear legs are lifting equipment under LOLER, so they need thorough examination by a competent person at least every 12 months when lifting goods, with a report issued each time.
Is it shear legs or sheer legs?
Both spellings are in everyday use for the same equipment, along with lifting A frame and portable shears. Whatever your paperwork calls them, the examination duty is identical.
Is the chain block included in the examination?
It is examined on the same visit but as its own item, because a chain block and any slings are lifting equipment and accessories with their own reports, and accessories sit on a 6 monthly cycle.
Our shear legs are only used a few times a year, do they still need examining?
Yes. The interval is a maximum, not a usage allowance, and occasional use kit stored outdoors or in damp corners often deteriorates faster than equipment in daily service.
Can you examine hired or borrowed shear legs?
Yes. Whoever has control of the equipment at work carries the duty, so if the hire company's report has lapsed or cannot be produced, we can examine the frame before it lifts.
What is the most common defect on shear legs?
Elongated pin holes and missing or substituted locking pins are the regulars, followed by bent legs from transport damage. All three remove capacity without changing how the frame looks.
Where do the legal requirements come from?
From LOLER 1998, which requires suitable equipment, marking and thorough examination. HSE guidance on LOLER summarises the duty holder's obligations, and our LOLER regulations guide walks through the intervals, reports and defect process.
How do I book a shear legs examination?
Call 0330 043 8191 or list the frames and tackle on the contact form. Single items and mixed workshop batches are both welcome, and we will confirm a date the same day.

Is your shear legs 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