LOLER 1998 · Lifting equipment

Side Loader Thorough Examination

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

A side loader lifts from its flank and rests the load on its own deck, so the examination has to cover a travelling mast and a load bed no counterbalance truck possesses. We examine side loaders and multidirectional trucks under LOLER 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 when lifting goods
6 monthsDetachable attachments used with the truck
Reg 10Report of Thorough Examination issued to the duty holder
ISO 5057The fork wear standard our arm checks are made against
Lifting equipment we examine

Why your side loader needs LOLER examination

A side loader is a lift truck whose mast and forks face sideways from the chassis, reaching out to pick a load and then drawing it back to rest on the truck's own deck for travel. Timber yards, steel stockholders, tube and extrusion suppliers and builders merchants run them because a six metre pack that would swing dangerously off the front of a counterbalance truck rides steady along the machine's length, through doorways and down narrow aisles.

The sideways geometry adds mechanisms a conventional fork lift never has. The mast traverses on rails and rollers across the chassis, hydraulic outreach carries the load over the deck, and the bed supports take the weight for every metre travelled. Each of those extra elements wears in its own way, and each belongs inside the statutory examination alongside the forks, chains and lift cylinders.

Diesel and electric side loaders
Multidirectional trucks
Four way reach trucks
Long load handlers
Mast traverse systems
Deck and bed supports
Forks and carriages
Lift chains and cylinders
How it works

How we examine your side loader

Our engineer surveyor examines the mast, traverse rails and rollers, outreach and tilt rams, lift chains and their anchors, forks against ISO 5057 wear limits, the deck and bed supports, hydraulic hoses and valves, then proves lift, traverse and outreach under load, including a timed drift test with the load held high.

  • 1

    Examine the travel path

    The traverse rails, rollers and stops that carry the mast across the chassis are examined along their full travel, where wear hides.

  • 2

    Load the hydraulics honestly

    Drift is measured with a load held raised for a timed period, because a cylinder that creeps under load is a defect whatever the workshop says.

  • 3

    Report and schedule

    The Reg 10 report classifies defects with timescales and sets the next date, delivered to your portal the same day the examination finishes.

Why businesses choose SEIS

  • Examiners who know side loaders, not just counterbalance trucks
  • Fork arms measured against ISO 5057, not judged by eye
  • Independent of your dealer and maintenance provider
  • Same day reports through the SEIS client portal
What we examine

Side loader: what a thorough examination covers

Mast traverse rails and rollers

Flat spotted rollers and scored rails make the mast judder under load. The full travel is examined, including the ends where debris collects.

Deck and bed supports

Crushed timbers and distorted steel supports let long loads rock in transit. The bed is examined as part of the load path, because it is one.

Fork heels

The heel carries the bending load and wears thinnest first. Blade thickness is measured against ISO 5057, with 10 percent wear the condemning limit.

Lift chains and anchors

Stretched chains and worn anchor pins are the classic quiet failures. Chains are measured for elongation, not just oiled and admired.

Hydraulic drift

Outreach and lift cylinders are tested holding a raised load for a timed period. Creep means a valve or seal is failing, and it goes in the report.

Tilt and outreach rams

The rams that carry the load over the deck work at full moment every cycle. Pins, eyes, hoses and mounts are examined for wear and weeping.

Intervals and certification

How often, and what you receive

Every side loader examination closes with a Report of Thorough Examination under LOLER Regulation 10. It identifies the truck, records the condition of the lifting and traverse systems, classifies any defects with timescales, and states the latest date for the next examination. Dangerous defects are notified immediately, and reports are stored in your SEIS client portal beside the rest of your fleet's records.

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

Side loader 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

Side loader examination: common questions

Do side loaders need a LOLER thorough examination?
Yes. A side loader lifts and lowers loads at work, so it needs thorough examination at least every 12 months, or every 6 months if it is ever used to lift people on a platform.
Is a side loader examined differently from a normal fork lift?
The statutory duty is the same, but the machine has more to examine: the traverse system, outreach rams and deck supports on top of the usual mast, chains and forks. We examine conventional trucks under our fork lift truck thorough examination service.
Are the deck supports really part of the examination?
Yes. The load rests on the bed for every metre it travels, so crushed or distorted supports are a load path defect, not cosmetic damage.
What about attachments such as fork extensions?
Detachable attachments are lifting accessories on a 6 monthly cycle, while permanently fitted equipment is examined with the truck. We check whatever the truck actually runs with, and the reports say so.
How much fork wear is too much?
ISO 5057 condemns a fork arm at 10 percent blade wear, because the capacity loss is roughly double the wear. We measure with calipers at the heel, which is where the metal goes first.
Our side loader failed its last examination, can you re examine it after repair?
Yes. Once the defect is remedied we re examine the affected systems and issue a fresh report, so the truck returns to service with its paperwork straight.
Is servicing by the dealer the same as a thorough examination?
No. Servicing is maintenance, while a thorough examination is an independent statutory judgement recorded in a report. HSE guidance on LOLER draws the distinction clearly, and our LOLER regulations guide explains the duty in full.
How do I book a side loader examination?
Call 0330 043 8191 or use the contact form with the truck's make, capacity and site. We will fit the examination around your yard's quiet hours and confirm the same day.

Is your side loader 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