LOLER 1998 · Lifting equipment

Manual fork-lift thorough examination

Independent thorough examination and certification of your manual fork-lift as lifting equipment, by a competent person under LOLER.

Whether a manual fork-lift needs a LOLER examination comes down to one measurement: how high it lifts. A hand pallet truck that only raises a load to clear the floor is not lifting under LOLER. A manual stacker that raises the forks above 300mm is, and the law treats it as lifting equipment.

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  • Independent and impartial
  • Competent engineer surveyors
  • Reports issued promptly
300mmAbove this lift height, LOLER applies to a manual truck
12 monthsThe interval for a manual fork-lift that lifts loads
PUWER belowA low hand pallet truck stays under PUWER, not LOLER
ReportA Report of Thorough Examination, your legal record
Lifting equipment we examine

Why your manual fork-lift needs LOLER examination

A manual fork-lift covers a family of pedestrian, unpowered trucks: hand pallet trucks, manual stackers and high-lift pallet trucks worked by a hydraulic pump or a hand winch. Whether LOLER applies to one of them turns on a single line drawn by the HSE. A hand pallet truck that only raises a load far enough to clear the floor and move it is transporting, not lifting, so it stays under PUWER. A manual stacker or high-lift pallet truck that can raise its forks above 300mm is lifting equipment, and LOLER requires a thorough examination at least every twelve months.

We say so plainly because some providers do not: there is no value in examining a low hand pallet truck under LOLER when the law does not ask for it. Where LOLER does apply, the manual truck has the same lifting parts that wear as any other, and the examination concentrates on the one system doing the work by hand. A competent person proves the hydraulic pump and its lowering control, the mast and lift chains on a stacker, the fork arms and the load wheels, all independent of any service. The lower trucks that fall under PUWER still need inspection and maintenance, and we can advise on both.

Manual stackers
High-lift pallet trucks
Hand-winch stackers
Hydraulic pump unit
Mast and lift chains
Lowering control
Fork arms
Load and steer wheels
How it works

How we examine your manual fork-lift

Where LOLER applies, a competent person examines the truck through its full lift, with and without a representative load. We prove the hydraulic pump raises and holds the forks, that the lowering control lets the load down under command and not on its own, then check the mast and lift chains on a stacker, the fork arms for wear and cracks, and the load and steer wheels, before confirming the rated capacity and setting the next date.

  • 1

    Get in touch

    Tell us the manual trucks you run and their lift height, and we will tell you which fall under LOLER.

  • 2

    On-site examination

    A competent person examines each LOLER-applicable truck through its lift, with a test load where needed.

  • 3

    Your record

    You receive a Report of Thorough Examination for each truck, with anything to address flagged and the next date set.

Why businesses choose SEIS

  • Independent and impartial: we examine the truck, we do not sell, hire or maintain it
  • Honest about the 300mm line: we do not examine kit LOLER does not cover
  • Competent persons who prove the hydraulic pump and lowering control, where the work is done
  • Reports issued promptly, with defects and the next due date set out clearly
What we examine

Manual fork-lift: what a thorough examination covers

Hydraulic pump unit

The pump that raises the forks by hand, examined to prove it builds and holds pressure, because a worn pump that will not hold lets a raised load sink on its own.

Lowering control

The release valve and its linkage, proven to lower the load under command and at a controlled rate, because a sticking or over-fast lowering control is how loads are dropped.

Mast and lift chains

On a stacker, the mast channels and the lift chains examined for wear, stretch and free movement, so the forks rise and hold squarely above the 300mm line.

Fork arms

Heel wear measured against the blade thickness, plus cracks, splaying and any bend, because the forks carry the whole load and give little warning before they fail.

Load and steer wheels

The load rollers and the steer wheel and their bearings examined for wear and flats, because seized or worn wheels make a laden truck unstable to move.

Pump seals and ram

The seals and the lift ram checked for weeping and scoring, the cause of a truck that slowly sinks under a held load, and the first thing to fail with age.

Intervals and certification

How often, and what you receive

A manual fork-lift that raises its forks above 300mm is examined at least every twelve months, the standard interval for equipment that lifts loads. Heavy use can bring that date in, and a competent person can set a shorter interval in a written scheme. A hand pallet truck that only lifts to clear the floor is not lifting equipment under LOLER and does not need a thorough examination, though it still requires inspection and maintenance under PUWER. The HSE confirmed this 300mm line in its guidance, and it is always for the duty holder and a competent person to assess where a particular truck falls.

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

Manual fork-lift 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

Manual fork-lift examination: common questions

Does a manual pallet truck need a LOLER thorough examination?
It depends on how high it lifts. A truck that raises its forks above 300mm is lifting equipment and LOLER applies; a hand pallet truck that only lifts to clear the floor is not. You can read the duty in the HSE guidance on LOLER.
What is the 300mm rule?
The HSE draws the line at lift height. A manual truck that can raise its forks above 300mm is treated as lifting equipment under LOLER. One that only raises a load enough to clear the floor and move it is transporting, not lifting, and stays under PUWER.
Is it a certificate or a report?
You receive a Report of Thorough Examination, the record LOLER requires. People often call it the LOLER certificate, and that shorthand is common, but the legal document is the report. Our guide to LOLER sets out what it must contain.
How often does a manual fork-lift need examining?
Where LOLER applies, at least every twelve months, because it lifts loads. Heavy use can bring the date in, and a competent person can set a shorter interval in a written scheme.
Does a low hand pallet truck need anything at all?
Yes, but under PUWER, not LOLER. It still needs to be maintained and inspected so it stays safe to use, and we can advise on a sensible regime, but it does not need a LOLER thorough examination.
What about a manual or hand-winch stacker?
A stacker raises a load well above 300mm, so it is lifting equipment under LOLER and needs a twelve-monthly thorough examination. The examination concentrates on the hydraulic pump or winch, the mast and chains, the lowering control and the forks.
Who is competent to examine a manual fork-lift?
A competent person with the knowledge and experience to know what to examine, what to look for and what to do about anything found, and who is independent of the company that maintains the truck.
Do you examine manual fork-lifts across the UK?
Yes. We work nationwide, with engineer surveyors who travel to sites and warehouses wherever they are, one truck or a whole fleet. Call 0330 043 8191 to arrange a visit.

Is your manual fork-lift 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