LOLER 1998 · Lifting equipment

Lorry-mounted crane thorough examination

Independent thorough examination and certification of your lorry-mounted crane as lifting equipment, by a competent person under LOLER.

A lorry-mounted crane is a crane, even though it spends its day loading and unloading a flatbed and never feels like one. That blind spot is why loader cranes are over-represented in lifting accidents, and why LOLER treats the boom and its controls as seriously as any yard crane.

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  • Independent and impartial
  • Competent engineer surveyors
  • Reports issued promptly
12 monthsThe interval for a loader crane that lifts loads
6 monthsIf it is rigged to lift a person, or for its lifting accessories
Sub-frame to hookMounting, stabilisers, slew, hydraulics and load-holding
ReportA Report of Thorough Examination, your legal record
Lifting equipment we examine

Why your lorry-mounted crane needs LOLER examination

A lorry-mounted crane, the loader crane or HIAB folded behind the cab, is fitted to load and unload the vehicle it sits on. Because crews use it many times a day as part of a delivery, it is easy to think of it as part of the lorry rather than as a crane. The figures tell a different story: loader cranes are involved in a disproportionate share of lifting incidents, often because they are operated at the limit by people who would never treat a yard crane so lightly. It lifts loads, so LOLER requires a thorough examination at least every twelve months, by a competent person independent of the operator.

The examination follows the guidance for loader cranes in BS 7121, and the structure is the heart of it. A competent person proves the crane sub-frame and the bolts that hold the crane to it and the sub-frame to the chassis, the stabiliser legs that must deploy and hold for the crane to be safe, the slew bearing and the column, the knuckle boom and its rams, and the hydraulic load-holding valves that stop the boom dropping if a hose bursts. LOLER covers the crane; PUWER and the road rules cover the lorry beneath it, and the two are examined together.

Knuckle-boom loaders
Straight-boom loaders
Fly-jib and extensions
Sub-frame and mounting
Stabilisers and outriggers
Slew bearing and column
Hydraulic rams and valves
Hook and accessories
How it works

How we examine your lorry-mounted crane

A competent person examines the crane through its full slew, lift and reach, on firm ground with the stabilisers deployed, and a representative load where needed. We prove the sub-frame and its mounting bolts, the stabiliser legs and their load-holding, the slew bearing and column, the boom sections, knuckle and rams, and the load-holding valves, then the hook, any fly-jib and the extensions, before setting the next date.

  • 1

    Get in touch

    Tell us the loader cranes you run, the make and capacity, and where they are based.

  • 2

    On-site examination

    A competent person examines each crane through its slew, lift and reach, with the stabilisers deployed.

  • 3

    Your record

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

Why businesses choose SEIS

  • Independent and impartial: we examine the crane, we do not sell, hire or maintain it
  • Competent persons who examine a loader crane as a crane, to the BS 7121 guidance
  • Examined through the full slew, lift and reach, with the stabilisers proven
  • Reports issued promptly, with defects and the next due date set out clearly
What we examine

Lorry-mounted crane: what a thorough examination covers

Sub-frame and mounting bolts

The sub-frame examined for cracks, distortion and corrosion, and the bolts holding the crane to the sub-frame and the sub-frame to the chassis checked for tightness, because the whole crane rests on these.

Stabiliser legs

The outrigger legs, their rams and the load-holding, proven to deploy and hold, because a loader crane that lifts without its stabilisers set, or that creeps, can pull the lorry over.

Slew bearing and column

The slew ring, its bolts and the column examined for wear and play, because slack here lets the boom wander and grows under load until the crane is unsafe to position.

Hydraulic load-holding valves

The check valves on the boom and stabiliser rams proven to hold, because these are what stop the boom or a leg collapsing if a hydraulic hose bursts under load.

Knuckle boom and rams

The inner and outer boom, the knuckle pivot and pins, and the lift rams examined for cracks, wear, scoring and leaks, so the boom holds its position with a load out at reach.

Hook, fly-jib and extensions

The hook and its safety catch, and any fly-jib or manual or hydraulic extensions, examined as part of the crane, with loose lifting accessories examined every six months in their own right.

Intervals and certification

How often, and what you receive

A lorry-mounted crane that lifts loads is examined at least every twelve months. Hard use, marine or corrosive environments and high duty cycles can bring that date in, and a competent person can set a shorter interval in a written scheme. A crane rigged to lift a person is examined every six months, as are the slings, chains and other lifting accessories used with it, which wear faster than the crane. The examination follows the guidance for loader cranes in BS 7121, is independent of the service and the operator's daily checks, and proves the stabilisers and load-holding every time, because a loader crane is only safe when its base is planted and its hydraulics hold.

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.

The price follows your equipment, not a rate card: see what drives a LOLER quote.

Full statutory cover

Part of our full LOLER inspection service

Lorry-mounted crane 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

Lorry-mounted crane examination: common questions

Does a lorry-mounted crane need a LOLER thorough examination?
Yes. It is a crane and it lifts loads, so LOLER applies in full, however routine the loading and unloading feels. You can read the duty in the HSE guidance on LOLER.
Is a HIAB really a crane?
Yes. HIAB is a brand name that has become shorthand for the lorry loader crane, and the standard for its safe use, BS 7121, treats it as a crane with the same planning, competence and examination requirements as any other.
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 loader crane need examining?
At least every twelve months because it lifts loads, and every six months if it is rigged to lift a person. The slings and lifting accessories used with it are also examined every six months, as they wear faster than the crane.
Do you check the stabilisers?
Yes, closely. The outrigger legs and their load-holding are proven to deploy and hold, because a loader crane that lifts without its stabilisers set, or whose legs creep under load, can pull the whole lorry over.
What is the difference between LOLER and PUWER for a loader crane?
LOLER covers the crane, the sub-frame, slew, boom, rams and hook. PUWER and the road rules cover the lorry beneath it, the engine, brakes and tyres. The two are examined together so the whole vehicle stays compliant.
Who is competent to examine a lorry-mounted crane?
A competent person with the knowledge and experience of loader cranes to know what to examine, what to look for and what to do about anything found, and who is independent of the company that operates or maintains it.
Do you examine lorry-mounted cranes across the UK?
Yes. We work nationwide, with engineer surveyors who travel to depots and yards wherever they are, one crane or a whole fleet. Call 0330 043 8191 to arrange a visit.

Is your lorry-mounted crane 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