LOLER 1998 · Lifting equipment

Overhead travelling crane thorough examination

Independent thorough examination and certification of your overhead travelling crane as lifting equipment, by a competent person under LOLER.

An overhead crane is built into the building, so you cannot send it away to be examined. The whole bay depends on it, and LOLER requires it thoroughly examined where it stands, with the access to height and the isolation planned around your production.

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  • Independent and impartial
  • Competent engineer surveyors
  • Reports issued promptly
12 monthsThe interval for a crane lifting loads
In situExamined where it stands, with access and isolation planned
Rope to hookWire rope or chain, drum, sheaves, hook, brakes and limits
ReportA Report of Thorough Examination, your legal record
Lifting equipment we examine

Why your overhead travelling crane needs LOLER examination

An overhead travelling crane runs the length of a bay on its own runway, lifting through a trolley and hoist that almost everything below depends on. Because it is part of the structure, the examination comes to the crane: we plan the access to height and the isolation of a machine that cannot simply be wheeled outside. A competent person carries it out, independent of whoever maintains the crane.

The examination follows the load path from the rope down. The wire rope or load chain, the drum and sheaves, the hook, the hoist and travel brakes, and the limit switches that stop the hoist and the travel at their ends. Around that sit the bridge girders, the end carriages and the long and cross travel wheels on their rails, and the pendant or radio controls the operator works from. The crane is cleaned and made accessible before we start, so nothing is examined on trust.

Single girder cranes
Double girder cranes
Overhead gantry cranes
Wire rope hoists
Drum, sheaves and hook
Hoist and travel brakes
Limit switches
Pendant and radio controls
How it works

How we examine your overhead travelling crane

A competent person examines the crane in place, working from the rope to the rails. We assess the wire rope or load chain against its discard criteria, the drum, sheaves and hook for wear and the hook for throat opening, the brakes with a drift test under load, the hoist and travel limit switches, and the structure, wheels and runway the whole crane rides on. The access and isolation are agreed with you before the visit.

  • 1

    Get in touch

    Tell us the cranes you run, their capacity and span, and the bay they serve.

  • 2

    On-site examination

    A competent person examines each crane in place, with access and isolation planned around production.

  • 3

    Your record

    You receive a Report of Thorough Examination, with any defects and the next date set out.

Why businesses choose SEIS

  • Independent and impartial: we examine the crane, we do not install or maintain it
  • Competent persons used to overhead cranes, wire rope discard criteria and brake testing
  • Examined in place, from the rope to the runway, with access and isolation planned with you
  • Reports issued promptly, with defects and the next due date flagged
What we examine

Overhead travelling crane: what a thorough examination covers

Wire rope or load chain

The rope assessed against its discard criteria, broken wires, diameter reduction, corrosion and deterioration at the crossover points, or the load chain measured for wear and stretch, because this is the single line carrying the load.

Hook and safety latch

The hook examined for throat opening, wear, cracks and twist, with the safety latch proven to spring back and hold, so a sling cannot jump the hook.

Hoist and travel brakes

The hoist brake checked for hold and drift with a load, and the travel brakes, because a crane that drifts or fails to hold is a crane that puts a load where it should not be.

Drum, sheaves and reeving

The rope drum grooves, the sheaves and the way the rope is reeved, examined for wear and correct seating so the rope is not chewed or thrown.

Limit switches

The hoist up and down limits and the travel end limits tested, the last line of defence that stops the hook two-blocking or the crane running off its rails.

Structure, wheels and runway

The bridge girders, end carriages, travel wheels and the runway rails and end stops, examined for cracks, wear and alignment so the crane tracks true under load.

Intervals and certification

How often, and what you receive

An overhead travelling crane lifting loads is examined at least every twelve months. Where a written scheme of examination is in place, a competent person may set different intervals for different parts, with the wire rope and other wearing items looked at more often than the structure. Because the crane is fixed and the bay depends on it, the examination is planned around your production, with access to height and a safe isolation agreed in advance. The examination is independent of the maintenance contract, and the competent person may add to the defined scope but never reduce it.

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

Overhead travelling 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

Overhead travelling crane examination: common questions

Does an overhead crane need a LOLER thorough examination?
Yes. An overhead travelling crane is lifting equipment, and the rope, hook, hoist, brakes, structure and runway are all examined under LOLER, by a competent person independent of whoever maintains it. You can read the duty in the HSE guidance on LOLER.
How often does an overhead crane need examining?
At least every twelve months when it lifts loads. Where a written scheme of examination is in place, a competent person may examine the wearing parts, such as the wire rope, more often than the structure.
Can you examine the crane in place, without taking it down?
Yes. An overhead crane is examined in situ, because it is part of the building and cannot be removed. We plan the access to height and a safe isolation with you in advance, so the examination fits around production rather than stopping it.
Is it a certificate or a report?
You receive a Report of Thorough Examination, the record LOLER requires. It is often called the LOLER certificate, but the legal document is the report. Our guide to LOLER sets out what it must contain.
How is the wire rope assessed?
Against its discard criteria, the recognised limits for broken wires, reduction in diameter, corrosion and wear, and deterioration where the rope crosses over on the drum. A rope that has reached any of those limits is replaced, not run on.
What about the runway and the structure?
They are part of the examination. The bridge girders, end carriages, travel wheels and the runway rails and end stops are examined for cracks, wear and alignment, because the crane has to track true and stay on its rails under load.
Who is competent to examine an overhead crane?
A competent person with the knowledge and experience of overhead cranes to judge the rope, the brakes, the limits and the structure, and who is independent of whoever installed or maintains the crane.
Do you examine overhead cranes across the UK?
Yes. We work nationwide, with engineer surveyors who travel to factories and warehouses wherever they are, a single crane or a whole installation. Call 0330 043 8191 to arrange a visit around your production.

Is your overhead travelling 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