LOLER 1998 · Lifting equipment

Reach truck thorough examination

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

A reach truck does something a counterbalance fork-lift cannot: it pushes its forks out, deep into the racking, then lifts a pallet to the top of a high bay in an aisle barely wider than the load. The examination has to follow the reach as well as the lift.

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  • Independent and impartial
  • Competent engineer surveyors
  • Reports issued promptly
12 monthsThe interval for a reach truck, which lifts loads not people
6 monthsIf it is ever fitted to lift a person on a platform
Reach and liftMast, pantograph or moving mast, chains, rams and forks
ReportA Report of Thorough Examination, your legal record
Lifting equipment we examine

Why your reach truck needs LOLER examination

A reach truck is built for one job, storing and retrieving pallets in a high bay where the aisles are too narrow for a counterbalance truck to turn. To reach a pallet, the mast or the forks extend forward on a pantograph or a moving mast, the stabilising baselegs take the load, and the forks lift it to the top of the racking before drawing it back over the wheelbase. Because it lifts loads rather than people, LOLER requires a thorough examination at least every twelve months, by a competent person who is independent of whoever hires or maintains the truck.

That reach is what sets the examination apart from a plain fork-lift. As well as the mast channels, lift chains, rams and fork arms, a competent person has the reach mechanism to prove: the pantograph links or the moving-mast slides, the reach rams, and the baselegs that keep the truck planted while a load is held out at height. LOLER covers the lifting function; PUWER covers the brakes, steering and the stand-on platform, and the two are usually examined together in a single visit, but the lifting parts always need the LOLER eye.

Moving-mast reach trucks
Pantograph reach trucks
Double-deep reach trucks
Narrow-aisle trucks
Mast and lift chains
Reach mechanism and rams
Fork arms and carriage
Baselegs and load wheels
How it works

How we examine your reach truck

A competent person examines the truck through its full reach and lift, with and without a representative load. We work up the mast and its channels, run the reach mechanism out and back to prove the pantograph or moving mast, check the lift chains for stretch and wear, the rams and hoses for leaks and scoring, and the fork arms, carriage and baselegs, then prove a controlled descent before the truck goes back into the aisle.

  • 1

    Get in touch

    Tell us the reach trucks you run, the make and lift height, and where they are based.

  • 2

    On-site examination

    A competent person examines each truck through its full reach and 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
  • Competent persons who know the reach mechanism, not just the mast and forks
  • Examined through the full reach and lift, with a representative load where it matters
  • Reports issued promptly, with defects and the next due date set out clearly
What we examine

Reach truck: what a thorough examination covers

Reach mechanism

The pantograph links and pivots, or the moving-mast slides and rollers, examined for wear and play, because a worn reach lets the load wander as it is placed at height in a narrow aisle.

Lift chains

Examined for stretch, stiff or seized links and corrosion and measured against the manufacturer's wear limit, in each run, because a chain stretched two per cent beyond tolerance is replaced, not adjusted.

Mast channels and rollers

The channels the carriage rides in, with the rollers and bearings, examined for wear and free movement, so the mast lifts squarely with a load held high.

Reach and lift rams

The hydraulic reach and lift rams checked for scoring, drift and leaks, and the hoses for chafing, so the load holds its height and position while it is extended into the rack.

Fork arms and carriage

Heel wear measured against the blade thickness, plus cracks and splaying in the forks, and the carriage and load guard for distortion, because a worn fork can drop a load deep in the racking.

Baselegs and load wheels

The stabilising baselegs, their welds and the load wheels examined for damage and wear, because these are what keep the truck planted while a pallet is held out at full reach.

Intervals and certification

How often, and what you receive

A reach truck that lifts loads is examined at least every twelve months. In practice the interval often comes in: heavy multi-shift warehousing, cold stores and chilled distribution all bring it down to six months, and a competent person can set those intervals in a written scheme. A truck fitted to lift a person, on an order-picking platform or cage, is examined every six months without exception. Whatever the interval, the examination is independent of the service and of the operator's daily checks, and the reach mechanism is proven alongside the mast, because a reach truck is only as safe as the linkage that holds a load out at height.

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

Reach truck 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

Reach truck examination: common questions

Does a reach truck need a LOLER thorough examination?
Yes. A reach truck raises and lowers loads, so the mast, reach mechanism, chains and forks are lifting equipment and LOLER applies to them in their own right. You can read the duty in the HSE guidance on LOLER.
How is it different from examining a counterbalance fork-lift?
A reach truck has everything a fork-lift has, plus the reach mechanism. A competent person proves the pantograph or moving mast and the reach rams as well as the mast, chains and forks, because the load is placed out at reach, high in the racking.
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 for lifting equipment that is a fair shorthand, but the legal document is the report. Our guide to LOLER sets out what it must contain.
How often does a reach truck need examining?
At least every twelve months if it lifts loads, and every six months if it is fitted to lift a person. Heavy use, multi-shift work and cold stores bring the date in, and a competent person can set those shorter intervals in a written scheme.
Do you prove the reach mechanism and baselegs?
Yes. We run the reach out and back to check the pantograph or moving mast and the reach rams, and we examine the baselegs and load wheels, because they are what keep the truck stable while a load is held out at full reach.
What is the difference between LOLER and PUWER for a reach truck?
LOLER covers the lifting parts, the mast, reach mechanism, chains, rams and forks. PUWER covers the travel parts, the brakes, steering and the stand-on platform. The two are usually examined in one visit, but the lifting parts are always examined under LOLER.
Who is competent to examine a reach truck?
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. Our engineer surveyors examine warehouse trucks day in, day out.
Do you examine reach trucks across the UK?
Yes. We work nationwide, with engineer surveyors who travel to warehouses and depots wherever they are, one truck or a whole fleet. Call 0330 043 8191 to arrange a visit around your shifts.

Is your reach truck 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