LOLER Inspection Requirements Explained
- Trefnus
- 2 hours ago
- 9 min read
Lifting equipment is one of the most tightly regulated categories of workplace machinery in the UK. Whether you operate a forklift, a passenger lift, a goods hoist, or a set of lifting slings, the law requires that this equipment is regularly inspected by a competent person and that records are kept.
The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998, commonly known as LOLER, set out these requirements in detail. For many businesses, particularly those in construction, warehousing, manufacturing, and facilities management, understanding LOLER inspection requirements is essential to staying compliant and keeping people safe.
This article explains what LOLER requires, how often inspections must take place, who can carry them out, and how small to medium businesses can manage their inspection obligations more effectively.
What Is LOLER?
LOLER stands for the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998. It is a piece of UK health and safety legislation that applies to all businesses and organisations that use lifting equipment as part of their work activities.
The regulations cover a wide range of equipment, including:
Cranes, derricks, and hoists
Forklifts and telehandlers
Passenger lifts and goods lifts
Vehicle inspection platforms
Mobile elevated work platforms (MEWPs) when used for lifting persons (lifting operations, rather than driving or positioning use)
Lifting accessories such as chains, slings, hooks, and shackles
LOLER sits alongside the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER), which covers general work equipment. Both sets of regulations may apply to the same piece of equipment. For example, a forklift must comply with PUWER as a piece of work equipment and with LOLER because it is used for lifting.
The LOLER Inspection Requirement: What Is a Thorough Examination?
The central obligation under LOLER is the thorough examination. This is not a routine service or a visual check carried out by an operator. A thorough examination is a systematic and detailed inspection by a competent person, carried out with sufficient care to enable them to assess the safety of the equipment.
The purpose of a thorough examination is to identify defects that may affect the safe use of the lifting equipment, detect signs of deterioration or damage, and confirm that the equipment is suitable for continued use.
A written report must be produced following every thorough examination. This report must include:
The name and address of the employer
A description of the lifting equipment
The date of the last thorough examination
The safe working load
Details of any defects found and the remedial action required
The date of the next examination due
The name and signature of the competent person
These reports are legal documents and must be kept for the periods specified in the regulations.
LOLER Inspection Requirements: How Often Must Equipment Be Inspected?
The frequency of thorough examinations under LOLER depends on the type of equipment and how it is used. The table below sets out the standard inspection intervals.
Equipment Type | Inspection Frequency | Notes |
Lifting equipment in use for lifting persons | Every 6 months | Highest risk category; includes passenger lifts and work platforms |
Lifting accessories (slings, chains, hooks) | Every 6 months | Includes all items used to attach loads to lifting equipment |
Other lifting equipment not used for persons | Every 12 months | Cranes, hoists, telehandlers used for goods only |
Equipment subject to deteriorating conditions | As specified in examination scheme | May require shorter intervals based on environment or usage |
New or recommissioned equipment | Before first use | Where required, must have a report of thorough examination before being put into service |
In addition to the standard intervals, a thorough examination must be carried out following any exceptional circumstances that may have affected the safety of the equipment, such as a serious incident, significant damage, or a period of prolonged inactivity.
Businesses can also adopt a written examination scheme drawn up by a competent person. This scheme sets tailored inspection intervals based on the specific conditions of use, the environment, and the deterioration patterns of the equipment. In practice, schemes are used to ensure inspections reflect actual risk, which may mean shorter intervals where conditions are demanding. Any adjustment to standard intervals must be justified by the risk assessment underpinning the scheme.
Who Can Carry Out a LOLER Thorough Examination?
LOLER requires that thorough examinations are carried out by a competent person. The regulations do not define competence in absolute terms, but the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance makes clear that a competent person must have sufficient practical and theoretical knowledge of the equipment to detect defects and assess their significance.
In practice, this usually means:
An engineer employed by a specialist inspection body or insurance company
An independent qualified engineer with relevant experience
In some cases, an in-house engineer, provided they have the necessary knowledge and are genuinely independent from production pressures
A key principle is that the competent person must be able to make objective judgements without pressure to keep equipment in service. An in-house engineer can satisfy the requirement, provided they have the necessary knowledge and can act with genuine independence of judgement. What matters is the quality and impartiality of their assessment, not whether they are employed externally.
Many businesses contract their LOLER examinations to specialist inspection firms or their equipment insurer, which simplifies compliance and provides a clear paper trail.
What Must Be Inspected Before First Use?
Any lifting equipment that has been obtained from a supplier or manufacturer must be thoroughly examined before being put into use for the first time, unless:
The equipment is new and supplied with a valid Declaration of Conformity (UKCA or CE as applicable) and has not been subject to conditions during transport or storage that could affect its safety
The equipment has been obtained with a report of a thorough examination which shows it is safe to use
Lifting accessories, such as slings and chains, will usually require a thorough examination before first use, unless they already come with a valid thorough examination report confirming they are safe to use.
Where equipment has been assembled or installed on site, such as a tower crane or a fixed goods hoist, it must be thoroughly examined after assembly and before use to confirm that it has been correctly installed and is safe to operate.
LOLER Record Keeping Requirements
Keeping accurate and up-to-date inspection records is one of the most important practical obligations under LOLER. Written reports of thorough examinations must be kept and made available to inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive or local authority, and to those responsible for managing the equipment.
How Long Must Records Be Kept?
The retention periods for LOLER inspection reports are as follows:
Reports relating to lifting equipment used to lift persons: until the equipment is no longer in use
Reports relating to lifting accessories: at least two years
All other examination reports: until the next report is received, or for two years, whichever is longer
Businesses with multiple pieces of lifting equipment often find it challenging to keep track of inspection dates, report files, and upcoming examination deadlines. A disorganised approach to record keeping is one of the most common causes of LOLER non-compliance in SME environments.
Keep Your LOLER Records Under Control Trefnus CMMS is built for businesses that need to stay on top of asset inspections, maintenance schedules, and compliance records, without the complexity of enterprise software. With Trefnus CMMS you can:
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LOLER and Contractor Management
Many businesses engage external contractors to carry out lifting operations or to supply lifting equipment for specific projects. In these situations, LOLER responsibilities can overlap between the contractor and the client, and it is important to be clear about who is responsible for what.
Under LOLER, responsibility is often shared between duty holders depending on who controls the equipment and the lifting operation. Duties can apply to the employer, a self-employed person, the person controlling the lifting equipment, or the person planning the lifting operation. In practice, this means that where contractors are involved, both parties may carry obligations, and it is important to establish clearly at the outset who is responsible for what.
If you hire in lifting equipment, you should confirm that it has been thoroughly examined within the required intervals before it arrives on site. If you engage a contractor to carry out lifting operations, you should satisfy yourself that their equipment and practices meet the legal requirements.
Keeping a clear record of contractor inspection certificates, alongside your own equipment inspection schedules, reduces the risk of compliance gaps and makes it easier to demonstrate due diligence if there is ever an incident.
Common Mistakes Businesses Make with LOLER Compliance
Even well-intentioned businesses can fall short of LOLER requirements. The following table summarises some of the most frequent compliance errors and why they matter.
Common Mistake | Why It Matters |
Treating LOLER and PUWER as the same | PUWER covers general work equipment. LOLER applies specifically to lifting operations and equipment. Both may apply simultaneously. |
Confusing inspection with maintenance | A thorough examination is a formal inspection by a competent person. Regular servicing and maintenance are separate obligations. |
Using unqualified inspectors | The competent person must have sufficient practical and theoretical knowledge. Using unqualified staff invalidates the examination. |
Relying on supplier certificates alone | New equipment must still be thoroughly examined if no valid Declaration of Conformity (UKCA or CE as applicable) is provided, or if it has been out of service. |
Failing to keep records | Written reports must be retained and, in some cases, sent to the relevant enforcing authority. Lost records can result in enforcement action. |
Missing accessory inspections | Slings, hooks, and shackles fall under LOLER and are often overlooked. They must be inspected at least every six months. |
LOLER Enforcement and Penalties
LOLER is enforced by the Health and Safety Executive and, in some workplaces, by local authority environmental health officers.
Inspectors have the power to:
Enter and inspect premises without notice
Examine and take copies of records
Issue Improvement Notices requiring remedial action within a specified timeframe
Issue Prohibition Notices requiring immediate cessation of a dangerous activity
Prosecute employers for breaches of the regulations
Convictions under health and safety law can result in unlimited fines and, in serious cases, custodial sentences for individuals. Beyond the legal consequences, a failure to maintain lifting equipment properly can have devastating human consequences. The reputational and financial damage that follows a serious lifting incident can threaten the viability of a business entirely.
Proactive compliance is far less costly than enforcement action or litigation.
Practical Steps for SMEs to Manage LOLER Compliance
If your business uses lifting equipment, the following steps will help you build a robust and sustainable approach to LOLER compliance.
1. Create a Full Asset Register
List every piece of lifting equipment and every lifting accessory your business owns or uses. Include serial numbers, location, safe working load, and the date of the last thorough examination. This forms the foundation of your compliance records.
2. Establish an Inspection Schedule
For each item on your asset register, determine the correct inspection interval under LOLER. Set calendar reminders or use a maintenance management system to schedule examinations in advance and track completion.
3. Appoint or Engage a Competent Person
Confirm that you have a clear arrangement for who will carry out your thorough examinations. Many SMEs find it simplest to use their equipment insurer or a specialist inspection company. Whoever you use, make sure they understand the scope of equipment that needs to be covered.
4. Retain All Inspection Reports
Store written reports securely and in an organised way. Inspection reports should be easy to retrieve if requested by an HSE inspector or if you need to investigate an incident. Digital storage with clear naming conventions is strongly recommended.
5. Act on Defects Promptly
If a thorough examination identifies a defect, you must act on it. Equipment with a defect that poses an immediate risk must be taken out of service. Where remedial work is required within a specified timeframe, track progress to ensure it is completed before the deadline.
6. Include LOLER in Staff Training
Operators of lifting equipment should understand the basic principles of LOLER, including pre-use checks, the importance of not overloading equipment, and what to do if they identify a potential fault.
Conclusion
LOLER inspection requirements are not especially complicated in principle, but they do demand consistent attention. The core obligation is straightforward: lifting equipment must be thoroughly examined at regular intervals by a competent person, and the results must be recorded and retained.
For SMEs, the challenge is usually one of organisation rather than intent. Keeping track of multiple assets, maintaining accurate records, and ensuring that inspections happen on time requires a reliable system, whether that is a simple spreadsheet or a dedicated maintenance management tool.
A CMMS designed for SME use can make this significantly easier by centralising your asset records, scheduling inspections automatically, and maintaining a searchable history of examination reports and defect records. If your current approach to LOLER compliance relies on memory or scattered paperwork, it may be worth reviewing your systems before your next HSE inspection.
Explore how Trefnus CMMS can support your maintenance and compliance management at trefnus.com/cmms
Disclaimer
The information in this article is intended for general guidance only and does not constitute professional legal, financial, or regulatory advice. Always consult a qualified professional for advice specific to your circumstances.
