LOLER Inspections for Safer Lifting Operations

A lifting operation can appear routine right up to the point something fails. A worn sling, distorted hook, damaged wire rope or displaced safety pin may not stop work immediately, but each can create a serious risk to the people using equipment and working nearby. LOLER inspections provide the independent, formal examination needed to identify those defects before they lead to injury, dropped loads or avoidable downtime.

For duty holders, this is not simply a diary requirement. The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998, commonly known as LOLER, place clear responsibilities on those who provide and control lifting equipment at work. A thorough examination creates evidence that equipment has been assessed by a competent person and is safe for continued use, subject to any stated conditions.

What equipment is covered by LOLER inspections?

LOLER applies to lifting equipment used at work, including equipment for lifting or lowering loads. A load can be a person, goods, materials or equipment. The regulations cover the lifting machine itself as well as the accessories and attachments that connect the load to it.

Common examples include vehicle lifts in garages, overhead cranes, gantry cranes, forklift attachments, goods lifts, mobile elevated work platforms, hoists, lifting beams, chain blocks, slings, shackles, eyebolts and lifting clamps. Patient hoists in care settings and lifting equipment used on construction or maintenance sites may also fall within scope.

The detail matters. A workshop may arrange an examination of its vehicle lift but overlook the lifting chains, rubber pads or adapters used with it. A warehouse may examine a hoist while failing to keep a controlled register of the slings and shackles used beneath it. Safe lifting depends on the whole system, not only its most visible component.

Some work equipment is instead governed principally by PUWER, while other assets may be subject to the Work at Height Regulations or Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations. There can be overlap. The sensible approach is to establish what each item does, how it is used and which statutory examination regime applies, rather than assuming one inspection covers everything.

How often are LOLER thorough examinations required?

The standard examination intervals under LOLER are straightforward, although a Written Scheme of Examination can change them where it is appropriate for the equipment and its operating conditions.

Lifting equipment used to lift people must normally be thoroughly examined at least every six months. Lifting accessories, such as slings, chains, shackles, hooks and lifting clamps, also require examination at least every six months. Other lifting equipment is normally examined at least every 12 months.

Equipment must also be thoroughly examined after exceptional circumstances that could affect its safety. This may include overloading, a collision, damage during transport, a significant repair, prolonged storage or exposure to fire, corrosive chemicals or severe weather. It is not always necessary to wait for the next scheduled date when an event has raised doubt about the equipment’s condition.

A written scheme may allow an alternative interval for specified lifting equipment, based on its condition, use and risk profile. This is not a way to defer necessary examinations. It must be a suitable scheme, prepared by a competent person, and it should reflect the realities of the workplace. High-use lifting gear in a harsh environment may need closer attention than equipment used infrequently in clean, controlled conditions.

Thorough examination is not routine maintenance

A thorough examination is a detailed statutory inspection by a competent person. It is different from servicing, preventative maintenance and the checks carried out by operators before use.

Operators should still look for obvious defects before using lifting equipment: a frayed sling, leaking hydraulic hose, cracked weld, bent fork attachment or missing retaining clip can require immediate action. Maintenance teams must continue to lubricate, adjust, repair and replace components in line with the manufacturer’s instructions and the equipment’s use.

Neither activity replaces a LOLER thorough examination. Maintenance is intended to keep equipment in good working order. Pre-use checks identify visible problems at the point of use. A thorough examination provides an independent assessment of safety-critical parts and confirms whether the equipment can remain in service.

What a competent examination should achieve

The examination must be undertaken by a competent person with the practical knowledge, technical understanding and independence needed to make an impartial judgement. Competence is not a job title or a certificate alone. It is the ability to recognise defects, understand their significance and assess whether equipment remains safe in the way it is actually being used.

During an examination, the inspector will consider the equipment’s condition, identification, previous reports, safe working load markings, installation where relevant, safety devices and evidence of wear or damage. The precise process depends on the item. Examining a two-leg chain sling is not the same as examining a vehicle lift or overhead crane.

The aim is to identify developing concerns as well as obvious failures. Wire rope deterioration, stretched chain links, hook throat opening, worn lifting pads, fluid leaks, damaged controls and insecure components can all affect safe operation. Clear reporting is essential because findings need to be understood by the people who authorise repairs, plan work and decide whether equipment can be used.

At Steadfast Compliance Ltd, the focus is on practical reporting that makes the required action clear. A report should not leave a duty holder guessing whether an item needs monitoring, repair, restricted use or removal from service.

What happens when a defect is found?

Not every observation requires equipment to be taken out of service, but every finding requires an informed response. The report should explain the defect, its significance and the action needed. Duty holders should make sure repairs are completed by suitable persons and that equipment is reassessed where necessary before it returns to use.

Where a defect involves an existing or imminent danger to people, the equipment must not remain available for normal use. It should be isolated or clearly marked to prevent use, and the competent person has duties to report such defects to the relevant enforcing authority as soon as practicable. This can feel disruptive, particularly where a lift, crane or hoist is central to operations, but continued use is not a defensible option when safety is in doubt.

A good inspection programme reduces surprise by spotting deterioration early. It cannot eliminate all repairs or downtime, but it gives the business a better opportunity to plan remedial work rather than react after an incident or failure.

Records that stand up to scrutiny

LOLER requires duty holders to keep the reports of thorough examination and make them available to enforcing authorities when requested. The report is a live safety document, not paperwork to file away until the next visit.

In practice, records should allow the business to identify each item of lifting equipment, confirm its latest examination date, track outstanding defects and show that corrective actions have been closed out. This is especially valuable where equipment is spread across several sites, used by different shifts or moved between projects.

A controlled asset register can prevent common failures such as unexamined accessories returning to circulation, missed due dates or equipment being used after a report has imposed restrictions. Labels and serial numbers help, but they only work when they correspond with accurate records and staff know what to do when a tag is missing, damaged or out of date.

Building LOLER into everyday control

The most effective LOLER arrangements connect inspection, maintenance and day-to-day supervision. Start with a complete equipment inventory. Include accessories and attachments, not just large fixed equipment. Establish the correct examination interval, appoint a competent and sufficiently independent examiner, and ensure reports reach the people who can act on them.

Then make the findings part of operational control. Brief supervisors on restrictions. Remove defective items promptly. Check that replacement lifting gear has suitable certification and enters the inspection register before use. Where equipment changes location, duty, loading or operating environment, review whether the existing arrangements remain suitable.

Lifting equipment is trusted with heavy loads, vulnerable people and often limited margins for error. Proper examination does more than demonstrate compliance with LOLER 1998. It gives duty holders a clear view of equipment condition and the confidence to stop a developing fault before it becomes the reason someone does not go home safely.