“LOLER inspection” is commonly used to describe the thorough examination of lifting equipment under the relevant lifting equipment regulations. It is different from a routine maintenance appointment.
For a building owner or manager, the important questions are whether the duties apply, what examination arrangements are needed and how findings will be acted on.
The regulations and enforcing arrangements should be checked for the relevant UK jurisdiction and installation. This article uses HSE guidance for Great Britain.
DHG Services can discuss your equipment enquiry and help establish appropriate assistance.
What Is a LOLER Thorough Examination?
A thorough examination is a systematic assessment of lifting equipment by a competent person.
Its purpose is to identify defects that are, or could become, dangerous. The scope and methods depend on the equipment and the professional judgement of the examiner.
It is not simply a visual check by the owner, nor is it interchangeable with servicing.
HSE’s thorough examination guidance explains that assessment can involve visual and functional checks, measurements and other methods where appropriate.
The examination results in a report. The person controlling the equipment must understand and respond to its findings rather than treat it only as paperwork for a file.
Which Lifts Need Assessment?
Begin by establishing how the equipment is provided and used.
Workplace lifting equipment can fall within LOLER, while equipment used solely in a private domestic setting generally has a different position.
Public-access equipment also needs careful consideration. HSE explains that general health and safety responsibilities may remain even where LOLER and PUWER do not directly apply.
A commercial label, private address or insurance document alone should not be used to settle every case.
Tell the provider what the equipment does, who uses it and who controls it. This allows the applicable arrangement to be considered for the actual circumstances.
How Often Are Examinations Required?
Where LOLER applies, HSE identifies six-month intervals for equipment used to lift people and for lifting accessories, and twelve-month intervals for other lifting equipment, unless an examination scheme specifies different intervals.
Examinations can also be required in other circumstances, including relevant installation or assembly and exceptional events that may affect safety.
Significant modification, damage or a prolonged period out of use may prompt further assessment. The appropriate requirement should be established rather than waiting automatically for the next calendar appointment.
Keep the due date and any examination scheme accessible.
A supplier’s annual maintenance recommendation should not be assumed to replace a separate examination requirement.
What Does the Competent Person Check?
The scope depends on the particular lifting equipment.
For a lift, relevant matters may include its drive and suspension arrangements, doors and locking devices, controls, safety equipment, stopping behaviour and condition of accessible components. The examiner determines what is necessary.
An examination may need access to areas or components not available during normal use. The arrangements should be planned with the provider.
Do not assume that every examination includes the same tests. HSE notes that routine overload testing is not generally required for most lifting equipment and that unnecessary testing can itself cause damage.
The methods should follow the competent person’s assessment and relevant technical information.
Who Can Carry Out the Examination?
The examiner needs suitable knowledge and experience of the equipment to identify defects and assess their significance.
They also need enough independence and impartiality to make objective decisions. HSE guidance explains that this is not simply a matter of using a particular job title or an insurer’s employee.
Ask the proposed provider to confirm the scope of its service, the relevant competence and the report supplied.
A maintenance engineer may have extensive knowledge of the installation, but maintenance and examination roles still need to be appropriately arranged.
Make sure the person commissioning the work understands which appointment has been booked.
How Should You Prepare?
Provide the equipment identification, location, intended use and available technical information.
Have previous examination reports, maintenance records and details of repairs or modifications ready. Tell the provider about recurring faults and any outstanding recommendations.
Agree access to the installation and relevant working areas. If another contractor needs to attend, coordinate this before the appointment.
Explain operational constraints and how affected users will be informed of downtime.
Preparation should make the examination possible without asking untrained staff to enter restricted areas or dismantle equipment.
Confirm the reporting contact so urgent findings reach someone able to act.
What Happens After the Examination?
Read the report and establish what action is required.
Some findings may require immediate cessation of use, while others may need remedy within a specified period. Additional observations can also inform maintenance planning.
Where restrictions apply, manage access and arrange the required work. Keep evidence of completed actions with the report.
HSE’s lift owner guidance explains the dutyholder’s responsibility for ensuring workplace lifts are examined and safe to use. Booking the appointment is therefore only part of the process.
If a finding is unclear, ask the examiner to explain it promptly rather than interpreting it informally.
How Does Servicing Fit Alongside Examination?
Maintenance and thorough examination support different parts of equipment management.
Servicing addresses maintenance needs and operating condition. Examination assesses safety through the relevant formal process.
A lift can need repairs after an examination even if it has recently been serviced. Equally, an examination does not provide all the maintenance required between appointments.
Keep the programmes distinct but coordinated.
Our team can discuss the equipment and the type of assistance you need. Tell us whether the enquiry concerns maintenance, a fault, an examination report or a new installation.
How to Arrange the Right Appointment
Contact the provider with the lift type, model, postcode and current requirement.
If you already have a report or examination scheme, supply it. Confirm what the proposed appointment includes, which documentation will follow and whether attendance by another contractor is needed.
Our domestic services also include stairlifts in Lichfield. The examination position for a private household should be assessed separately from workplace use.
Contact DHG Services to discuss your installation and establish the appropriate next step.
