Independent Thorough Examination of Lifting Equipment
Cert Safe Inspection Services Ltd provides independent LOLER Thorough Examinations for a wide range of lifting equipment and lifting accessories.
Our examinations help businesses, facilities managers, landlords, care providers and other dutyholders meet their responsibilities under the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER).
From passenger lifts and goods lifts to hoists, cranes, forklift trucks and lifting accessories, we provide professional examination services with clear, detailed reporting.
What is a LOLER Thorough Examination?
A LOLER Thorough Examination is a systematic and detailed examination of lifting equipment and its safety-critical components, carried out by a competent person.
The purpose is to identify defects or deterioration that could present a danger to people and to establish whether the equipment remains safe to use.
A Thorough Examination is more than a visual check. Depending on the equipment and circumstances, the examination may involve visual examination, functional testing and, where appropriate, other examination techniques necessary to determine the condition of safety-critical components.
The examination must be appropriate to the equipment, its use and the risks associated with its operation.
Following the examination, a formal report is produced detailing the examination undertaken and any relevant findings.
Who Has Responsibilities Under LOLER?
LOLER places duties on people and organisations who have control over lifting equipment. This can include:
- Employers
- Self-employed persons
- Facilities managers
- Property managers
- Landlords
- Equipment owners
- Businesses hiring or leasing equipment
- Anyone with responsibility for the operation and safety of lifting equipment
The dutyholder is responsible for ensuring that lifting equipment is suitable for its intended use, properly maintained and subject to the appropriate examination arrangements. Using an independent inspection company can help provide an impartial assessment of the condition of the equipment.
What Equipment Does LOLER Cover?
LOLER applies to a wide range of lifting equipment used at work. If you are unsure whether your equipment falls within LOLER, contact us and we can discuss the equipment and its intended use. At Cert Safe Inspection Services Ltd, our services can include the examination of:
Lifts
- Passenger lifts
- Goods lifts
- Service lifts
- Platform lifts
- Disabled access lifts
- Stair lifts
- Vehicle lifts
Workplace Lifting Equipment
- Forklift trucks
- Mobile hoists
- Fixed hoists
- Chain blocks
- Lever hoists
- Cranes
- Gantries
- Jib cranes
- Lifting beams
- MEWPs
Lifting Accessories
- Webbing slings
- Chain slings
- Wire rope slings
- Shackles
- Eyebolts
- Lifting hooks
- Lifting clamps
- Spreader beams
- Fork attachments
- Other lifting accessories
How Often Does Lifting Equipment Need a Thorough Examination?
The frequency of Thorough Examination depends upon the type of equipment, how it is used and the examination arrangements that apply to it.
In the absence of a written examination scheme specifying different intervals, LOLER specifies minimum examination intervals for certain categories of equipment.
Equipment For Lifting People
At least every 6 months.
Lifting Accessories
At least every 6 months.
Other Lifting Equipment
At least every 12 months.
These are not universal rules for every item of equipment. A competent person may establish different examination intervals through a suitable written scheme of examination, where appropriate.
The examination interval should therefore be determined according to the specific equipment and circumstances rather than simply applying a standard interval to everything.
What Happens During a Thorough Examination?
The exact examination procedure depends on the equipment being examined. Our Engineer Surveyor will assess the equipment and relevant safety-critical components appropriate to the scope of the examination.
This can include consideration of:
- Structural condition
- Mechanical components
- Safety devices
- Braking systems
- Ropes, chains and suspension systems
- Hooks and lifting points
- Guards and protective devices
- Wear and deterioration
- Corrosion
- Deformation
- Cracking
- Excessive movement or play
- Electrical and control systems where relevant
- Identification and rated capacity
- Safety-critical fixings and connections
- Previous examination findings
- Other components relevant to the particular equipment
Where appropriate, the examination may involve functional testing or other methods necessary to assess the condition of the equipment. The examination is tailored to the equipment rather than being a generic checklist.
What Happens After the Examination?
Following the examination, we provide a formal Thorough Examination Report.
The report records the equipment examined and the findings identified during the examination.
Where defects or deficiencies are identified, these are clearly reported so that the dutyholder can determine and arrange the appropriate remedial action.
Where a defect is identified that is, or could become, a danger to people, LOLER contains specific requirements regarding notification and action.
Our reports are designed to provide a clear and permanent record of the examination.
Thorough Examination vs Maintenance
They are not the same thing. A LOLER Thorough Examination is not a substitute for maintenance. Maintenance is intended to keep equipment in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair.
A Thorough Examination is a detailed examination of lifting equipment and its safety-critical components to identify defects or deterioration that could present a danger. Equipment should therefore continue to be properly maintained and subject to appropriate routine checks and inspections between Thorough Examinations.
A valid Thorough Examination report does not mean that equipment can be neglected or operated regardless of its condition.
What If Defects Are Found?
Defects identified during a Thorough Examination are recorded in the examination report.
The appropriate response depends upon the nature and severity of the defect.
Some defects may require remedial action within a specified period, while more serious defects may require the equipment to be taken out of service until the necessary action has been completed.
Where a defect presents an immediate or foreseeable danger, the relevant LOLER requirements must be followed.
The dutyholder remains responsible for ensuring that identified defects are appropriately addressed.
Thorough Examination Reports
Our reports are designed to give customers a clear record of the examination. Depending on the equipment and examination, reports can include:
- Equipment identification
- Location
- Examination date
- Examination type
- Examination scope
- Identification of safety-critical components
- Findings
- Defects
- Required remedial action
- Relevant timescales
- Next examination date
- Additional observations
We believe reports should be clear enough for a facilities manager or responsible person to understand without needing to be an engineer.
New Equipment & Equipment That Has Been Modified
LOLER examination requirements can also apply when equipment is newly installed, has been substantially modified or has been exposed to circumstances that could affect its safety.
Depending on the circumstances, lifting equipment may need to be thoroughly examined before being put into service or following certain significant changes or exceptional circumstances.
This can be particularly relevant following:
- Installation
- Reassembly at a new location
- Significant modification
- Major repair
- Structural alteration
- Exceptional circumstances such as serious damage or prolonged exposure to conditions that could affect safety
The appropriate examination requirements depend on the equipment and circumstances.
If you are installing or modifying lifting equipment, we recommend establishing the examination requirements before the equipment is returned to service.
Written Schemes of Examination
A Written Scheme of Examination can be used to establish an appropriate examination regime for lifting equipment where the circumstances require one. A written scheme can specify:
- The equipment to be examined
- Which components require examination
- The examination methods
- Examination intervals
- Relevant safety-critical components
- Any particular conditions or limitations
Where an appropriate examination scheme is in place, examinations should be carried out in accordance with its requirements.
CSIS can discuss examination requirements for equipment where a written scheme may be appropriate.
LOLER for Care Homes & Healthcare
LOLER can apply to lifting equipment used in health and social care environments where the equipment falls within the scope of the regulations. This can include equipment such as:
- Patient hoists
- Mobile hoists
- Ceiling track hoists
- Slings
- Stand aids
- Bath lifts
- Platform lifts
- Stair lifts
Care environments often have large numbers of individual items that need to be correctly identified and tracked.
CSIS can provide scheduled examination programmes for care homes, supported living facilities and healthcare environments, helping responsible persons maintain accurate examination records across their equipment portfolio.
LOLER for Businesses & Facilities Managers
Managing lifting equipment across multiple sites can make keeping track of examination dates difficult. CSIS can support businesses with planned examination programmes covering individual sites or larger equipment portfolios. We can examine multiple equipment types during the same visit where appropriate, helping reduce disruption and simplify the management of inspection records. Our service can be particularly useful for:
- Facilities management companies
- Property managers
- Commercial landlords
- Care groups
- Industrial businesses
- Warehouses
- Manufacturing facilities
- Automotive workshops
- Construction companies
- Lift companies
- Commercial property portfolios
Why Choose Cert Safe Inspection Services?
Independent
We provide independent examination services without being tied to the repair or maintenance of the equipment we examine.
Competent
Our examinations are carried out by competent inspection personnel with experience across a wide range of lifting equipment.
Clear Reporting
Our reports clearly identify findings and any action requiring attention.
Wide Equipment Coverage
From individual lifting accessories to complex lifting installations, we can provide examination services across a broad range of equipment.
Flexible Service
We can accommodate individual examinations, scheduled visits and larger equipment portfolios.
Local & Nationwide
Based in High Wycombe, we provide inspection services throughout Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and surrounding areas, with nationwide coverage available.
Legal Responsibilities
Under the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER), the person or organisation with control of lifting equipment has a legal responsibility to ensure that the equipment is suitable for its intended use, properly maintained and safely operated. Lifting equipment must be subject to Thorough Examination by a competent person at appropriate intervals, with the examination arrangements determined by the equipment, its use and the circumstances in which it operates. Where a Thorough Examination identifies a defect that is, or could become, a danger to people, the dutyholder must take appropriate action and comply with the relevant LOLER reporting requirements. A Thorough Examination is an important part of equipment safety but does not replace routine maintenance, servicing, pre-use checks or other inspection arrangements. The responsibility for ensuring equipment remains safe and that all applicable legal requirements are met remains with the dutyholder.
CSIS provides independent examination services to assist dutyholders in meeting these responsibilities.
Need a LOLER Thorough Examination?
Whether you have a single lift, a workshop full of lifting equipment or a multi-site equipment portfolio, Cert Safe Inspection Services Ltd can provide an independent examination service tailored to your requirements.
Tell us what equipment you have and where it is located.