Does a goods lift need a LOLER inspection?

Ryan Leavesley

3 hours ago

6 min read

Yes. A goods lift is lifting equipment, so it needs a LOLER thorough examination by a competent person at least every 12 months if it only carries goods, and at least every 6 months if anyone rides in it. That covers mezzanine lifts, pallet lifts and service lifts. Your maintenance contract doesn't count as the examination.

Goods lifts get overlooked because they're installed as part of something else. A mezzanine goes in, a lift goes with it, and the paperwork that comes with the lift talks about maintenance, not examination. A year later it's still working fine, so no one asks.

But if it lifts a load, LOLER applies to it, whatever size it is.

Which goods lifts does LOLER cover?

All of them - LOLER covers work equipment for lifting or lowering loads, and a lift is one of the examples HSE gives. Here's how the common types work out:

Type of goods lift	LOLER applies?	Thorough examination	Watch for
Goods-only lift (pallet or trolley lift)	Yes	At least every 12 months	6 months if anyone ever rides in it
Mezzanine goods lift	Yes	At least every 12 months	Staff using it to get up to the mezzanine "just this once"
Goods and passenger lift	Yes	At least every 6 months	It's designed to carry people, so the 6 month rule is built in
Scissor lift table or dock lift	Yes	At least every 12 months	6 months if people ride on the platform. See roller shutters and dock levellers
Service lift or dumb waiter	Yes	At least every 12 months	Common in kitchens, shops and hotels. See hotels, pubs and restaurants
Vehicle lift or tail lift	Yes	See their own posts	Vehicle lifts and tail lifts have different rules

A written examination scheme drawn up by a competent person can set different intervals instead (LOLER Regulation 9(3)(a)(iii)), and it may set shorter ones for a lift that works hard.

The question that decides the interval: does anyone ride in it?

This is where most goods lifts go wrong. LOLER Regulation 9(3)(a) sets at least every 6 months for lifting equipment for lifting people, and at least every 12 months for other lifting equipment. HSE puts it simply: lifts are examined every 6 months if used to carry people, and at 12 monthly intervals if only used for moving goods.

So it's the use that counts, not just what the lift was built for. If staff step in with the trolley, or someone rides up to the mezzanine because it's quicker than the stairs, the lift is being used to lift a person, and HSE says the 6 monthly examination applies whether or not the equipment was designed to lift people.

Pallet on a goods lift platform at a mezzanine landing gate in a warehouse

HSE also says equipment not designed to lift people should only be used for it in exceptional circumstances, such as rescue. A goods-only lift isn't designed for people. So the real answer isn't "book it every 6 months". It's "stop people riding in it", and if you do need to carry people, have a lift designed for it.

What does a goods lift examination cover?

It depends on the lift - A hydraulic pallet lift and a rope-driven goods lift are different machines, and what gets checked is the engineer's professional judgement, not a fixed list. On a typical goods lift I'm looking at:

the platform or car, its structure and its load markings, including the safe working load
landing gates, doors and their locks and interlocks, at every level, so no one can open one when the platform isn't there
ropes or chains and their fixings, or the ram, hoses and valves on a hydraulic lift
brakes, safety gear and limit switches
the controls and the emergency stop
guide rails, buffers and the pit
the drive and the machine space

For the full picture of how an examination runs, read what happens during a LOLER inspection and lift LOLER inspections.

Is the maintenance contract enough?

No - A maintenance contract keeps the lift running. A LOLER thorough examination is a separate legal check, by a competent person who isn't checking their own work, that ends in a written report. HSE says an examination is not a substitute for servicing, and servicing doesn't replace an examination. There's more on that in is a LOLER inspection the same as a service?

If your lift engineer leaves a sticker, check you also have a report of thorough examination. It should name the lift, give its safe working load, say whether it's safe to use, list any defects with dates, and give the next due date. There's a sample report to compare it with.

What about a new goods lift?

A lift whose safety depends on how it's installed needs a thorough examination after installation and before it's put into service for the first time (LOLER Regulation 9(2)). That includes a lift that's been moved or taken apart and rebuilt in a new place. If the mezzanine company installed it, ask for the report, and don't assume the commissioning paperwork is it.

Who is responsible for a goods lift?

The people and companies who own, operate or have control of lifting equipment, according to HSE. In a unit you rent, that can be you, your landlord or both. Check your lease and agree in writing who arranges the examination and who pays, and keep the report where you can find it.

What happens if the examiner finds a fault?

A dangerous defect has to be reported to you straight away and the lift can't be used until it's put right. Other defects get a date to be fixed by. Read will a LOLER examiner report me to the HSE? for what happens at each stage.

Independent goods lift examinations in Nottingham

We carry out LOLER thorough examinations on goods lifts, mezzanine lifts, pallet lifts, service lifts, passenger lifts, hoists, forklifts, MEWPs and lifting accessories, for warehouses, shops, factories and tenants. We cover Nottingham, Derby, Leicester, Loughborough and Lincoln, and we also travel anywhere in the UK.

Every examination is carried out and signed by me, Ryan Leavesley MSOE MBES, an engineer surveyor with 14 years' experience, and we examine all lift types. Reports are written on site before I leave, with photos of anything that needs fixing. We don't sell, hire, service or repair lifts, and we contact you before each examination falls due. Once we've agreed a price, it stays fixed for all your ongoing examinations.

Got a goods lift that's never been examined? Tell us what you've got and we'll come back with a fixed quote.