Is a LOLER inspection the same as a service?
No - A service is maintenance: adjusting, lubricating and replacing parts to keep equipment working, which PUWER Regulation 5 requires. A LOLER thorough examination is an independent check by a competent person that it’s safe to keep using, with a written report. HSE says servicing doesn’t replace a thorough examination, and the person who services the equipment shouldn’t be the one who examines it.
“Our service engineer does the LOLER” is something I hear on a lot of first visits. Sometimes that’s true, and done properly. Often it turns out the paperwork is a service sheet, and the equipment hasn’t had a thorough examination at all.
Service, examination, check or inspection?
There are five different checks people mix up. They do different jobs, and most equipment needs more than one.
Check | What it’s for | Who does it | How often | What you get |
Service or maintenance | Keeping it working: adjusting, lubricating, replacing worn parts | Your maintenance contractor or dealer | The manufacturer’s schedule, often by hours of use | A service record or job sheet |
LOLER thorough examination | Deciding whether it’s safe to keep using, and finding defects | An independent competent person | At least every 6 or 12 months, or as set in an examination scheme | A written report of thorough examination |
Pre-use check | Spotting obvious damage before it’s used | The operator | Before each use or shift | A checklist |
PUWER inspection | Checking equipment that isn’t for lifting, where wear could make it dangerous | A competent person | Set by risk assessment | An inspection record |
Insurance inspection | The insurer’s check of the risk. Sometimes the insurer’s engineer also carries out the LOLER examination | The insurer’s engineer surveyor | As set by the policy | A survey or report. Check which one you’ve been given |
There’s more on that last one in insurance inspections vs LOLER thorough examinations.
Why shouldn’t the same person do both?
HSE’s guidance is that the company that services your equipment can also carry out the thorough examination, but not by the same person who services or maintains it. The examiner has to be independent and impartial enough to make an objective call.
There are two good reasons for that:
Nobody spots their own mistakes easily. If I’d fitted the chain last month, I’d be checking my own work.
Defects become sales. If the examiner’s company also does the repairs, every defect found is work for them. Most are honest, but it’s a pressure that doesn’t need to be there.
That’s why PULO Compliance only examines. We don’t sell, hire, service or repair equipment, so nothing we find is a sale, and you can get repair quotes from whoever you like. There’s more in why independent examination matters.
Does a full service count as a LOLER inspection?
No - HSE says servicing doesn’t replace a thorough examination, however thorough the service. A service makes sure the equipment works. A thorough examination looks at whether its safety-critical parts are fit to carry on, and records that in a report that meets LOLER Schedule 1.
One knock-on that catches people out: if a service involves fitting new parts to anything LOLER covers, HSE says those parts need examining before the equipment is used again.
How it works for common equipment
Forklifts and telehandlers: serviced to the manufacturer’s schedule, usually by hours of use. LOLER thorough examination every 12 months, or 6 if it’s ever used to lift people. More in does a forklift need a LOLER inspection?
Passenger and goods lifts: maintained under contract by a lift company. LOLER thorough examination every 6 months for passenger lifts, by an independent examiner. Any supplementary tests the examiner asks for are usually done by the maintenance contractor.
Patient hoists: serviced to the manufacturer’s instructions. LOLER thorough examination every 6 months, slings included. More in how often should a hoist be inspected?
Vehicle lifts: serviced by the lift supplier. LOLER thorough examination at least every 12 months by law, and 6 months is what HSE and the industry expect.
MEWPs: serviced to the manufacturer’s schedule. LOLER thorough examination every 6 months.
How can you tell what you’ve actually got?
Get out your last piece of paperwork and check it. A LOLER report of thorough examination will:
be headed as a report of thorough examination, not a service or job sheet
identify the exact item, with a serial or ID number
give the safe working load
say whether it’s safe to use
list any defects, with a date for each to be fixed
give the date the next examination is due
name the person who did the examination
If it has parts used, labour hours and “serviced, all OK”, it’s a service sheet. Have a look at our sample report to compare.
Independent LOLER examinations across the East Midlands
We carry out LOLER thorough examinations on lifts, hoists, forklifts, telehandlers, MEWPs, vehicle lifts, cranes and lifting accessories. We work alongside whoever services your equipment. We cover the East Midlands, 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 over 14 years’ experience. Reports are written on site before I leave, with photos of anything that needs fixing, so your service team knows exactly what to do. We contact you before each examination falls due, and once we’ve agreed a price, it stays fixed for all your ongoing examinations.
Thinking of moving your examinations away from your service company? Read how to switch your LOLER inspection company. Or tell us what you’ve got and we’ll come back with a fixed quote.
FAQs
Is a LOLER inspection the same as a service?
No. A service is maintenance that keeps equipment working, required by PUWER. A LOLER thorough examination is a check by an independent competent person that it’s safe to keep using, recorded in a written report. Most lifting equipment needs both.
Can my service company do the LOLER inspection?
HSE says it can, but not the same person who services or maintains the equipment. The examiner must be independent and impartial enough to make an objective judgement about whether it’s safe to keep using.
Does servicing count as a thorough examination?
No. HSE says servicing doesn’t replace a thorough examination. Even a full service doesn’t produce the report LOLER requires, saying whether the equipment is safe, listing defects and giving the next examination date.
Do I still need a LOLER inspection if my equipment is under a maintenance contract?
Yes. A maintenance contract covers keeping the equipment working. LOLER separately requires a thorough examination at least every 6 or 12 months, unless the contract specifically includes one carried out by an independent competent person.
Does fitting new parts mean another LOLER inspection?
It can. HSE says that if new parts are fitted to equipment covered by LOLER, those parts need a thorough examination before the equipment is used again.
How can I tell if my paperwork is a LOLER report or a service sheet?
A LOLER report identifies the item, gives its safe working load, says whether it’s safe to use, lists defects with dates to fix them, gives the next due date and names the examiner. A service sheet lists the work done and parts used.
How often should a forklift be serviced and LOLER inspected?
Forklifts are serviced to the manufacturer’s schedule, usually based on hours of use. They need a LOLER thorough examination at least every 12 months, or every 6 months if they’re ever used to lift people.
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