Do you need LOLER inspection software, or will a spreadsheet do?
For most small and medium sites, a well-kept spreadsheet is enough. LOLER doesn’t require software. It requires you to know what lifting equipment you have, get each item examined on time, act on the defects, and keep the reports available for inspection (Regulation 11). Software starts to pay for itself when you’ve got several sites, hundreds of items or lots of people sharing the job.
Whatever you use, the tool isn’t what keeps you compliant. Somebody looking at it every month is.
Your options, side by side
Option | Best for | Cost | Who keeps it up to date | Watch out for |
Paper file of reports | A handful of items on one site | Nothing | You | No reminders, and hard to search when an inspector asks |
Spreadsheet register | Most single-site businesses with up to a few hundred items | Nothing | You, or whoever looks after health and safety | It only works if someone checks the due dates every month |
Inspection or compliance software | Multi-site operators, large fleets, many people sharing the job | A monthly or yearly subscription | You, plus whoever has a login | Paying for features you don’t use, and data you can’t easily take with you |
Your examiner’s schedule | Anyone who wants the reminder to come to them | Usually included in the examination price | Your examiner, with you checking the reports | You still need your own copy of every report |
Most of our clients use a spreadsheet plus our reminders. It’s free, it’s easy to hand over if someone leaves, and the dates don’t depend on one person remembering them.
What your register needs to show
Whatever format you use, each item of lifting equipment needs its own line, with:
an ID number that matches the tag or plate on the item
what it is and where it’s kept
its safe working load
its examination interval: 6 months, 12 months or an examination scheme
the date of its last thorough examination
the date the next one is due
any defects from the last report, with the date they need fixing by and the date they were fixed
where the report is filed
Lifting accessories, like slings, chains and shackles, each need their own line too. A rack of 20 slings is 20 lines, not one.
After your first examination, we’ll send you a register of everything we examined, with the next due dates filled in.
How long do you need to keep LOLER reports?
LOLER Regulation 11 sets out how long the information in each report has to stay available for inspection:
Periodic thorough examinations: until the next report is made, or 2 years, whichever is later.
The first examination of equipment you’ve bought (other than an accessory): for as long as you use it.
The first examination of a lifting accessory: for 2 years after the report.
Examination after installation or assembly: for as long as you use the equipment at that location.
Records of inspections between examinations: until the next inspection record is made.
A declaration of conformity for equipment you bought new: for as long as you use the equipment.
The simplest rule is to keep everything for as long as you have the equipment, and for at least 2 years after you get rid of it. Nobody’s ever been told off for keeping a report too long.
Can LOLER reports be kept electronically?
Yes. HSE’s guidance accepts electronic reports, as long as they’re secure from being altered and can be printed when an inspector asks for them. A PDF in a shared folder that only a few people can edit works fine. A photo of a report on someone’s phone doesn’t.
When software is worth it
Software earns its keep when:
you’ve got several sites, and nobody can see all of them at once
you’ve got hundreds of items, or a fleet of vehicles with tail lifts and cranes
lots of people need to log pre-use checks or defects, from different places
your clients or auditors expect a portal they can log into
If that’s you, look for software that lets you export everything in a standard format, so you’re not locked in if you change. If it isn’t you, don’t let a sales demo convince you that compliance needs a subscription. It needs a list, the dates and someone who looks at them.
The 5 things that actually go wrong
Whatever system you use, these are the things I see that tend to go wrong:
Items that never made it onto the register, like the slings, the stairlift at the back or the second-hand hoist bought last year.
Defects with no completion date, sitting in an inbox after the report arrived.
One person who knew the dates, and then left.
Reports that can’t be found when an HSE or council inspector asks.
A register that’s never been checked against the actual kit, so it lists things that are long gone and misses things that aren’t.
Walk round once a year with the register in your hand. It takes an hour, and it catches most of them.
Let the reminders come to you
We examine lifting equipment for businesses across Nottingham, Derby, Leicester, Loughborough and Lincoln, and out to Newark, Mansfield and Grantham. 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. Every item gets its own written report, so it drops straight into your register. We contact you before each examination falls due, and once we’ve agreed a price, it stays fixed for all your ongoing examinations.
Want to know what’s in a report? See our sample report, or read how long a LOLER certificate is valid. Send us a list of what you’ve got and we’ll come back with a fixed quote.
FAQs
Do I need software to manage LOLER inspections?
No. LOLER requires you to get equipment examined on time, act on defects and keep the reports available, not to use software. For most single-site businesses, a spreadsheet register checked every month does the job. Software helps with several sites, large fleets or many users.
What should a lifting equipment register include?
An ID matching the tag on each item, what it is and where it’s kept, its safe working load, its examination interval, the last and next examination dates, any defects and when they were fixed, and where the report is filed. Each sling or accessory gets its own line.
How long do I need to keep LOLER reports?
Periodic examination reports must be kept until the next report is made, or for 2 years, whichever is later (LOLER Regulation 11). The first examination of equipment you’ve bought is kept for as long as you use it. The simplest rule is to keep them while you have the equipment.
Can I keep LOLER reports electronically?
Yes. HSE’s guidance accepts electronic reports, as long as they’re secure from being altered and can be printed when an inspector asks. A PDF in a protected shared folder is fine. Make sure more than one person knows where they are.
Who is responsible for keeping LOLER records?
The employer or whoever controls the lifting equipment. Your examiner writes the report and should send it to you, but keeping it available for inspection, and acting on what it says, is your job.
Is LOLER inspection software worth it for a small business?
Usually not. If you’ve got one site and fewer than a few hundred items, a spreadsheet and an examiner who reminds you before each due date covers everything LOLER asks. Software makes more sense for multi-site operators and large fleets.
What if an HSE inspector asks for our LOLER reports?
You need to be able to show the current report for each item, and the previous ones you’re required to keep. Inspectors will also look at whether defects listed on the reports were dealt with by the dates given. Keep the reports where more than one person can find them quickly.
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