What is a LOLER written scheme of examination?
A written scheme of examination is LOLER’s alternative to the fixed 6 and 12 month intervals. A competent person looks at how a piece of lifting equipment is used and how it wears, and sets examination intervals to match (Regulation 9(3)(a)(iii)). It suits heavily used or rarely used equipment where use can be measured. It isn’t a way to put off an overdue examination.
Most lifting equipment is examined at LOLER’s fixed intervals: every 6 months for anything that lifts people and every lifting accessory, every 12 months for everything else. That works well for most sites. But a crane doing three shifts a day and one used twice a year aren’t wearing at the same rate, and a scheme lets the intervals reflect that.
Fixed intervals or a scheme?
Fixed intervals | Written scheme of examination | |
How the interval is set | By LOLER: 6 or 12 months | By a competent person, based on use, condition and environment |
Who it suits | Most equipment on most sites | Heavily used equipment, rarely used equipment, or parts that wear at very different rates |
Can the interval be shorter? | You can always examine sooner | Yes, often for hard-working equipment |
Can it be longer? | No | Sometimes, if a risk assessment supports it |
Lifting accessories | Every 6 months | Rarely suitable. 6 months is the accepted long stop |
Paperwork | The examination report | The scheme itself, plus examination reports, plus records of use |
Reviewed | At each examination | Whenever use or condition changes, and at each examination |
When a scheme makes sense
LEEA’s guidance on written schemes suggests they suit equipment where:
its condition depends mainly on how much it’s used, and that use can be measured, for example by an hour meter or production records
different parts wear at very different rates, so examining everything on one fixed date doesn’t make sense
it’s only used occasionally, and can be taken out of service and examined before it’s next needed
the pattern of use is well established and predictable
In practice, that’s things like a crane on a production line with an hour meter, a hoist in a plant room used twice a year, or a fleet of identical machines with good records.
When it doesn’t
Stick with fixed intervals where:
you can’t easily measure how much the equipment is used
it deteriorates with age or storage whether it’s used or not
it’s portable or hand-operated, like chain blocks and lever hoists
it’s a lifting accessory. Slings, chains and shackles can be damaged in storage or transport as easily as in use, so LEEA treats 6 months as the accepted long stop between examinations
And never use a scheme to:
save money on examinations
fit the examiner’s diary
cover an overdue examination. LEEA is clear that a scheme can’t be written after the due date has passed. If equipment is overdue, take it out of service until it’s examined.
What goes into a scheme
There’s no single template, but a good scheme sets out:
which equipment it covers, with ID numbers
which parts are safety-critical and how each should be examined
how often each part is examined, and why
what triggers an earlier examination, like hours run, a set number of lifts, damage or a change in use
how use will be recorded
who reviews the scheme, and when
LEEA’s own guidance on written schemes (LEEA 032) goes into more detail.
Who can write one?
A competent person, with the practical and theoretical knowledge and experience of the equipment to judge how it wears and what could go wrong. That’s usually the examiner, but it doesn’t have to be. The decision to use a scheme sits with you, as the duty holder, after a proper risk assessment. A good examiner will tell you if your equipment isn’t a good fit for one.
Should you have one?
For most small and medium sites, no. Fixed intervals are simple, everyone understands them, and they’re easy to keep track of.
A scheme starts to earn its place when you’ve got a lot of the same equipment, good records of how it’s used, and either a lot of wear in some places or very little use overall. If that sounds like your site, it’s worth a conversation. And if you just want fewer visits, the simpler fix is usually lining your dates up, so everything’s examined together. More on that in how to switch your LOLER inspection company.
Talk to us about your equipment
We examine lifting equipment 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. Reports are written on site before I leave, and once we’ve agreed a price, it stays fixed for all your ongoing examinations.
Tell us what you’ve got and how it’s used, and we’ll tell you honestly whether fixed intervals or a scheme suits it best.
FAQs
What is a written scheme of examination under LOLER?
It’s an alternative to LOLER’s fixed 6 and 12 month intervals. A competent person sets examination intervals based on how the equipment is used, how it wears and the conditions it works in (LOLER Regulation 9(3)(a)(iii)).
Who can draw up a LOLER examination scheme?
A competent person with the practical and theoretical knowledge and experience of the equipment. It’s often the examiner. The decision to use a scheme sits with the duty holder, after a risk assessment.
Can an examination scheme make intervals longer than 12 months?
Sometimes, if a proper risk assessment supports it, for example for equipment that’s rarely used and can be examined before it’s next needed. It can just as easily set shorter intervals for equipment that works hard.
Can lifting accessories go on an examination scheme?
Rarely. Slings, chains and shackles can be damaged in storage or transport as well as in use, so the lifting equipment industry treats 6 months as the accepted long stop between examinations for accessories.
Can I use a scheme if my examination is overdue?
No. A scheme can’t be written after the due date to cover a missed examination. If equipment is overdue, take it out of service until a competent person has examined it.
Do I need a written scheme of examination?
Most sites don’t. Fixed intervals work well for most equipment. A scheme suits equipment with measurable use, like hour meters, parts that wear at very different rates, or equipment that’s only used occasionally.
What should a written scheme of examination include?
The equipment it covers, the safety-critical parts and how to examine them, the interval for each and why, what triggers an earlier examination, how use is recorded, and when the scheme is reviewed.
Comments