What's the difference between a thorough examination and a pre-use check?
A pre-use check is a quick look the operator does before using equipment, to spot obvious damage or faults. A LOLER thorough examination is a detailed check by an independent competent person, at least every 6 or 12 months, that ends in a written report. Neither replaces the other. An in-date examination doesn't excuse a skipped pre-use check, and a daily check doesn't count as a thorough examination.
It's an easy mix-up to make, because all of these ended up getting called "an inspection". A certificate on the wall says the equipment was thoroughly examined and passed. It can't tell you whether somebody clipped a pillar with a forklift at lunchtime, or whether a sling got cut on a sharp edge this morning.
Which check is which?
There are really four layers, and each one does a different job.
Check | Who does it | When | What it looks at | What you keep |
Pre-use check | The operator or user | Before use, often each shift or day | Obvious damage, leaks, faulty controls, labels, safety devices | A checklist or log |
Inspection between examinations | A trained, competent person. HSE says this can often be the operator or maintenance staff | At intervals set by risk assessment, often weekly on busy equipment | Wear and deterioration in the conditions it works in | A dated inspection record |
Thorough examination | An independent competent person | At least every 6 or 12 months, or as set in a written scheme | A systematic, detailed examination of the equipment and its safety-critical parts | A written report of thorough examination |
Examination after an event | An independent competent person | After installation, a move to a new site, damage, a major repair or a long time out of use | Whether it's still safe, or was installed correctly | A written report of thorough examination |
A service sits alongside all four. It keeps the equipment working, and it isn't a substitute for any of them. There's more on that in is a LOLER inspection the same as a service?
What does the law say about each one?
Thorough examination: LOLER Regulation 9(3)(a) says at least every 6 months for lifting equipment that lifts people and for lifting accessories, at least every 12 months for other lifting equipment, or in line with a written examination scheme. The examiner has to be a competent person and write a report (Regulation 10 and Schedule 1).
Inspection between examinations: LOLER Regulation 9(3)(b) says equipment should be inspected by a competent person "at suitable intervals between thorough examinations" where that's appropriate. HSE says the nature, need for and frequency of these inspections should come from a risk assessment.
Pre-use checks: HSE says users may need to carry out simple pre-use checks, for example on lifting chains and slings. For forklifts it talks about essential daily pre-use checks. There's no single legal frequency, so what you do should come from your risk assessment and the manufacturer's instructions.
Maintenance and wider checks: PUWER Regulation 5 requires work equipment to be maintained, and Regulation 6 covers inspection where safety depends on how it's installed or where it's exposed to conditions that cause deterioration.
What does a pre-use check involve?
It's short - Usually a couple of minutes, done by whoever is about to use the equipment, and it's a look for anything that's changed since last time. Typical examples:
Forklift or telehandler: tyres, forks and carriage, chains, mast, hydraulic leaks, seat belt, horn, lights, brakes, steering and the operator's controls.
Sling, chain or shackle: cuts, fraying, worn stitching, damaged loops or hooks, a readable label with the safe working load, and the right size and type for the load.
MEWP: a basic function check by the trained operator, covering controls, emergency lowering, guard rails and gates, tyres and any visible damage. HSE says records of these checks should be kept.
Hoist: the sling and hoist together before each lift, the handset, emergency stop and emergency lowering, and any damage to the boom, track or straps.
Lift: users and staff can't test the lift, but anyone who notices a door that won't close properly, a lift that doesn't level or a strange noise should report it and the lift should be taken out of use if it isn't safe.
If the check finds a fault, stop using it. Label it, keep it out of use and tell whoever is responsible for repairs. Don't wait until the next examination.
What are inspections between thorough examinations?
This is the layer people miss... LOLER doesn't just ask for the six or twelve month examination. Regulation 9(3)(b) says that where it's appropriate, a competent person should also inspect the equipment at suitable intervals in between, to catch wear and deterioration early.
HSE says how often should be decided by risk assessment. A hoist in a spare room that's used twice a week needs less than an overhead crane that runs two shifts a day in a dusty, wet or corrosive building. For a busy crane, it's often a recorded weekly inspection on top of the pre-use check. For many lifting accessories HSE says formal inspections between examinations aren't normally needed, provided proper pre-use checks are carried out. They still need their 6 month thorough examination.
The person doing these inspections needs to be trained and competent, and HSE says that can often be the operator or maintenance staff. They don't have to be the independent examiner.
Does an in-date report mean it's safe to use today?
No. A report of thorough examination tells you it was safe on the day it was examined, and gives you the date the next one is due. It can't tell you what's happened since.
If the equipment has been hit, overloaded, dropped, left out in the weather, repaired or moved, it may need examining again before it's used, not after the next date comes round. LOLER Regulation 9(3)(a)(iv) asks for a thorough examination each time exceptional circumstances that could jeopardise safety have occurred, and 9(2) asks for one after assembly at a new site or location.
It works the other way too. A clean pre-use check this morning doesn't mean the equipment has had a thorough examination. If the report is overdue, the equipment shouldn't be used, however good it looks. More on what happens at an examination in what happens during a LOLER inspection.
Who does which on hired equipment?
HSE says those hiring equipment out can't normally be responsible for the day-to-day and other pre-use checks. Those are for the user. The hire company usually arranges the thorough examination because it owns the equipment, and you should ask to see the report before it's used and keep a copy.
On a long hire, agree in writing who books the next examination, and keep your own record of the operator checks.
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, so the part that needs an independent competent person is covered. We cover Nottingham, Derby, Leicester, Loughborough and Lincoln, and out to Newark, Mansfield and Grantham, 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. Reports are written on site before I leave, with photos of anything that needs fixing, so your own team knows exactly what to do. We don't sell, hire, service or repair equipment, so nothing we find is a sale. We contact you before each examination falls due, and once we've agreed a price, it stays fixed for all your ongoing examinations.
Not sure whether your daily checks and your examination dates line up? Tell us what you've got and we'll come back with a fixed quote.
FAQs
What's the difference between a thorough examination and a pre-use check?
A pre-use check is a quick look by the operator before using the equipment, to spot obvious damage or faults. A thorough examination is a detailed check by an independent competent person, at least every 6 or 12 months under LOLER, that ends in a written report. You need both.
Does an in-date LOLER report mean the equipment is safe to use today?
No. The report says it was safe on the day it was examined. If it's since been damaged, overloaded, repaired or moved, it may need examining again before use, and the operator's pre-use check should catch anything obvious before each shift.
Who can carry out a pre-use check?
The person who's about to use the equipment, as long as they're trained to use it and know what to look for. They don't need to be an independent examiner. HSE says that on hired equipment, pre-use checks are normally for the user, not the hire company.
Do I have to record pre-use checks?
There's no single legal format. HSE says records of a MEWP's daily pre-use checks should be kept, and a short log is the easiest way to show checks are happening on any equipment. It also shows an examiner or inspector that the checks are real.
What are inspections between thorough examinations?
LOLER Regulation 9(3)(b) says equipment should be inspected by a competent person at suitable intervals between thorough examinations where that's appropriate. HSE says the need and frequency should come from risk assessment, and the person can often be the operator or maintenance staff.
Can a pre-use check replace a thorough examination?
No. HSE says lifting accessories don't normally need formal inspections between examinations if proper pre-use checks are made, but they still need their thorough examination at least every 6 months. The same goes for every other piece of lifting equipment.
What should I do if a pre-use check finds a fault?
Stop using the equipment, label it and keep it out of use until it's been repaired. If the damage could affect its safety, such as a bent boom, a cut sling or a failed brake, it may need a thorough examination before it goes back into service.
Who does the pre-use checks on hired equipment?
You do, as the user. HSE says those hiring out equipment can't normally be responsible for the day-to-day and other pre-use safety checks. The hire company usually arranges the thorough examination, so ask to see the report before the equipment is used.
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