LOLER and PUWER inspections for schools, academies and trusts
Schools need their lifts, hoists and slings thoroughly examined under LOLER every 6 months, and stage hoists and other lifting equipment at least every 12 months. Workshop machinery and site equipment fall under PUWER. PULO examines the whole school in one visit, for schools and trusts across Nottingham, the Midlands and the UK.
5.0* rated · 14 years in the industry · 3 ISO certifications · UK-wide coverage
Independently certified and accredited
Which one are you?
What needs examining in a school, and how often?
Passenger lifts, platform lifts and stairlifts: every 6 months, because they carry people (LOLER Regulation 9(3)).
Hoists and slings (hygiene rooms, special schools, hydrotherapy pools): every 6 months. Each sling needs its own examination, not just the hoist.
MEWPs and access platforms (used to reach sports hall and hall lights): every 6 months, because they lift people.
Minibus tail lifts used by wheelchair users: every 6 months.
Goods lifts and kitchen service lifts: at least every 12 months.
Stage hoists, winches and motorised lighting bars: at least every 12 months.
Shackles, slings and other lifting accessories (stage rigging, site team): every 6 months.
New, moved or modified lifting equipment: before first use, if its safety depends on how it's installed (LOLER Regulation 9(2)).
DT workshop machinery, roller shutters, ladders and PE apparatus: inspected under PUWER at intervals set by risk (PUWER Regulation 6).
Who's the duty holder in your school?
Community, voluntary-controlled and maintained nursery schools, and PRUs: the local authority
Foundation and voluntary-aided schools: the governing body
Academies and free schools: the academy trust
Independent schools: the proprietor
Whoever the employer is, the day-to-day work can be handed to a business manager, a site team or a contractor. The legal duty can't. As DfE puts it, "you cannot delegate your HSWA duties".
Academies are signed up to DfE's Risk Protection Arrangement (RPA) when they convert, and many maintained schools have joined too. The RPA replaces commercial insurance, but it doesn't include engineering inspection services. That means no insurer's surveyor turns up to examine your lifts: you need to arrange your examinations yourself.
That's where we come in:
One visit for LOLER and PUWER, so your lifts, hoists, stage equipment and workshop kit are all done together
The same engineer every time, who knows your site and your equipment
A fixed price per item, quoted up front, so it goes straight into the budget plan
We chase you, so nothing lapses between visits
Your compliance register and the SEMS return
DfE's School Estate Management Standards expect every school to have "a register of all plant and equipment that requires statutory inspection", and to keep a record of every statutory inspection and its certificate. Responsible bodies are now asked to complete an annual return on how they meet the standards, including how statutory compliance is managed.
Every PULO examination gives you:
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A written Report of Thorough Examination for each item
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The date the next examination is due
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A list of everything we examined at each school, ready to update your register
See what a report looks like on our sample report page.
Is your inspection bundled with a commercial insurer?
Just moved to the RPA, or still with a commercial insurer? Send us your last reports, and we'll quote so you can compare.
Your lift contractor shouldn't examine its own lifts
The company that maintains your lift is the right firm to service and repair it. The thorough examination is the check on that work, and HSE's Approved Code of Practice says the examiner should be "sufficiently independent and impartial" to make objective decisions.
PULO Compliance doesn't sell, install, service or repair lifts or hoists. We examine them, so nothing gets missed or waved through. Read why independent examination matters.
If We Find a Defect
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Danger now: we tell you on the spot, and the equipment stays out of use until it’s fixed (LOLER Regulation 10)
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Serious risk of injury: the law requires us to send a copy of the report to the enforcing authority too
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Everything else: listed as a dated action for your contractor, so you know what’s urgent and what can wait
If a lift or hoist a pupil depends on has to come out of use, we tell the business manager or head straight away, so you can plan access. We don't do repairs, so a defect is reported because it's there, not because there's work to sell.
Where we cover
Based in Nottingham, we examine school equipment across Nottinghamshire, Derby, Leicester, Loughborough, Lincoln and the wider Midlands. We travel anywhere in the UK, so trusts with schools in more than one region can use one examiner for all of them.
Why schools choose PULO
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Independent. We never sell, service or repair the equipment we examine.
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A named engineer. Every examination is carried out and signed by Ryan Leavesley MSOE MBES, an engineer surveyor for 14 years.
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We chase you. Booked in before each examination falls due.
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Fixed quotes. Agreed once, fixed for all your ongoing examinations.
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Accredited. ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001 certified, CHAS Advanced accredited, INITA members.
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Rated 5.0 on Google.
REVIEWS
SEE WHAT OUR CUSTOMERS SAY
I had a brilliant experience with the Pulo Compliance Team. They recently carried out a LOLER inspection on our lift, and the service was fantastic. The inspector was professional, efficient, and caused minimal disruption to our day. Highly recommend them for any compliance and safety needs!
Mohd Alali
Ryan arrived punctually and demonstrated a high level of professionalism. His extensive knowledge and technical expertise were truly impressive. I highly recommend PULO Compliance for their exceptional service.
lee chapman
Thank you Ryan. What a pleasure to work with. PULO compliance is an incredibly professional company and your knowledge of LOLER, PSSR and especially lift inspections is remarkable. It has been an absolute dream to work with you and I hope we are fortunate to work together in the future.
lee charnock
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