LOLER thorough examination: the 2026 guide

If you operate cranes, hoists, chain blocks, slings, fork trucks fitted with attachments, mobile elevating work platforms or anything else used to lift loads or people in a UK workplace, you sit under LOLER 1998. The bit of LOLER that takes up most of the duty-holder's headspace is Regulation 9: the thorough examination.

This is the working guide. Written for the person who has to actually arrange the examinations, understand the reports, and act on the defects. Not a regulatory summary, not a product pitch, just the things a sensible duty-holder needs to know in 2026 to stay compliant without overpaying.

What a thorough examination actually is

The regulations call it a "thorough examination and inspection." HSE's Approved Code of Practice (ACOP L113) describes it as a systematic and detailed examination of the equipment and safety-critical parts, carried out at specified intervals by a competent person, who then completes a written report.

Three things that matter to a duty-holder day-to-day.

It is not a service. The fact that your local company comes in to lubricate the hoist and call it "serviced" does not satisfy LOLER. A service can happen alongside a thorough examination, but the thorough examination is a separate set of legal steps with a separate report.

It is not maintenance. Same logic. A competent fitter doing planned preventive maintenance is not running a thorough examination unless that fitter is also acting as the competent person under LOLER and producing the Schedule 1 report.

It is not a load test. Load testing happens for new equipment or after major repairs. The thorough examination assesses condition, not capacity. You may need a load test as part of, or following, the examination, but the test is a discrete activity.

When the examination must happen

LOLER Regulation 9(3) prescribes the intervals. They are:

• Every 6 months for any lifting equipment used to lift people. Passenger lifts, scissor lifts that carry persons, hoists used in care settings, MEWPs that lift personnel.
• Every 6 months for any lifting accessory. Slings, shackles, eyebolts, hooks, chains, lifting beams, plate clamps.
• Every 12 months for other lifting equipment. Cranes, hoists, fork trucks used in lifting operations.

Or, in either case, in accordance with an examination scheme drawn up by a competent person. The examination scheme route is common in industries with high-cycle equipment where annual is too infrequent, or in industries with light-duty equipment where annual is more than required.

And then, regardless of interval, every time exceptional circumstances are liable to jeopardise the safety of the lifting equipment. "Exceptional circumstances" covers significant damage, major modification, change of use, a fall of the load, a collision, prolonged out-of-service period, or a notable change in environment. If any of those apply to a specific piece of kit, that triggers a thorough examination outside the scheduled interval, irrespective of when the last one was.

The HSE enforcement reality: they will check the date on the most recent Schedule 1 report, work out the interval, and ask why an interval was extended if it was. A duty-holder who lets an interval lapse and produces nothing is in a worse position than one who can show an examination scheme adjustment in writing.

The competent person

LOLER does not name a qualification. There is no LOLER licence, no government-issued competent-person card, no statutory training course. What HSE actually requires (per the ACOP) is a person with "sufficient practical and theoretical knowledge and experience of the lifting equipment to be examined as will enable them to detect defects or weaknesses and to assess their importance in relation to the safety and continued use of the equipment."

Three implications.

The competent person can be in-house. Your own engineer is a competent person if they have the knowledge and the independence to make objective judgements. The independence is the catch. If your own engineer also maintains the equipment, that is borderline. If they also operate it, that is not acceptable.

The competent person can be from an external company. This is the common arrangement. The company sends an engineer with appropriate training, typically LEEA membership or equivalent plus product-specific manufacturer training, to carry out the examination and produce the report.

The competent person should hold professional indemnity insurance covering their LOLER work. They are signing a legal document. If a piece of equipment fails after a clean Schedule 1 report and someone is injured, the competent person's professional indemnity is in scope.

Most duty-holders we work with use a contracted competent person, either from a national LEEA-accredited body or a local specialist. The cost is typically £40 to £120 per item depending on equipment type and accessibility, including the Schedule 1 report. For an organisation with 50 lifting accessories and 8 pieces of equipment, an annual LOLER spend in the £2,000 to £5,000 range is normal.

What actually gets examined

The competent person's check varies by equipment type, but for most lifting accessories and mid-sized lifting equipment, the examination covers:

The structure. Welds, beams, jib, fixings, hooks and their throat openings, hangers, plates. Anything that resists load. The examiner looks for cracks, deformation, wear beyond the manufacturer's discard criteria, missing components.

The wire rope or chain. Discard criteria for wire rope are published in BS EN 12385-3 and the equipment manufacturer's manual. For chain, similar discard criteria exist per BS EN 818. The examiner looks for visible wire breaks per lay length, distortion, corrosion, kinking, reduction in diameter. The discard criterion is rarely "the rope is broken." It is "the rope is approaching a percentage of its original cross-section."

The hooks. Throat opening measured against the manufacturer's stated maximum. Safety latch present and functional. No deformation of the body.

The brake or holding device. Function-tested with a representative load. Visual check of pads, linings, mechanism.

The hydraulic system, where present. Hoses for cracking or weeping, rams for surface defects, fittings for leaks.

The electrical system, where present. Limit switches, emergency stops, interlocks, overload protection.

The control system. Pendant, radio, lever interfaces. Worn components, intermittent contacts.

The safe working load (SWL) plate. Present, legible, matching the actual rated capacity. Missing or illegible SWL plates are one of the most common defects flagged in HSE inspections.

The certificate of conformity or original report. The examiner needs to see the equipment's history. Missing original certificate is a defect in itself.

For passenger-carrying equipment, the examination is more involved. Lifts, MEWPs and similar require checks of the door interlocks, overspeed devices, terminal limits, buffers, governors, and the failsafe characteristics of the holding brake. These are typically conducted by examiners with specific BS EN 81 (lifts) or BS EN 280 (MEWP) experience.

The Schedule 1 report

Every thorough examination produces a Schedule 1 report. The format is fixed by LOLER Schedule 1 and contains:

• Equipment identification (manufacturer, model, serial number, SWL)
• The date of the examination
• The name and address of the competent person
• The state of the equipment
• A statement of whether the safe working load is being relied upon
• Any defects found, categorised
• A "next examination due by" date
• The competent person's signature

A clean Schedule 1 with no defects: equipment continues in service, the next examination date is set, the report is kept.

A Schedule 1 with defects: the defect categories tell you what happens next.

Defect categories: A, B, C

This is where Schedule 1 reports get misread. The category determines what action you take, and how urgently.

Category A

Defect that represents an existing danger or imminent risk of serious personal injury.

The competent person will notify you verbally at the time of the examination, not wait for the written report. The equipment comes out of service immediately. You also have a statutory duty to notify the enforcing authority (HSE for most workplaces, the local authority for offices, shops and warehouses) of the defect, even before the formal written report arrives.

Examples of Category A defects from real inspections:

• Wire rope with multiple broken wires within one lay length, plus a corroded patch where the safety hook attaches
• Hook with the throat opening measurably wider than the manufacturer's stated maximum, indicating overload history
• Crane jib with a visible crack in a structural weld
• Chain block with a slipping load brake under nominal load (the brake will not hold)
• A passenger lift overspeed governor that does not trigger at the specified speed

The equipment does not return to service until the defect is rectified and, where appropriate, the equipment is re-examined. Resuming use of a Category A defect without rectification is a clear regulatory offence and a probable insurance issue.

Category B

Defect that does not represent an immediate danger but must be rectified within a specified period. The examination report names the period explicitly. The "by date" is a legal deadline, not a guideline.

Examples:

• Hook with the beginning of throat opening, but still within the manufacturer's tolerance. Report specifies a date by which the hook must be replaced.
• Wire rope approaching the discard criteria but not yet at the limit.
• Brake requiring adjustment but not yet failing to hold.
• Hydraulic hose with surface cracking but not yet leaking.
• Surface corrosion on a structural member, not yet at critical depth.

If the by-date passes without the repair being completed, the equipment is non-compliant. It must come out of service until the repair is made and verified, ideally with a follow-up examination.

In practice, the by-date is often two to six months out. Use it. Track it. Booking the repair the day before the deadline is one of the most common ways equipment slips into non-compliance unnoticed.

Category C

Observation or minor finding. The defect does not pose an immediate or near-future risk, but it is recorded for monitoring.

Examples:

• Surface paint chipping on the hoist body
• Wear pattern on the lifting eye that is well within tolerance but worth tracking
• Minor cosmetic damage to the SWL plate not affecting legibility

Category C items typically resolve themselves with normal maintenance. The point of recording them is to give the next competent person a baseline. If the Category C item has deteriorated by the next examination, that is useful evidence.

Common failures HSE see most often

This list is compiled from HSE inspection summaries and from the experience of the LEEA-accredited examiners we work with. It is the same five or six items, year after year.

1. Missing or illegible SWL plates. The single most common defect across all equipment types. The plate falls off, gets painted over, gets removed during refurbishment and not refitted.
2. Examination interval exceeded. Duty-holder cannot produce the latest Schedule 1, or the latest one is more than 12 months old (or 6 months for people-lifting or accessories).
3. Repairs made without re-examination. Equipment damaged, repaired in-house, returned to service without the competent person being recalled to re-examine it.
4. Lifting accessories used beyond manufacturer's recommended lifespan. Slings, shackles, chains. The manufacturer specifies a working life. In practice it is often exceeded with no documented justification.
5. No examination scheme in use, but inappropriate intervals applied. Annual examination on equipment used for lifting persons. Six-monthly examination on equipment in mild environment with light cycle, paying for needless attendances.
6. Cherry-picking competent persons. Using a competent person whose product knowledge does not extend to the actual equipment being examined. Common with hydraulic hoists and chain blocks of certain manufacturers.
7. No system for tracking by-dates. Category B defects flagged with rectification dates that no one watches.

If you only fix two things in 2026, fix items 1 and 7. They account for more reportable defects than the other five combined.

What HSE actually checks during an inspection

When an HSE inspector visits a workplace and decides to look at lifting equipment, they want to see, in order:

1. The latest Schedule 1 report for every piece of lifting equipment and every lifting accessory on the premises
2. Each piece of equipment with its SWL marking visible and legible
3. Evidence that any defects in those reports have been actioned (or, for Category B, are scheduled to be actioned within the by-date)
4. The equipment in physical condition consistent with the report's description (no obvious damage that was not flagged)
5. The competent person's contact details and qualifications, where requested
6. The duty-holder's records of training and authorisation for equipment operators

Inspector visits are normally short. One to two hours for a typical site. They are not deep inspections. They are spot-checks against the paperwork. A duty-holder with a clean folder of recent Schedule 1 reports, named competent persons, and demonstrated action on prior defects passes the spot check.

A duty-holder who cannot find the most recent Schedule 1, or whose folder is full of unattended Category B defects with passed by-dates, gets an improvement notice. Improvement notices have legal weight. Ignored improvement notices escalate to prohibition notices, which stop the equipment from being used until compliance is demonstrated.

What records you must keep, and for how long

LOLER Regulation 11 prescribes retention periods.

• For lifting equipment: the Schedule 1 report must be kept until the next examination report is made or for two years, whichever is later.
• For lifting accessories: the minimum retention is two years, or until the next examination, whichever is later.
• The original EC Declaration of Conformity (or equivalent under post-Brexit UKCA marking) for the equipment must be kept for the operational life of the equipment.

For practical purposes, keep everything indefinitely. Digital records are accepted and preferred by most inspectors. A folder of Schedule 1 PDFs, organised by equipment and indexed by date, is far easier for an HSE inspector to spot-check than a binder.

A pragmatic LOLER schedule for the year

For a duty-holder running a typical light-industrial operation with cranes, hoists, and accessories:

Q1: Audit your equipment list. Add new items, remove decommissioned items. Confirm each item has an in-date SWL marking.

Q2: Annual thorough examination for non-people-lifting equipment, completed and Schedule 1 reports filed. First half of accessories examinations (six-month intervals).

Q4: Second half of accessories examinations.

Quarterly: Internal pre-use check process review, operator competence refresher, accident-near-miss log review. Track Category B defect by-dates and rectifications.

Continuously: Make sure no equipment goes back into service after damage, repair or modification without the competent person being recalled.

Frequently asked questions

Who exactly is the duty-holder under LOLER?

The duty-holder is the employer who has work equipment under their control. For most workplaces this is the company that owns or rents the lifting equipment. For hired-in equipment, the duty for thorough examination remains with the user (the company doing the lifting) unless the hire contract explicitly transfers it.

Do I need a thorough examination on every chain block?

Yes. Lifting accessories are subject to thorough examination at six-monthly intervals or in accordance with an examination scheme. A chain block is a lifting accessory.

Can I use an examination scheme to extend the interval beyond 12 months?

In principle yes, if the competent person draws up the scheme based on actual use and environment. In practice HSE will look closely at any scheme extending beyond the default. Document the reasoning thoroughly and review the scheme at every examination.

Does LOLER cover fork-lift trucks?

LOLER covers fork-lift trucks when they are used in lifting operations, which is to say almost always. PUWER also applies. In practice the thorough examination process for a fork-lift truck includes both the LOLER and PUWER elements together, typically annually and via the CFTS (Consolidated Fork Truck Services) scheme.

What is the difference between a thorough examination and a pre-use check?

A pre-use check is the brief operator inspection at the start of a shift: visual condition, function test of controls, no obvious damage. It is required by Regulation 9(1) of PUWER. It does not replace the thorough examination. Both are required.

What happens if my competent person finds a Category A defect mid-examination?

The competent person tells you verbally on the spot. The equipment comes out of service. The Schedule 1 report formalises the finding. You notify the enforcing authority. The equipment does not return to service until rectified and, where appropriate, re-examined.

Can I do thorough examinations in-house?

Yes, if you have a competent person on staff who can demonstrate the required knowledge, experience, and independence from the maintenance of the equipment being examined. Most duty-holders contract out for the independence reason. If you do it in-house, document the competent person's qualifications, maintain their PI insurance, and keep the examination records as you would for an external contractor.

How much does a LOLER thorough examination cost?

For 2026, typical pricing across the UK is £40 to £120 per item for accessories and mid-sized equipment, including the Schedule 1 report. Specialist equipment such as large cranes, passenger lifts, and MEWPs costs more, typically £200 to £500 per item or per visit. Volume discounts are common for sites with 30+ items.

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For background on LOLER 1998 itself (scope, the eleven regulations, where most duty-holders trip up), the companion piece is LOLER 1998 explained.

Disclaimer. This guide reflects the position under LOLER 1998 and HSE ACOP L113 as of June 2026. Specific compliance questions should be referred to a qualified competent person or HSE.