LOLER certificate template.

What a LOLER certificate must contain

Regulation 10 of LOLER 1998 requires the competent person to record the outcome of every thorough examination in writing. The information the record must contain is set out in Schedule 1 to the Regulations. The 13 fields below map directly to Schedule 1 and are what every LOLER template should include as a minimum.

Examination intervals

Regulation 9 sets two default intervals. Lifting accessories, and any lifting equipment used to lift persons, must be thoroughly examined at least every 6 months. All other lifting equipment must be examined at least every 12 months.

A written scheme of examination, drawn up by a competent person, can vary these intervals up or down based on the equipment’s actual risk profile and usage pattern. In practice a written scheme is often used to shorten intervals for high-cycle equipment (frequent lifts, harsh environment) rather than lengthen them. Whichever interval applies, the report must state it and give the latest date by which the next examination must be carried out.

Two additional triggers apply outside the periodic interval. Every piece of lifting equipment must be thoroughly examined after installation or assembly at a new site, and after any exceptional circumstance liable to jeopardise its safety (a collision, a fall, a lightning strike, an overload event).

What happens when a defect is found

Regulation 10(1)(c) is the important one to know. If the competent person identifies a defect that in their view is or could become a danger to persons, they must send a copy of the report to the relevant enforcing authority as soon as practicable. For most workplaces that is the Health and Safety Executive; for shops, offices, warehouses and some other premises it is the local authority.

The duty holder must not use the equipment until the defect is remedied. The report itself must include particulars of any repair, renewal or alteration needed, and the timescale within which that work must be completed. For a defect that could become dangerous but is not yet, the report gives the timescale for remedy; for a defect that is dangerous now, use is prohibited immediately.

How long to keep the report

Regulation 11 requires reports to be kept available for inspection until the next report is made, or for at least 2 years from the date of the report, whichever is longer. Reports can be kept in paper or electronic form provided they are readily retrievable when an inspector asks for them. For equipment used at more than one site the report can be kept at the employer’s registered address rather than travelling with the equipment.

Frequently asked

Is a LOLER certificate the same as a report of thorough examination?

In practice yes, but the legally correct term is 'report of thorough examination'. Regulation 10 of LOLER 1998 does not use the word 'certificate'. The report is the record that must be signed by the competent person after the examination and kept by the duty holder.

How often does lifting equipment need a thorough examination?

Under Regulation 9 of LOLER 1998, lifting accessories and any lifting equipment used to lift persons must be thoroughly examined at least every 6 months. Other lifting equipment must be examined at least every 12 months. Both intervals can be varied under a written scheme of examination drawn up by a competent person, provided that scheme is at least as strict as the default intervals for the equipment's actual risk profile.

Who is a competent person under LOLER?

Someone with the appropriate practical and theoretical knowledge, and the experience of the equipment being examined, to detect defects or weaknesses that would compromise safety. HSE guidance L113 makes clear the person must be sufficiently independent of the operation being examined, which is why most duty holders use an accredited third-party inspection body rather than an in-house operator.

What if the competent person finds a defect?

The competent person must give a written report to the employer as soon as practicable, listing the defect and whether it is or could become a danger to persons. If the defect is serious, the competent person must send a copy to the enforcing authority (typically HSE, or the local authority if the equipment is in a workplace they enforce) as soon as practicable, per Regulation 10(1)(c). The duty holder must not use the equipment until the defect is remedied.

How long must a LOLER report be kept?

Under Regulation 11 of LOLER 1998, the report must be kept available for inspection at the premises where the equipment is used until the next report is made, or in any case for at least 2 years, whichever is longer. For lifting equipment used off-site the report can be kept at the employer's registered address.

Does a LOLER certificate template count as an EC declaration of conformity?

No. An EC declaration of conformity is a separate document issued by the equipment manufacturer under the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations, stating that the machine complies with the essential health and safety requirements at the point of supply. A LOLER report of thorough examination is issued after the equipment is put into service and covers safety in use.