Guides & Resources

What Equipment Needs a LOLER Inspection?

The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER) apply to a wide range of equipment used in the workplace. If a piece of equipment is used to lift or lower loads — including people — it almost certainly falls under LOLER and requires a thorough examination by a competent person at regular intervals.

Fixed and Mobile Lifting Equipment

This category covers the machinery itself — the equipment that generates or applies lifting force:

• Overhead cranes and gantry cranes
• Mobile cranes and crawler cranes
• Telehandlers and forklifts
• Hoists and electric chain blocks
• Lifting platforms and scissor lifts
• Man-riding winches
• Vehicle-mounted cranes (HIAB/knuckle boom)

Loose Tackle and Lifting Accessories

LOLER also covers detachable lifting accessories — commonly referred to as loose tackle. These are the items used to attach loads to lifting equipment, and they require their own separate examination schedule:

• Chains, slings and wire rope assemblies
• Shackles and swivel links
• Hooks and clevis hooks
• Eyebolts and eye nuts
• Spreader and lifting beams
• Grabs, clamps and vacuum lifters
• Textile and webbing slings

Equipment Used to Lift People

Any equipment used — or capable of being used — to lift people is subject to more stringent requirements. This includes mast climbers, suspended access platforms, and passenger lifts on construction sites. These must be thoroughly examined every six months rather than annually.

What LOLER Does Not Cover

Equipment that is not primarily intended for lifting (such as a vehicle's suspension system) falls outside LOLER, though it may be covered under other regulations such as PUWER (Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations). If you are unsure whether specific equipment in your operation requires a LOLER inspection, a qualified examiner can advise you.

How Often Do You Need a LOLER Inspection?

One of the most common questions from site managers and equipment owners is how frequently their lifting equipment needs to be inspected. LOLER sets out specific minimum intervals, but in some cases more frequent examinations are required.

The Standard Intervals

LOLER Regulation 9 requires that lifting equipment is thoroughly examined at the following minimum intervals:

• Every 6 months — for lifting equipment used to lift people, and for all loose tackle (lifting accessories)
• Every 12 months — for all other lifting equipment not used to lift people
• As specified in an examination scheme — where a written examination scheme has been drawn up by a competent person, inspections must follow that scheme

When Are More Frequent Inspections Required?

The 6- and 12-month intervals are minimums. More frequent thorough examinations may be needed in circumstances such as:

• The equipment is subject to significant wear, corrosion, or fatigue
• It operates in a harsh environment (offshore, chemical plant, extreme temperatures)
• The equipment is used more intensively than typical
• The equipment has been involved in an incident or near-miss
• The competent person identifies cause for concern during a previous examination

New and Installed Equipment

Before first use, lifting equipment that has been assembled or installed at site must be thoroughly examined to verify it has been installed correctly. Equipment received from another source (e.g. hired in) should come with a valid examination certificate — if it doesn't, it must be examined before use.

After Exceptional Circumstances

LOLER also requires a thorough examination following any exceptional circumstances that are liable to jeopardise the safety of the equipment. This includes significant overloading, structural damage, or exposure to extreme conditions.

Keeping Records

Every thorough examination must be recorded. The report must be kept until the next examination report is received (or for two years, whichever is longer). Failure to maintain records can expose a business to significant legal liability in the event of an incident.

What Is a Loose Tackle Examination?

A loose tackle examination — sometimes called a loose tackle exam or thorough examination of lifting accessories — is a specific type of LOLER inspection focused on the detachable items used to connect loads to lifting equipment. While a crane or hoist inspection gets most of the attention, loose tackle is where a significant proportion of lifting failures occur.

What Is Loose Tackle?

Loose tackle refers to any lifting accessory that is not permanently attached to the lifting machine. Common examples include:

• Chains and chain slings
• Wire rope slings
• Webbing and textile slings
• Shackles (bow shackles, dee shackles)
• Eyebolts and eye nuts
• Hooks (sorting hooks, clevis hooks, safety hooks)
• Spreader bars and lifting beams
• Swivels and master links
• Grabs and clamps

How Often Must Loose Tackle Be Examined?

Under LOLER, loose tackle must be thoroughly examined at least every six months — more frequently than most fixed or mobile lifting equipment. This is because accessories are handled constantly, often used interchangeably across different jobs, and are particularly susceptible to wear, overloading, chemical attack, and physical damage.

What Does the Examination Involve?

A thorough examination of loose tackle goes beyond a visual check. A competent examiner will:

• Visually inspect every item for cuts, kinks, corrosion, deformation, or wear
• Check that Safe Working Load (SWL) markings are legible and accurate
• Assess the condition of end fittings, links, and connectors
• Examine identification tags and ensure items can be properly traced
• Identify any items that must be taken out of service
• Issue a written report with the findings for each individual item

Why Does It Matter?

Loose tackle failures are disproportionately responsible for serious lifting incidents. A sling with a cut or a shackle with a worn pin can fail suddenly under load with no warning. The six-monthly examination requirement exists precisely because these items degrade quickly in working conditions. Staying on top of your loose tackle exam schedule is one of the most practical things you can do to keep your site safe and legally compliant.

What Is Lift Planning and When Do You Need It?

Lift planning is the process of designing, calculating, and documenting a lifting operation before it takes place. It ensures the right equipment is selected, correctly positioned, and operated safely — and that everyone involved understands their role. For anything beyond the most routine lifts, it is both a legal requirement and a practical necessity.

What Does LOLER Say About Lift Planning?

LOLER Regulation 8 requires that every lifting operation is properly planned by a competent person, appropriately supervised, and carried out in a safe manner. For complex lifts — those involving significant risk — a written lift plan is expected as evidence that the operation has been thought through properly.

When Is a Formal Lift Plan Required?

A detailed lift plan is typically required when any of the following apply:

• The lift is classified as a complex lift (multiple cranes, tandem lifts, or lifts close to crane capacity)
• The lift takes place in a confined or restricted space
• There is proximity to overhead power lines, structures, or public areas
• The load is unusual in shape, size, or centre of gravity
• People are being lifted
• The crane must be positioned on soft or variable ground
• The operation involves roads, railways, or other third-party infrastructure

What Does a Lift Plan Cover?

A comprehensive lift plan addresses every aspect of the operation:

• Load weight, dimensions, and centre of gravity
• Crane selection — type, capacity, and configuration required
• Crane positioning and ground-bearing calculations
• Rigging — sling selection, angles, and attachment points
• Exclusion zones and site access arrangements
• Roles and responsibilities — who is in charge, who operates, who signals
• Environmental factors such as wind speed limits
• Emergency and contingency procedures

What Is a Complex Lift?

There is no single legal definition of a complex lift, but the industry generally uses the term to describe any lift that carries a significant risk if something goes wrong — for example, where the crane is operating near its rated capacity, where the lift takes place over people or live infrastructure, or where the load handling requires specialist rigging. In practice, if you are asking whether a lift needs a plan, it almost certainly does.

Who Can Write a Lift Plan?

LOLER requires that the person responsible for planning is a competent person — someone with the knowledge, training, and experience relevant to the specific type of lift. For complex lifts, this means someone with formal qualifications in lift planning, not simply the crane operator or site manager.