If you’re a commercial property owner that has a lift in your building, understanding the importance of a LOLER inspection is crucial for the safe and legal management of your building.
What Is The Meaning of LOLER?
LOLER stands for Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (1998). It is an acronym for the regulation of work machinery and equipment.
What Is A LOLER Inspection?
A LOLER inspection is a Thorough Examination of lifting equipment by a qualified or ‘competent’ person, as defined by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). It can also be known as an insurance inspection.
For lifts, it can be likened to a car MOT, a regular check to ensure that the equipment is safe for people to use and operate. As with a car where it is illegal to drive it without an MOT, it is illegal for a lift to operate without a current LOLER certificate.
Did you know?
It is a Legal Requirement for Lifts to have a LOLER
Does My Lift Need A LOLER?
If you are responsible for a lift that is ‘used at work’, you have a legal responsibility to make sure that they are maintained and in safe working order. ‘Work’ is defined as any location where work takes place, which includes paid and voluntary work. This generally means that if any person comes into the premises to carry out work of any sort, the lift needs a regular LOLER Thorough Examination.
What Machinery & Equipment Needs A LOLER Inspection And Certificate?
Equipment that requires a LOLER inspection includes:
- Passenger lifts
- Goods lifts
- Dumb waiters
- Escalators
- Mobility lifting aids such as patient hoists
- Cherry pickers
- Scissor lifts
Did you know?
LOLER stands for Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998
How Often Should a Lift Have an Inspection?
Any equipment that moves people requires 2 inspections per year.
Only 1 inspection per year is required for lifts designed to carry goods only.
Thorough Examinations should also take place if substantial or significant changes are made to the lift. This is in addition to the normal inspections as outlined above.
Your LOLER Certificate
Following the thorough examination, you should receive a written and signed report which identifies:
- The equipment examined, including the make and serial number, and premises
- The date of the last examination and the date when the next one should take place
- The safe working load of the lift
- The reason for the inspection
- The details of the tests carried out
- Any defects which are or may become a danger
- The details of any repair, renewal or alteration required to remedy the defect and the date by which it should be undertaken
- The details of the person carrying out the inspection
Who can carry out a LOLER inspection?
The person assessing the lift must be independent and impartial to allow them to make an objective assessment of the lift. So if you’re wondering ’Can I complete a LOLER inspection myself?’, unfortunately, the answer is no.
The HSE defines a ‘competent person’ as ‘someone who has sufficient technical and practical knowledge of the lift to be able to detect any defects and assess how significant they are.’
What to do if you need a LOLER certificate for your lift
Contact us and we can advise or organise for your lift to be inspected by an accredited inspector.
Why Choose R J Lift Services?
R J Lift Services Ltd work with independent testing companies who are fully accredited for testing, inspection and certification. The benefits of using this service is we will take care of all your compliance needs under one agreement.
Let us organise your LOLER for you so that you can be sure that your lift is always operating safely and legally.
Want to know more?
If you would like to know more about LOLERs or how we can help, there is more information on our LOLER Inspections page.
