If you manage lifting equipment in the workplace, you already know that a LOLER thorough examination is not optional — it is a legal requirement. But producing a compliant, accurate and professionally documented report of thorough examination is where many businesses still fall short. In this guide, we walk through everything you need to know about what a thorough examination involves, what your report must include, and how modern digital inspection software like CertFlow is transforming the way competent persons manage and deliver LOLER documentation.
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What Is LOLER and Why Does It Matter?
The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998, commonly known as LOLER, set out the legal framework for the safe use of lifting equipment at work. LOLER applies to any equipment used at work for lifting or lowering loads, including people, and covers everything from overhead cranes and forklift trucks to patient hoists and simple pulley blocks.
Under LOLER, duty holders — typically employers, equipment owners or hirers — must ensure that all lifting equipment is:
Strong and stable enough for its intended use
Positioned and installed to minimise risk
Used safely and only for appropriate tasks
Subject to a thorough examination by a competent person at regular intervals
Accompanied by a written report of thorough examination for every inspection carried out
Failure to comply with LOLER can result in enforcement action by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), prohibition notices, significant financial penalties, and — most critically — serious injury or death to workers.
What Is a Thorough Examination Under LOLER?
A thorough examination is a formal, systematic and detailed examination of lifting equipment carried out by a competent person. It is far more rigorous than a routine visual check or pre-use inspection. The competent person must have sufficient theoretical and practical knowledge and experience of the particular type of lifting equipment being examined to enable them to identify any defects or weaknesses and assess their significance.
LOLER thorough examinations must be carried out:
Before lifting equipment is first used (unless there is a declaration of conformity less than 12 months old and no circumstances that could cause deterioration)
After exceptional circumstances that could affect the safe operation of the equipment
At intervals specified in an examination scheme drawn up by a competent person, or if no scheme exists, at intervals defined in LOLER Regulation 9(3): every 6 months for lifting equipment used to lift people, every 12 months for all other lifting equipment
The thorough examination is distinct from — though often performed alongside — a LOLER inspection, which is a less formal check carried out more frequently by a suitably trained person.
Key Distinction: A thorough examination is a statutory requirement under LOLER. An inspection is a separate, additional measure based on risk assessment. Your report of thorough examination documents the statutory examination — not the routine inspection. |
What Must a Report of Thorough Examination Include?
Schedule 1 of LOLER sets out the required contents of every report of thorough examination. A fully compliant report must contain all of the following information:
1. Identification of the Equipment
A description of the lifting equipment, including its type and model
Any safe working load (SWL) or rated capacity
A unique identifier such as a serial number, asset number or plant number
The address or location where the equipment was examined
2. Date of the Last Thorough Examination
The report must state when the lifting equipment was last thoroughly examined, enabling duty holders and enforcement authorities to verify that examination intervals have been maintained.
3. Safe Working Load and Conditions
The report must record the SWL of the equipment and, if it varies depending on the configuration or use, the SWL for each configuration. Any conditions on which the SWL depends must be clearly stated.
4. Details of Any Defects or Observations
This is the substantive core of the report. The competent person must record:
Any defects found that are or could become a danger to persons, along with the date by which they must be repaired
Any defects that are not yet dangerous but which the competent person considers should be monitored or repaired — with a recommended timescale
Whether the equipment is fit for purpose and safe to continue in service
Defects must be classified clearly. Where a defect is found that presents an immediate danger, the competent person has a statutory duty to notify both the duty holder and the relevant enforcing authority (the HSE or local authority) without delay. This is a non-negotiable legal obligation.
5. Date of the Thorough Examination
Every report must show the date on which the thorough examination was carried out. This is separate from the date of the next examination due.
6. Date of the Next Thorough Examination
The report must state the date by which the next thorough examination must be completed. This is usually 6 or 12 months from the date of the current examination, but may differ if an examination scheme is in place.
7. Name, Address and Signature of the Competent Person
The report must be signed by the competent person who carried out the examination, and must include their full name and address (or the name and address of the organisation on whose behalf they are acting). This creates a clear line of accountability and traceability.
Important: Under LOLER, the competent person must send a copy of the report to the duty holder as soon as practicable after the examination. If any defect is identified that is, or could become, a danger to persons, a copy must also be sent to the relevant enforcing authority immediately. |
Stop wrestling with paper-based LOLER reports. CertFlow's digital inspection platform auto-populates Schedule 1 fields, flags defect categories automatically and delivers compliant reports instantly. 👉 Book Your Free CertFlow Demo Today → certflow.co.uk/demo |
Who Can Carry Out a LOLER Thorough Examination?
Only a competent person can carry out a thorough examination and produce the resulting report. The HSE defines a competent person for LOLER purposes as someone who has sufficient practical and theoretical knowledge and experience to examine the lifting equipment effectively and objectively.
Competent persons are typically:
Independent third-party inspection bodies and engineering surveyors (such as those accredited by UKAS or members of the Lifting Equipment Engineers Association, LEEA)
In-house engineers with appropriate training, qualifications and experience — provided they are sufficiently independent from the operational management of the equipment
The key principle is independence and objectivity. A person who is responsible for the day-to-day operation or maintenance of the equipment should not be the same person who signs off the thorough examination report.
Common Mistakes in LOLER Reports of Thorough Examination
Despite LOLER's clear requirements, reports of thorough examination are frequently found to be non-compliant. The most common mistakes include:
Incomplete Equipment Identification
Reports that omit serial numbers, fail to match equipment to an asset register, or use generic descriptions such as 'chain block' without further detail make it impossible to demonstrate which specific item was examined.
Missing or Vague Defect Descriptions
Defects must be described with enough detail to allow the duty holder and a future examiner to understand precisely what was found, where it was located, and why it is significant. Phrases like 'general wear noted' or 'some corrosion present' do not meet the standard required.
Incorrect Defect Classification
LOLER requires competent persons to distinguish between defects that are an existing danger, defects that could become a danger, and observations. Misclassifying a dangerous defect as a minor observation — or failing to notify the enforcing authority when required — is a serious breach of statutory duty.
No Record of Next Examination Date
Omitting the next due date is a surprisingly common oversight. Without it, duty holders cannot manage their examination schedules, and the report fails to meet Schedule 1 requirements.
Paper-Based Reports That Go Missing
Manual, paper-based systems create significant risks: reports can be lost, damaged or misfiled. In the event of an incident or an HSE inspection, being unable to produce examination records can have serious consequences.
CertFlow eliminates all of these risks with structured digital forms that enforce Schedule 1 compliance at every step, cloud-based storage with instant retrieval, and automated scheduling reminders so no examination is ever missed. |
How CertFlow Transforms LOLER Thorough Examination Reporting
CertFlow is purpose-built inspection and certification software designed for competent persons, inspection bodies and duty holders who need to manage LOLER thorough examinations at scale. Here is how CertFlow makes the entire process faster, more accurate and fully compliant.
Digital, Schedule 1-Compliant Report Templates
CertFlow's LOLER report templates are pre-structured around Schedule 1 requirements. Every mandatory field is present, clearly labelled and required before a report can be finalised. Competent persons cannot accidentally omit SWL details, next examination dates or defect classifications — the system enforces completeness.
Intelligent Defect Management
When a defect is recorded, CertFlow guides the competent person through the correct classification process, prompts for appropriate remedial timescales and — where required — automatically generates the notification to the enforcing authority. This removes ambiguity and reduces the risk of non-compliance at the most critical moment in the process.
Asset Register Integration
CertFlow maintains a live asset register linked to examination histories, certificates and upcoming due dates. Duty holders can see at a glance which equipment is in test, which is overdue and which has open defects — all from a single dashboard.
Instant Report Delivery
Once a thorough examination is complete, the report is generated instantly and delivered digitally to the duty holder. No more waiting for paper reports to arrive by post, no more chasing engineers for outstanding documentation, and no more risk of reports going astray.
Automated Examination Scheduling
CertFlow tracks next examination due dates for every item of lifting equipment in the system and sends automated reminders to both the competent person and the duty holder. Missed examination intervals become a problem of the past.
Secure Cloud Storage and Audit Trail
Every report produced in CertFlow is stored securely in the cloud with a full audit trail. In the event of an HSE inspection, a legal claim or an internal audit, all examination records can be retrieved instantly and presented in a professional, organised format.
See CertFlow in action — book a free, no-obligation demo. Our team will show you exactly how CertFlow handles LOLER thorough examination reports, defect management and asset scheduling for your specific use case. 👉 Book Your Free CertFlow Demo Today → certflow.co.uk/demo |
Thorough Examination Intervals: A Quick Reference Guide
Understanding your examination intervals is fundamental to maintaining LOLER compliance. Here is a summary of the standard intervals under LOLER Regulation 9(3), applicable where no examination scheme is in place:
Type of Lifting Equipment | Minimum Examination Interval |
|---|---|
Lifting equipment used to lift people (e.g. hoists, platforms, scissor lifts) | Every 6 months |
Lifting accessories (e.g. chains, slings, shackles, hooks) | Every 6 months |
All other lifting equipment (e.g. cranes, fork-lift trucks, winches) | Every 12 months |
Equipment installed for the first time / after exceptional circumstances | Before first use / after the event |
Note: These are minimum statutory intervals. A competent person may specify more frequent examinations in an examination scheme based on risk assessment, the age of the equipment, operating conditions or manufacturer recommendations.
LOLER Thorough Examination vs. PSSR Written Scheme of Examination
It is worth noting that LOLER is not the only regime requiring thorough examination reports in the workplace. The Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000 (PSSR) impose similar requirements for pressure systems, including a written scheme of examination and regular formal examination by a competent person.
For organisations managing both lifting equipment and pressure systems, maintaining separate paper-based records for LOLER and PSSR quickly becomes unmanageable. CertFlow supports both LOLER and PSSR examination documentation within a single platform, giving multi-discipline competent persons and multi-site duty holders a unified view of all statutory examination obligations.
Keeping LOLER Records: How Long Must You Retain Reports?
LOLER does not specify a minimum retention period for reports of thorough examination in primary legislation. However, the HSE's guidance and general best practice recommend:
Retaining the most recent report for each item of lifting equipment as a minimum
Retaining all reports for the working life of the equipment where practicable
Retaining reports for at least two years after equipment is decommissioned or disposed of
From a practical and legal risk perspective, maintaining a complete examination history for the lifetime of the equipment is strongly advisable. CertFlow's cloud-based archive means this is no longer a burden — records are stored automatically, indefinitely and at no additional cost.
Frequently Asked Questions About LOLER Thorough Examinations
Can the duty holder carry out the thorough examination themselves?
Only if they have sufficient independent competence. In practice, most duty holders engage a third-party inspection body or accredited engineer. The key test is whether the examiner has both the technical competence and the organisational independence to identify and report defects without commercial or operational pressure to minimise them.
What happens if lifting equipment fails the thorough examination?
If a defect is identified that is an existing danger, the equipment must be taken out of service immediately. The competent person must notify the duty holder and the enforcing authority without delay. CertFlow automates this notification process, ensuring the correct parties are informed in real time.
Does LOLER apply to mobile elevated work platforms (MEWPs)?
Yes. MEWPs are subject to LOLER as lifting equipment used to lift people, meaning they require thorough examination at least every 6 months. Reports of thorough examination must be produced and retained for every examination.
What is the difference between a LOLER certificate and a report of thorough examination?
The term 'LOLER certificate' is commonly used in industry but is not a term used in the regulations themselves. What LOLER requires is a report of thorough examination as specified in Schedule 1. Some inspection bodies produce this as a single-page certificate; others produce more detailed multi-page reports. Both are valid, provided they contain all Schedule 1 information.
Can LOLER reports be stored digitally?
Yes. There is no requirement under LOLER for paper records. Digital storage is fully compliant, provided the records are accessible, tamper-evident and retrievable when required. CertFlow's platform is designed specifically to meet these requirements.
Take Control of Your LOLER Compliance Today
Join hundreds of inspection bodies and duty holders already using CertFlow to manage LOLER thorough examination reports, asset registers and certification — all in one place.
Book your free CertFlow demo now. See how easy LOLER compliance can be. Our team will walk you through a live demonstration tailored to your equipment types and business size. No commitment required. 👉 Book Your Free CertFlow Demo Today → certflow.co.uk/demo |