LOLER (Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations)
UK regulations requiring that lifting equipment is suitable, safely installed, and inspected at regular intervals by a competent person.
The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER) apply to all lifting equipment used at work in the UK — cranes, hoists, lifting accessories, slings, eye bolts, even passenger lifts. LOLER requires that lifting equipment is fit for purpose, used correctly, and subject to thorough examination at defined intervals.
Thorough Examination
Lifting equipment must undergo a thorough examination by a competent person at intervals defined by the regulations — typically 6 months for lifting accessories and lifting equipment for lifting persons, 12 months for other lifting equipment, or per a written examination scheme. The competent person issues a report after each examination.
How Certificate Management Software Helps
A LOLER-compliant operation must maintain a register of lifting equipment and the inspection certificates for each item, with visibility on which inspections are coming due. A certificate management platform with inspection scheduling and expiration tracking covers exactly this workflow.
Who needs this?
UK employers, plant-hire companies, construction main contractors, and anyone managing lifting equipment used at work in the UK.