A lifting equipment inspection record is how a site or workshop keeps track of its cranes, hoists, lifts, lift-truck attachments and lifting accessories between thorough examinations. This form follows the shape of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER): a register of every item with its safe working load and examination dates, then the checks that matter for suitability, stability, positioning, marking, how lifts are organised, and whether the records and defect follow-up are in order. Fill it in here and download a PDF without an account, or speak while you walk, and the document writes itself.
What this record is, and what it is not
Under LOLER, lifting equipment must be thoroughly examined by a competent person at set intervals, and that person issues a report of thorough examination. This form is not that report and should never be presented as one. It records what you looked at and found on the day: an in-house inspection, a check that the examination dates and reports are in place, or a review of lifting arrangements across a site.
Use it alongside the competent person's reports, not instead of them. Where this inspection finds damage, wear or doubt about an item, take it out of use and get it examined.
The register: dates are what usually go wrong
Every item gets an entry with its ID, what kind of equipment it is, the safe working load marked on it, and the dates of its last and next thorough examination. In practice the most common failure is not a damaged sling but an item that has quietly gone past its examination date, or an accessory nobody can match to a report.
The usual intervals are at least every six months for lifting accessories and for equipment used to lift people, and at least every twelve months for other lifting equipment, unless a written scheme of examination drawn up by a competent person sets different ones. A thorough examination is also needed after anything that could affect safety, such as damage, a long spell out of use, or a major repair or modification.
Grading defects the way LOLER does
Each item ends with a defect grade. A defect that is a danger now means the item is withdrawn from use straight away and not used again until it is put right. A defect that will become dangerous is put right within a set time. An observation is something to watch.
When a competent person's thorough examination finds a defect involving an existing or imminent risk of serious injury, they must tell the employer at once and send a copy of their report to the enforcing authority. This form checks that such items really were withdrawn and that earlier defects have been closed by the dates given.
Lifting operations and the paperwork
LOLER also requires every lifting operation to be planned by a competent person, supervised appropriately and carried out safely. If lifts are under way during your inspection, a gated section looks at the plan, the people, communication, the exclusion zone and the weather.
The last sections check the records: reports kept for as long as the law requires, declarations of conformity for newer equipment, pre-use checks being done, and somebody reviewing the reports rather than filing them. LOLER applies in Great Britain; Northern Ireland has its own equivalent regulations.
Common questions
Is this a LOLER thorough examination report?
No. A report of thorough examination can only be made by a competent person who has examined the equipment, and it must contain the information the Regulations set out. This form records an inspection and the state of your records. It helps you manage equipment between examinations.
How often does lifting equipment need a thorough examination?
At least every six months for lifting accessories and equipment used to lift people, at least every twelve months for other lifting equipment, or at the intervals in a written scheme of examination. Also after installation where safety depends on it, and after exceptional circumstances such as damage or a long period out of use.
Who can carry out a thorough examination?
A competent person with the practical and theoretical knowledge and experience of the equipment to find defects and judge how serious they are. Many businesses use an insurer's engineering inspector or an independent examination body. They must be independent enough to make objective decisions.
What is the difference between an inspection and a thorough examination?
Inspections are the checks made between thorough examinations — pre-use checks and more detailed in-house inspections where the risk calls for them — to catch problems early. A thorough examination is the formal, systematic examination by a competent person that results in a written report.
How long must thorough examination reports be kept?
For lifting accessories, two years after the report is made. For other lifting equipment, until you stop using it. For an examination after installation, until you stop using the equipment at that place. Keep them available for inspection.
Does this cover equipment used to lift people?
Yes. Mark an item as used to lift people and extra checks appear: marking for people and the number carried, the six-monthly interval, protection inside the carrier, communication, and the means of rescue.