Report of thorough examinationLOLER 1998, Schedule 1Planning copy

LOLER Thorough Examination

Every forklift, hoist, vehicle lift, crane and passenger lift used at work in the UK needs a thorough examination by a competent person, every 6 or 12 months, with a written report. Fill in the two fields below to see the interval, the next due date and the usual fee. Then we find you an examiner.

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Equipment examinedEquipment examined
Date of last examination
Basis of examinationLifting equipment, loads only
IntervalEvery 12 months
Latest date of next examinationPick a date
Typical fee, first item£120 to £300ex VAT
PUWER inspection as well?Yes: brakes, steering, tyres and guards
Read moreForklifts and lift trucks

Intervals from LOLER regulation 9(3) and HSE guidance; a written scheme of examination can set others. Typical UK fees from published examiner price lists and guides (2024 to 2026), read November 2026. A planning aid, not a report.

Part 1

Every 6 months or every 12 months?

Regulation 9(3) of LOLER 1998 sets two minimum intervals. Equipment that lifts people, and every lifting accessory, is examined at least every 6 months. Everything else is examined at least every 12 months. A competent person can replace both with a written scheme, and some events need an examination straight away.

Before first use, unless the item is new with a declaration of conformity under 12 months old.
After installation at a new site, where safety depends on how it is installed.
After an overload, collision, major repair or long spell out of use.

Full interval guide

Minimum intervals unless a written scheme of examination sets others.
Equipment	Why	Interval
Patient hoists, stand aids, bath hoists	Lifts people	6 months
Passenger lifts, platform lifts, stairlifts	Lifts people	6 months
MEWPs, cherry pickers, scissor platforms	Lifts people	6 months
Slings, chains, shackles, hooks, spreader bars	Lifting accessory	6 months
Vehicle lifts in a working garage	People work beneath (HSE guidance)	6 months
Forklifts, reach trucks, telehandlers	Loads only	12 months
Overhead cranes, gantries, jib cranes	Loads only	12 months
Goods lifts and dumb waiters (no people)	Loads only	12 months
Tail lifts and lorry loaders	Loads only; 6 months if people ride on it	12 months

Part 2

What needs examining?

The law is the same for all lifting equipment; what the examiner looks at, and how often, is not. Each page covers intervals, what should be checked, typical fees and the questions managers ask.

Forklifts and lift trucks
Warehouses and yards. Usually 12 monthly, paired with PUWER. From £120 a truck.
Patient hoists and slings
Care homes, hospitals and home care. Every 6 months, and the September 2026 MHRA alert.
Vehicle lifts
Garages and workshops. Six monthly where mechanics work beneath.
Passenger and goods lifts
Offices, schools, care homes and blocks. Six monthly, plus supplementary tests.
PUWER inspection
The rest of the machine: how PUWER 1998 pairs with LOLER.
Written schemes of examination
Setting intervals from real use instead of the fixed periods.

Part 3

What does a LOLER inspection cost?

Examiners price per item, with the first item on a visit carrying most of the travel. A site with twenty items costs far less per item than a single forklift on its own.

Excluding VAT. Typical UK fees from published examiner price lists and guides (2024 to 2026), read November 2026. A guide, not a quote.
Equipment	First item	Each further item	Interval
Forklift or reach truck	£120 to £300	£90 to £150	12 months
Pallet stacker, order picker or powered pallet truck	£80 to £150	£50 to £100	12 months
Patient hoist (mobile or ceiling track)	£120 to £180	£55 to £90	6 months
Vehicle lift (two post, four post or scissor)	£150 to £200	£50 to £80	6 months
Passenger or goods lift	£150 to £400	£150 to £300	6 months
Overhead crane or gantry	£120 to £350	£100 to £250	12 months
Chain block, lever hoist or electric hoist	£60 to £150	£30 to £80	12 months
Mobile elevating work platform	£100 to £250	£80 to £180	6 months
Vehicle tail lift	£80 to £200	£60 to £150	12 months
Sling, chain, shackle or other accessory	£5 to £30	£5 to £30	6 months

Work out a yearly budget

Send us your equipment list and postcode. We find a competent examiner who covers your sites.

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Part 4

LOLER and PUWER: two halves of one check

The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 apply to all work equipment, lifting equipment included. LOLER covers the lifting parts in detail; PUWER covers the rest of the machine. On a forklift that means the mast, chains and forks under LOLER, and the brakes, steering and tyres under PUWER.

How PUWER inspection works

LOLER thorough examination: Lifting parts and accessories. Fixed 6 or 12 month intervals or a written scheme. A Schedule 1 report.
PUWER inspection: The whole machine, where safety depends on installation or it deteriorates. Interval set by risk. A record kept until the next.
Maintenance: PUWER regulation 5: keep equipment in efficient working order. Usually the servicing contract.
Pre-use checks: By the operator, every shift or every use. Neither regulation lets these replace the examination.

Part 5

How a thorough examination gets done

Your equipment register
before booking
Each item with its ID, safe working load, location and last report date. It is what examiners price from.
A competent examiner
we introduce one
With experience of your equipment and independent of whoever maintains it. We tell you who before passing anything on.
The visit
on the day
Items taken out of use in turn, examined, tested where needed and tagged.
Reports and next dates
within 28 days
A report per item; dangerous defects reported at once; next due dates for your diary.

Questions managers ask about LOLER

What is a LOLER thorough examination?

A detailed, systematic examination of lifting equipment by a competent person, required by regulation 9 of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998. It looks for defects that are or could become dangerous and ends in a written report.

Is a LOLER inspection a legal requirement?

Yes, for lifting equipment used at work in Great Britain. It applies whatever the size of the organisation and covers equipment you own, hire or lease. Northern Ireland has its own near-identical regulations.

Should LOLER be every 6 months or 12 months?

Every 6 months for equipment that lifts people and for all lifting accessories. Every 12 months for other lifting equipment. A written scheme of examination can set different intervals. See the interval guide.

How much does a LOLER inspection cost?

From about £5 an item for slings to £150 to £400 for a passenger lift, before VAT. A forklift is typically £120 to £300 and a patient hoist £120 to £180. Try the cost calculator.

Can I do my own LOLER inspection?

You can appoint someone in-house if they are competent and impartial. They should not examine equipment they maintain. Most organisations use an outside examiner for that reason.

What happens if equipment fails its examination?

If there is a dangerous defect the examiner tells you at once and sends a copy of the report to HSE or the local authority. The equipment must not be used until it is repaired. Other defects come with a date to fix them by.

Where our information comes from

Fee bands are our own reading of UK examiners’ published price lists and guides (2024 to 2026), which we do not name.

Request a LOLER thorough examination

Three short steps: where the equipment is, what it is, and how to reach you. About two minutes.

Step 1 of 3

Where is the equipment?

Postcode