Record Keeping4 min read

How Long Must LOLER Examination Reports Be Kept?

Regulation 11 of LOLER sets out the retention rules. The answer depends on whether the equipment is still in service — and losing records has serious legal consequences.

By Lolerflow Team |  LOLER Compliance Specialists

The Retention Rules at a Glance

SituationMinimum retention periodReg. basis
Equipment still in serviceUntil the next thorough examination report is receivedReg. 11(2)(a)
Equipment taken out of service2 years from date of last examinationReg. 11(2)(b)
Equipment under examination schemeUntil equipment ceases to be used, or until further scheme report receivedReg. 11(3)
Pre-use examination (new equipment)Keep for life of equipmentBest practice — HSE guidance
Lifting accessories (6-month interval)Until next 6-month report receivedReg. 11(2)(a)

Practical advice: The legal minimum is "until the next report." In practice, the HSE recommends keeping all examination records for the full life of the equipment. The cost of storing digital records is negligible, and complete history is invaluable in an incident investigation or insurance claim. Don't delete old records just because the regulations technically allow it.

What Records Must Be Kept?

Under Regulation 11, the dutyholder must keep:

What Happens If Records Are Lost or Incomplete?

In an HSE inspection, the inspector will ask to see examination records. If you cannot produce them, you cannot demonstrate compliance — and absence of records is treated as evidence of non-compliance, regardless of whether the examinations actually took place.

✗
Improvement notice
HSE requires you to produce records or have equipment re-examined within a set period.
✗
Equipment prohibition
HSE can prohibit use of the equipment until valid examination records are produced.
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Prosecution
Persistent failure to maintain records is prosecuted under Regulation 11. Unlimited fine.
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Insurance implications
If an incident occurs and records cannot be produced, insurance may not cover the claim.

Paper vs Digital — Why Digital Wins for Record Retention

Paper records

✗Can be lost, damaged, or destroyed by fire/flood
✗Difficult to search and retrieve quickly
✗Easy to misfile or lose individual sheets
✗Physical storage space required
✗No automatic retention policy enforcement

Digital records (Lolerflow)

✓Backed up automatically — no risk of physical loss
✓Searchable by asset, date, client, or examiner
✓Tamper-evident — cannot be altered after signing
✓Instant retrieval for HSE audit or insurance claim
✓Retention alerts ensure nothing is missed

Never lose a LOLER record again

Lolerflow stores every examination report securely, with automatic backups and instant retrieval. Full history, forever. 30-day free trial.

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How long must LOLER records be kept?+
Under Regulation 11 of LOLER 1998: examination reports for in-service equipment must be kept until the next examination report is produced (or 2 years if the equipment is taken out of service). For equipment subject to an examination scheme, reports must be kept until the equipment ceases to be used or until a further report under the scheme has been obtained.
What happens if LOLER records are lost?+
You cannot demonstrate compliance. In an HSE inspection, absence of records is treated as evidence of non-compliance — you cannot simply claim the examinations took place. The HSE can issue an improvement notice or prosecute. Practically, you will need to have the equipment re-examined before it can be used, at your own cost.
Does LOLER require paper records or can records be digital?+
Digital records are fully acceptable under LOLER. The requirement is that records are "kept" and "made available for inspection" — there is no requirement for paper. A compliant digital system with tamper-evident records and instant retrieval satisfies Regulation 11 and is easier to produce in an audit.
→ LOLER Record Keeping — Complete Guide→ LOLER Examination Report Requirements→ LOLER Penalties & Fines