What happens when the inspector finds a problem?
When a competent person carries out a LOLER thorough examination, every defect found must be classified. That classification determines what you must do and how quickly you must do it. There are three categories: A, B, and C. Getting the categorisation wrong, or failing to act on it, is a compliance failure under LOLER 1998. The defect record forms a core part of your Schedule 1 examination report.
The HSE guidance on thorough examinations sets out the notification requirements for dangerous defects. The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) also publishes resources on lifting equipment safety and duty holder responsibilities.
A
Existing or Imminent Danger
Out of service immediately
A Category A defect is the most serious classification. It means the competent person has found a defect that represents an existing danger or an imminent risk of serious personal injury. The safe working load of the equipment cannot be relied upon.
Required actions
→Equipment must be taken out of service immediately, no grace period
→Competent person must send a copy of the report to the relevant enforcing authority (HSE or local authority)
→Duty holder must not return equipment to use until the defect is rectified and verified
→Remediation must be documented and a further examination carried out before returning to service
Example defects
·Cracked hook; load could detach without warning
·Brake failure on a hoist; load could drop
·Corroded chain link beyond safe limits
·Structural crack in crane boom
·Overload limiter inoperative on equipment regularly loaded near SWL
B
Future Danger, Repair Within Timescale
Action within stated deadline
A Category B defect is a finding that is not currently dangerous but will become dangerous if not remedied within a specified timescale. The competent person must state the deadline in the examination report. That deadline is a legal requirement, not a guideline.
Required actions
→Equipment may continue in use until the stated deadline
→Repair must be completed before the deadline, not after
→A further examination should confirm the repair before the equipment is used beyond the deadline
→If the deadline passes without remediation, treat the equipment as Category A and remove from service
Example defects
·Worn rope strands approaching discard criteria
·Corrosion progressing but not yet at dangerous level
·Hydraulic seals showing early signs of failure
·Missing safety pin; not currently creating a hazard but could in foreseeable circumstances
·Wear on drum grooves approaching maximum tolerance
C
Observation, Monitor
Record and monitor
A Category C entry is an observation or minor finding that does not pose an immediate or future risk but is worth noting. No mandatory action timescale applies, but the finding must be recorded in the examination report and monitored at subsequent examinations.
Required actions
→No immediate action required
→Record the finding and monitor at subsequent examinations
→If the same finding recurs across multiple examinations, consider escalating to Category B
→Use Category C history to inform maintenance planning and asset risk assessment
Example defects
·Minor surface corrosion with no structural significance
·Label partially obscured but still readable
·Minor scoring on sheave groove, within acceptable limits
·Slight play in pin, within manufacturer tolerance
·Paint damage exposing bare metal, cosmetic only
Category A: why you cannot negotiate your way out of notifying the HSE
⚠
Category A requires two mandatory actions
The equipment must stop immediately (no grace period) and a copy of the report must be sent to the relevant enforcing authority (HSE or local authority). Both obligations are statutory. Neither can be waived by agreement between the examiner and the duty holder.
Most inspection companies know about Category A notification in theory. In practice, it is sometimes skipped, particularly where the examiner and client have a long commercial relationship and the defect seems borderline. This is dangerous. If the equipment subsequently fails and causes injury, and HSE discovers a Category A finding was not notified, both the examiner and the duty holder face prosecution. The notification obligation is statutory. It cannot be waived.
What you must do after each category finding
Category A: The equipment comes out of service immediately. Do not wait for the formal written report. The competent person must notify you verbally at the time of discovery, then confirm in writing via the Schedule 1 examination report. You must also notify the relevant enforcing authority if the defect poses an existing risk of serious personal injury. The equipment does not return to service until the defect is rectified and, where necessary, a further thorough examination has been carried out.
Category B:The equipment can continue in service for a defined period. The examination report must specify a "must be repaired by" date. That date is a legal deadline, not a guideline. If it passes without the repair being completed, the equipment is non-compliant and must be removed from service until the repair is made and verified.
Category C (no defect or observation): A pass. The report must still be issued within 28 days. Any Category C observations should be monitored at the next examination. If the same observation recurs and appears to be progressing, the competent person should consider escalating to Category B.
Real examples of Category A defects
Category A, Immediate Danger
✗Hook with any visible opening of the throat; any visible opening is a Category A defect.
✗Wire rope with broken wires exceeding the manufacturer's or standard's discard criteria in any one lay length.
✗Sling with a cut, kinking damage, heat damage, or a missing or illegible identification label.
✗Chain link showing deformation, cracking, or corrosion pitting that reduces the cross-section.
✗Passenger lift or MEWP with failed safety gear, inoperative limit switches, or failed overload protection.
✗Overhead crane with a visible crack in the main structural beam or at a weld.
✗Spreader beam with a visible crack at any pin or lug connection point.
✗Any equipment where the SWL marking is missing, obscured, or unreadable.
Real examples of Category B defects
Category B, Remediate by Date
⚠Hook with the beginning of throat opening but still within the manufacturer's tolerance; the report should specify a date by which the hook must be replaced.
⚠Wire rope approaching discard criteria but not yet at the limit; replace by a specified date.
⚠Sheave with measurable wear approaching the discard limit but not yet reaching it.
⚠Hydraulic hose showing surface cracking or abrasion but not yet leaking.
⚠Brake requiring adjustment but not yet failing to hold; specify a by-date for adjustment and re-test.
⚠Surface corrosion forming on a structural member; not yet at critical depth but progressing; specify date for treatment and re-inspection.
What records do you need to keep after a defect is found?
Beyond the Schedule 1 thorough examination report, you should maintain a separate defect log that records: the date of the examination report identifying the defect; the defect category assigned; the action required and the deadline for Category B; the date remedial action was completed; who carried out the repair; and the date of any follow-up examination required before the equipment returned to service.
When the HSE wants to verify that Category B defects were actually addressed within the specified timeframe, this is the log they ask for. The Schedule 1 report shows the defect was found and categorised. The defect log shows it was resolved. Without both, your compliance record is incomplete.
What are the three LOLER defect categories?+
Category A: existing or imminent danger; equipment must be taken out of service immediately and the relevant enforcing authority notified. Category B: defect that will become dangerous if not repaired within a specified period; equipment can remain in use until the stated deadline. Category C: observation or minor finding; no immediate action required but the finding must be recorded and monitored.
What must happen when a Category A defect is found?+
The competent person must immediately notify the duty holder and send a copy of the examination report to the relevant enforcing authority (HSE or local authority). The duty holder must take the equipment out of service and must not return it to use until the defect is rectified. Continuing to use equipment after a Category A finding is a serious criminal offence.
Does a Category C defect need to be repaired?+
Not immediately. Category C is an observation or minor finding that does not pose an immediate or near-future risk. However, it must be recorded in the examination report and monitored. If the same defect appears across multiple consecutive examinations, it may indicate progressive deterioration that warrants escalation to Category B.
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