By Lolerflow Team | LOLER Compliance Specialists
What FM Companies Are Responsible For
If your FM contract includes management of any of the following, you are likely the LOLER dutyholder:
Passenger lifts
All lifts carrying people
6 months
Goods lifts
Goods only; 6 months if persons ride
12 months
Platform lifts (disabled access)
Person-carrying — 6-month rule
6 months
Dock levellers
LOLER if used as lifting equipment
PUWER / case-by-case
Window cleaning cradles
Person-carrying when occupied
6 months
Stair lifts
Workplace — person-carrying
6 months
Goods hoists (kitchen, library)
Goods only
12 months
Contractor hoists (temp)
FM to verify records before authorising
Contractor responsibility
The Multi-Building Challenge
Most FM companies manage multiple buildings, each with its own lift or hoist inventory, different examination due dates, and different specialist contractors. Without a centralised tracking system, examination due dates drift, certificates are filed in building-specific folders, and the compliance overview simply does not exist at company level. One missed 6-month examination across a 20-building portfolio is enough for an HSE improvement notice.
Contractor Management Obligations
When contractors bring lifting equipment into buildings you manage — fit-out teams, installation contractors, removal companies — you must verify that their equipment has current LOLER examination records before they begin work. This is part of your contractor management obligation under CDM 2015 and LOLER. A simple permit-to-work process that includes LOLER certificate verification protects you if a contractor's equipment fails on your site.
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Start free trial →Are FM companies responsible for LOLER compliance in buildings they manage?+
Yes, if they have control of the lifting equipment. Under LOLER 1998, the dutyholder is the employer or self-employed person who has control of the lifting equipment. If an FM company manages a building and controls its passenger lifts, goods hoists, or dock levellers as part of their contract, they are the dutyholder and must arrange thorough examinations.
Who is responsible for passenger lift LOLER compliance in an office building?+
The building owner or the FM company engaged to manage the building — whichever party has operational control of the lift. This is typically defined in the FM contract. Both parties should ensure the contract is explicit about who holds LOLER dutyholder responsibility to avoid a gap.
How does LOLER apply to contractor lifting equipment used in a managed building?+
If a contractor brings their own lifting equipment into a building for a project (e.g. a hoist for a fit-out), they are the dutyholder for that equipment. The FM company's obligation is to ensure the contractor has current LOLER examination records before authorising the equipment for use in the building — as part of contractor management.