What the HSE LOLER Review Means for Your Inspection Business

For the first time in 27 years, the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 are under formal review. In October 2025, the Health and Safety Executive launched a Call for Evidence inviting input from duty holders, inspection professionals, insurers, and industry bodies. The consultation closed in November 2025, and proposed amendments are expected to emerge later in 2026.

If you run a lifting equipment inspection business, this is the most significant regulatory signal you have seen in your career. Here is what you need to know — and more importantly, what you should be doing right now.

Why HSE Is Reviewing LOLER Now

LOLER was written in 1998. Since then, the lifting industry has changed dramatically. Equipment is more sophisticated, inspection methods have evolved, and the way businesses record and report information has shifted almost entirely to digital. The original regulations, however, still reflect a world of paper files and lever-arch folders.

The LOLER review 2025 was triggered by a combination of factors: industry feedback about duplicated admin, inconsistency in how duty holders interpret the regulations, and a growing recognition at HSE that the current framework does not fully account for modern technologies or working practices. The stated goals of the review are to simplify requirements, reduce unnecessary administrative burden, and bring LOLER in line with how the industry actually operates today.

That is broadly good news. But simplification does not mean less rigorous enforcement — and if recent trends are anything to go by, businesses that are not already operating to a high standard should be paying close attention.

HSE Enforcement Is Already Rising

While the regulatory framework is under review, HSE enforcement activity is moving in the opposite direction. HSE enforcement action increased by 12% in 2024/25, with particular focus on construction and manufacturing — two sectors where LOLER compliance is front and centre.

Inspectors are increasingly looking not just at whether inspections have taken place, but at the quality and accessibility of records. Can you produce a full inspection history for a piece of equipment on demand? Are your written schemes of examination up to date? Are defects and out-of-service notices documented clearly and consistently?

The message from HSE enforcement activity is clear: the review is about modernising the regulations, not relaxing them. Businesses that treat the current period as a gap in scrutiny are likely to find themselves in a difficult position when the LOLER regulations update comes into force.

What Changes Could Be Coming

We do not yet know the specific outcomes of the Call for Evidence. Anyone claiming certainty about what the updated LOLER will require is getting ahead of the evidence. What we do know is the broad direction of travel.

• Greater recognition of digital records. One of the most consistent pieces of industry feedback has been that LOLER's current language around written records does not clearly accommodate digital formats. Future regulations are likely to explicitly recognise — and possibly preference — digital LOLER records as the standard for compliance documentation.
• Clearer guidance on frequency and scope. The current regulations leave a significant amount of interpretation to duty holders and competent persons. Clarification here could reduce disputes between inspection businesses and clients — but it could also raise the bar for what constitutes an adequate inspection.
• Scrutiny of competency frameworks. The review is likely to address what qualifications and experience are required to carry out thorough examinations. If you rely on subcontractors or bring in inspectors on short notice, this is worth watching carefully.
• Insurance and principal contractor expectations. Even before any formal LOLER regulations update, insurers and principal contractors are already moving. An increasing number of PC tender requirements and insurance policy conditions now explicitly ask for digital inspection records and audit trails. This is happening now.

How to Prepare Your Inspection Business

The worst position to be in is scrambling to adapt once new regulations come into force. The businesses that will handle the transition best are those that start building compliant, digital-first workflows now.

• Audit your current record-keeping. Are your inspection records complete, consistent, and retrievable? If you had an HSE visit tomorrow, could you produce records for every item of lifting equipment you have inspected in the last 12 months?
• Review your written schemes of examination. Do they reflect the current condition and use of the equipment? Are they signed off by a competent person and kept up to date?
• Get your defect management process documented. One area of consistent HSE enforcement focus is how businesses handle defects — particularly Category 1 (immediate danger) and Category 2 (timely repair) findings. This needs a clear, evidenced process.
• Talk to your clients about digital records. If you are still issuing paper or PDF reports, now is the time to move to a platform that generates structured, searchable digital records. Your clients insurers may already be asking for this.
• Stay close to HSE guidance as the review progresses. Proposed changes are expected in 2026. Sign up for HSE updates and watch for the formal consultation response. When changes are announced, you will want lead time to adapt.

Whatever the specific outcomes of the LOLER review, the direction of travel is clear: digital records, better audit trails, and higher documentation standards. The businesses that invest in their compliance infrastructure now are investing in their competitive position — not just their legal obligations.