Yes, paperless LOLER records are legally valid. Here is why.
Regulation 10 of LOLER 1998 requires thorough examination results to be notified in writing and a report produced. Writing includes electronic format. The HSE explicitly acknowledges digital records in its LOLER guidance. Provided the record contains all Schedule 1 fields and can be produced on request, the medium is irrelevant. Modern LOLER inspection software generates compliant digital reports that satisfy this requirement in full.
In practice, digital records are often more compliant than paper ones. Compliant software enforces all required fields before a report can be submitted. A paper form can be left incomplete. A digital system with field validation cannot.
What the law actually requires from your examination records
LOLER Regulation 11 requires the duty holder to keep the examination report until the next report is produced, or for at least two years for non-person-carrying equipment. The regulation does not specify paper. Electronic signatures are legally valid under the Electronic Communications Act 2000. Cloud storage with appropriate access controls satisfies the retention requirement.
A valid digital record must be tamper-evident, properly attributed to the competent person who carried out the examination, and immediately accessible when needed, including to HSE on request. A cloud-based system with audit trail logging, role-based access, and PDF export meets all of that. Your records are safer in the cloud than in a filing cabinet.
How to switch to paperless LOLER inspections without losing records
1
Audit your current records
Before switching, take stock. How many assets do you manage? How many are on 6-month cycles versus 12-month? Where do your current records live: paper folders, spreadsheets, or both? This defines the migration scope and the data you need to import.
2
Choose software that works offline
Most LOLER thorough examinations happen in places with poor signal: inside steel structures, underground, remote industrial sites. Any software that requires a live internet connection for on-site use is not fit for purpose. Confirm offline capability before committing.
3
Import or enter your asset register
Most platforms let you bulk-import assets via CSV. For each asset you need: name, type, safe working load, location, last examination date, and interval. Set this up correctly and the software tracks everything from that point automatically.
4
Run one inspection in parallel
For your first paperless examination, complete both the paper form and the digital form. Compare the outputs. This builds confidence that the digital report is complete and correct before you drop the paper trail entirely.
5
Notify clients and update your process
If you issue certificates to clients, let them know the format is changing. They will receive access to a client portal rather than emailed PDFs. Most clients prefer this: self-service access is faster than waiting for a document by email.
6
Archive, do not destroy, your paper records
Keep historical paper records until the digital record supersedes them. Do not destroy paper reports that are still within the legal retention period under LOLER Regulation 11. Scan and upload if you want everything in one system.
What changes on the day you stop using paper
Instant certificate delivery
Report available to the client the moment the inspection is submitted. No typing up, no emailing, no waiting.
Automated scheduling
Next examination date tracked automatically. Alerts fire before the due date so nothing lapses.
Searchable examination history
Find any asset's full examination history in seconds, by date, location, or defect category.
HSE audit readiness
Produce any examination report immediately on request. No searching through filing cabinets or email archives.
What paper-based LOLER inspection is actually costing you
10 hours/week
report writing time for an inspector carrying out 20 examinations per day on a paper-based system, time that adds no new inspection value
The cost of paper is rarely visible until you add it up. Your inspector takes field notes on site, then transcribes them into a formal document back at the office. That is 15 to 30 minutes per report, per asset. At 20 examinations per day, that is up to 10 hours a week of report writing that adds no inspection value whatsoever. The report then has to be printed, sent to the client, and filed.
On the client side, paper creates its own compliance risk. Finding a specific examination record when HSE asks for it can take 30 minutes of searching. Paper is damaged by damp, lost in office moves, and gives no alert when an asset is approaching its due date. Paper does not remind you. Paper does not track anything.
What a digital LOLER inspection looks like from start to finish
Your inspector arrives on site with a phone or tablet. They open Lolerflow and scan the QR label on the asset. The asset data pre-populates: equipment type, serial number, safe working load, location, last examination date. They work through the examination form field by field. Where a defect is found, they photograph it in the app and categorise it as Category A, Category B, or no defect.
They submit. A Schedule 1-compliant PDF is generated automatically. The client can view it in their portal immediately. The next examination due date is tracked automatically. If the asset carries a Category A defect, the client is alerted that the equipment must come out of service. All records are stored digitally and immediately retrievable, satisfying the LOLER record keeping requirements under Regulation 11.
What the lifting industry says about going digital
The Lifting Equipment Engineers Association (LEEA), the UK trade body for the lifting industry, has long promoted digital examination records as best practice. LEEA guidance recognises that tamper-evident digital records with automatic scheduling and immediate retrieval represent a higher standard of compliance than paper. This is where the whole industry is heading. The question is how soon your operation makes the move.
Paper vs digital LOLER records: the honest comparison
Paper-based problems
✗15 to 30 minutes transcription per report after every inspection
✗No automatic alert when an examination is overdue
✗Records lost to damp, fire, or office moves
✗Searching filing cabinets when HSE requests records
✗No audit trail: entries can be altered without trace
✗Certificate delivery is a manual task every time
Digital benefits
✓Report generated instantly at point of inspection, no typing up
✓Automatic renewal alerts before any asset goes overdue
✓Cloud storage: records are safe and always accessible
✓Any record retrieved in seconds on request
✓Immutable audit trail: every change logged with timestamp
✓Client portal gives self-service access to all certificates
Are digital LOLER records legally acceptable?+
Yes. LOLER 1998 requires records to be kept in writing, and writing includes electronic format. A digital examination report that contains all Schedule 1 fields, produced by a competent person, and stored securely is fully compliant. HSE accepts digital records provided they can be retrieved and printed immediately on request.
Do I need to keep paper backups of LOLER reports?+
No, provided your digital storage is reliable and recoverable. HSE does not require paper backups. However, if your digital system fails and you cannot produce records, you are in the same position as if the records were lost. Use a cloud-based system with automatic backups rather than local storage only.
What happens if my phone or tablet loses data during an offline inspection?+
With properly designed offline-capable software, data is stored locally on the device and synced to the cloud when connectivity is restored. The local copy acts as a buffer against connection loss. Data is not lost unless the device is damaged before syncing. Always confirm sync has completed before closing the app after an inspection.
Manage your LOLER inspections digitally with Lolerflow.
30-day free trial, no credit card required.
Start your free trial →