A telehandler is the machine that causes the most arguments about LOLER intervals. The same machine can be on a 12 month cycle one week and a 6 month cycle the next, and the difference is not what it is but what it is doing. This guide sets out the rule, what the examination covers, and who carries the duty when the machine is on hire.
In short: Under LOLER 1998, a telehandler used to lift goods needs a thorough examination at least every 12 months. The moment it is used to lift people, for example with a man basket or work platform, the interval drops to at least every 6 months. Its lifting accessories, such as chains, slings and the basket itself, are always on 6 months. A written scheme of examination can set different intervals.
The rule, and why it changes
Regulation 9(3) of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 sets two standard intervals. Lifting equipment for lifting persons, and all lifting accessories, must be thoroughly examined at least every 6 months. Other lifting equipment must be examined at least every 12 months. Either way, a competent person can draw up a written scheme of examination that sets different intervals based on the risk.
A telehandler is lifting equipment. When it lifts pallets, bricks or steel, it falls into the 12 month group. When it carries a man basket or an integrated platform, it is lifting persons and the 6 month rule applies. The HSE's position is that the shorter interval applies to the equipment used to lift people, not just to the basket, so the telehandler itself moves to 6 months while it is used that way.
| How the telehandler is used | Thorough examination at least every |
|---|---|
| Lifting goods only, forks or bucket | 12 months |
| Lifting people, with a man basket or platform | 6 months |
| Man basket, chains, slings and other accessories | 6 months |
| After a major repair, an overload or a long lay-up | Before it is used again |
In practice, many hire companies put every telehandler that could be used with a basket on a 6 month cycle. That avoids the record showing a 12 month certificate on a machine that a customer then fits with a basket.
What the examination covers
A thorough examination is not a service. The competent person is looking for anything that is, or could become, a danger to people. On a telehandler that usually means:
- Boom, boom sections, pins and wear pads
- Carriage, fork arms, fork heels and the locking pins
- Lift and tilt cylinders, hoses and the load holding valves
- Load moment indicator or longitudinal stability indicator, and its calibration
- Chassis, outriggers and stabiliser locks where fitted
- Attachments in use, and the records showing the machine is rated for them
- Markings: safe working load chart, identification number and attachment ratings
Where the machine has been used with a man basket, the examiner will also want to see the basket's own examination report, the compatibility evidence from the manufacturer, and the overload and emergency lowering functions working.
Pre-use checks are a different duty
LOLER's thorough examination sits alongside the daily checks that PUWER 1998 expects. Regulation 5 of PUWER requires work equipment to be kept in efficient working order, and Regulation 6 requires inspection where safety depends on conditions of use. For a telehandler, that means an operator pre-use check every shift, recorded, and a maintenance schedule from the manufacturer. A machine can pass its thorough examination and still fail a pre-use check a week later because a tyre is damaged or a hose is leaking.
Who is responsible when the machine is on hire
Regulation 9(4) of LOLER says lifting equipment must not leave an undertaking, or be used after being obtained from another undertaking, unless it is accompanied by physical evidence that the last required thorough examination has been carried out. For a hire company that means every telehandler leaves the yard with a current report and the next due date known.
Once the machine is on site, the user has duties too. If a long hire runs past the due date, the user must make sure the examination happens, so agree in writing who arranges it. If the user fits a man basket, the 6 month interval applies from that point and the user needs to tell the hire company, because the hire company's record will still say 12 months.
Keeping the record straight
The practical problem is not the examination, it is the record. A telehandler fleet with mixed uses needs:
- One record per machine, with its current interval and the reason for it
- The man basket recorded as its own accessory, with its own 6 month cycle
- A note when a machine moves from goods to people and back
- The report of thorough examination and the next due date visible to the depot before the machine goes out
Software that tracks each asset's interval separately makes this routine. LolerFlow holds the telehandler and its basket as separate assets, each with its own due date, and flags any machine that is due or overdue so the depot sees it before the machine goes back out.
Sources
- The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (SI 1998/2307), Regulations 9 and 10, legislation.gov.uk
- HSE: Thorough examinations and inspections of lifting equipment, hse.gov.uk
- HSE L113: Safe use of lifting equipment, Approved Code of Practice, second edition
- The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (SI 1998/2306), Regulations 5 and 6
Frequently asked questions
How often does a telehandler need a LOLER inspection?
At least every 12 months when it lifts goods only. At least every 6 months when it is used to lift people, for example with a man basket. A written scheme of examination can set different intervals.
Does fitting a man basket change the interval for the whole machine?
Yes. Once the telehandler is used to lift people, it is lifting equipment for lifting persons and the 6 month interval applies to the machine as well as the basket.
Are the forks and attachments covered by the thorough examination?
Yes. The forks, carriage and any attachment in use are part of the lifting equipment. Lifting accessories such as chains and slings used with the machine are examined separately, every 6 months.
Who is responsible for the examination when a telehandler is on hire?
The hire company must supply it with evidence of its last thorough examination. The user must make sure it is examined if the hire runs past the due date, and must tell the hire company if the machine is used to lift people.
Is a pre-use check the same as a thorough examination?
No. The pre-use check is a daily operator inspection under PUWER. The thorough examination is a detailed, recorded examination by a competent person under LOLER. You need both.