LOLER Asset Labels and QR Code Inspection Tags

LOLER inspection tags and labels let inspectors scan any piece of lifting equipment to instantly view its examination history, certificate status, and next due date. Durable LOLER labels can be printed or ordered as weatherproof QR sticker sets.

Particularly useful for lifting accessories

Lifting accessories, slings, chains, shackles, hooks, are the hardest assets to track. QR labels solve this: every accessory tagged, every examination linked, nothing anonymous in the stores.

Lifting accessories, slings, chains, shackles, hooks, eyebolts, spreader beams, vacuum lifters, are legally considered "lifting equipment" under LOLER 1998 and must be thoroughly examined at regular intervals. Accessories used to lift people (slings, spreader beams) require 6-month examinations. All others require 12-month examinations.

The challenge: accessories are small, numerous, and mobile. A sling used today on a crane might be moved to a different site tomorrow. Paper-based tracking fails because nobody knows which sling has been examined when. QR labels solve this by encoding the asset's unique Lolerflow ID directly into each label. Scan the label, the app opens that exact record, and you see the full examination history, when it was last examined, by whom, what defects were found, and when the next examination is due.

For accessories that cannot take a weatherproof vinyl sticker (metal equipment exposed to heat, for example), Lolerflow supports cable tie tags or embossed metal tags with the QR code printed or engraved. The tag travels with the accessory; the record stays in Lolerflow permanently, fully searchable and auditable.

Pre-use checks and site audits

A foreman or site manager can use Lolerflow's mobile app to scan equipment QR codes and instantly check: Is this equipment currently certified? When is the next examination due? What defects were found in the last examination? This is particularly valuable on large construction or manufacturing sites where multiple pieces of equipment are in use and the site manager needs to know compliance status at a glance.

It also creates an audit trail. If equipment is scanned (checked) multiple times, Lolerflow logs each scan with timestamp and user, providing evidence that compliance was actively monitored, a valuable defense in the event of an HSE inspection.

Safe Working Load (SWL) and equipment details

Every asset in Lolerflow includes critical operational data: Safe Working Load, equipment type, serial number, and manufacturer. When an inspector or site worker scans a QR code, they can instantly pull this information, essential for verifying that equipment is being used within safe limits and for matching the physical equipment to its documented record.

This is particularly important for cranes and forklifts where incorrect operation can cause catastrophic accidents. By linking SWL and technical specs directly to the physical asset via QR code, you ensure that every user has access to the correct operating parameters.

Generating and printing labels

Lolerflow generates QR label sheets ready to print. Choose between:

• ✓ Weatherproof vinyl stickers for equipment that will be indoors or under shelter
• ✓ Cable tie tags for equipment where stickers won't stick (oily, rough surfaces)
• ✓ Embossed metal tags for slings, chains, and other lifting accessories that need extreme durability

Part of a complete mobile-first workflow

QR labels work seamlessly with Lolerflow's mobile app and offline inspections. Inspector scans a QR code on site → app opens the asset record → inspector completes the examination using the guided form → report is generated instantly. The entire workflow is hands-off and audit-ready.

QR labels in practice, what a site manager sees

When a site manager or banksman scans a QR label on a piece of lifting equipment, they are taken immediately to that asset's compliance summary in Lolerflow. They can see the date of the last thorough examination, the next due date, the current certificate status (in-date, due soon, or overdue), and the Safe Working Load. If any defects were found at the last examination, the classification and required action dates are visible. All of this is accessible without the site manager needing a Lolerflow account, the QR code takes them to a read-only public record of the asset's compliance status.

This is particularly valuable during third-party audits. When a principal contractor, insurer, or port authority auditor reviews lifting equipment compliance on site, they can verify each asset's status by scanning the label, rather than requesting a manual compliance report. The audit trail shows every scan, with timestamp and user, providing evidence that compliance was being actively monitored. For companies that supply lifting equipment to third-party sites, QR labels give their clients a simple, instant way to verify compliance that does not involve calling the inspection company or waiting for email responses.

In the healthcare sector, facilities teams managing passenger lifts and goods lifts in hospital buildings use QR labels as part of their compliance evidence pack. During CQC or NHS Estates inspections, the label on each lift can be scanned to produce an immediate compliance summary, demonstrating that active monitoring is in place, not just that annual certificates exist somewhere in a filing system.