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LOLER and PUWER software for construction and utilities contractors
Cranes, hoists, MEWPs and lifting accessories move from job to job. LolerFlow keeps every examination with the equipment, so you can prove compliance on any site.
On construction and utility sites, LOLER requires lifting equipment to be thoroughly examined before first use where its safety depends on how it is installed, then every 6 or 12 months. LolerFlow keeps the register, certificates and due dates for every item across every site, ready for a principal contractor or an HSE visit. The same cranes, hoists and MEWPs also come under PUWER for maintenance, pre-use checks and inspection, and LolerFlow records both.
Last updated October 2026 · Written by the LolerFlow Editorial Team · Facts checked against HSE and legislation.gov.uk
When does construction lifting equipment need a thorough examination?
LOLER Regulation 9 requires a thorough examination after installation and before first use where safety depends on how the equipment is installed, for example a tower crane or a construction hoist, and again after it is put up at a new site. After that, equipment that lifts people and all lifting accessories need examining every 6 months, and other lifting equipment every 12 months. Exceptional events, like damage or a long period out of use, also trigger an examination.
PUWER 1998 applies to every piece of work equipment on site, including the non-lifting parts of cranes, hoists, MEWPs and excavators. It needs suitable equipment, maintenance, pre-use checks, inspection at intervals you set by risk, and trained operators. MEWPs need both: a 6 monthly LOLER thorough examination and PUWER checks between them.
| Equipment | Thorough examination |
|---|---|
| Equipment for lifting people (MEWPs, man baskets, passenger hoists) | 6 months |
| Lifting accessories (chains, slings, shackles) | 6 months |
| Other lifting equipment (cranes, goods hoists) | 12 months |
| Equipment where safety depends on installation | After each installation, before first use |
These are the standard legal intervals. A written scheme of examination can set different ones, and LolerFlow follows whichever applies.
MEWPs and PUWER in the same register. Run your 6 monthly MEWP examinations with a dedicated template, and record PUWER inspections for plant and site equipment without a second system. MEWP inspections · PUWER inspections
- LOLER 1998, Regulations 9 and 10, legislation.gov.uk
- HSE L113 Safe use of lifting equipment, Approved Code of Practice
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Frequently asked questions
Does a tower crane need a new LOLER examination at each site?
Yes. Where safety depends on installation, LOLER requires a thorough examination after the equipment is installed and before first use, including after it is put up at a new location.
How often do MEWPs and passenger hoists need examining?
At least every 6 months, because they lift people, unless a written scheme of examination sets a different interval.
Who keeps the LOLER records on a construction site?
The employer or person in control of the lifting equipment. On most sites the principal contractor will also ask to see certificates before equipment is used.
Can we track hired and subcontractor equipment as well as our own?
Yes. Record every item used on site, with who owns it, its certificate and its next due date.
What happens if lifting equipment is found with a dangerous defect?
The competent person must tell the employer straight away. If there is an existing or imminent risk of serious injury, they must also send a copy of the report to the enforcing authority, such as the HSE. The equipment must not be used until the defect is put right.
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