Home / Industries / Healthcare hoists
Patient hoist and sling LOLER inspections, recorded properly
Hoists and slings lift people, so LOLER sets a 6 month examination cycle. LolerFlow keeps every hoist and every sling in date, room by room, across every care home you run or look after.
Patient hoists and slings are lifting equipment used to lift people, so LOLER requires a thorough examination by a competent person at least every 6 months. LolerFlow gives every hoist and every sling its own record, with its location, examination report and next due date, across every home or ward. Hoists also come under PUWER for maintenance, pre-use checks and training, and LolerFlow keeps both sets of records together.
Last updated October 2026 · Written by the LolerFlow Editorial Team · Facts checked against HSE and legislation.gov.uk
How often do patient hoists and slings need a LOLER examination?
HSE guidance says any lifting equipment used to lift people must be thoroughly examined at least every 6 months, unless an examination scheme sets a different interval. That covers mobile hoists, ceiling track hoists, bath hoists, stand aids and the slings used with them. Slings are often the weak point because they move between rooms and residents, so each sling needs its own record.
| Equipment | Thorough examination |
|---|---|
| Mobile and ceiling track hoists | 6 months |
| Bath and pool hoists | 6 months |
| Stand aids | 6 months |
| Patient slings | 6 months |
These are the standard legal intervals. A written scheme of examination can set different ones, and LolerFlow follows whichever applies.
- HSE: Lifting equipment used for lifting people at work, hse.gov.uk
- HSE: Moving and handling equipment in health and social care, hse.gov.uk
- MHRA National Patient Safety Alert on patient hoists and slings, 16 September 2026, gov.uk
- LOLER 1998, Regulations 9, 10 and 11, legislation.gov.uk
Who this page is for
Thorough examination, pre-use check and servicing are not the same
These three checks are often confused. A hoist can be freshly serviced and still be overdue for its LOLER examination, and the slings used with it need their own examinations too. The pre-use check and the servicing are PUWER duties; the thorough examination is a LOLER duty.
| Check | Who does it | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-use check | The carer using the equipment | Before every use |
| LOLER thorough examination | A competent person, usually a specialist engineer | At least every 6 months |
| Servicing | The supplier or service company | As the manufacturer says |
What the MHRA asked care providers to do in September 2026
On 16 September 2026 the MHRA issued a National Patient Safety Alert on patient hoists and slings. It asks providers to check equipment before every transfer, make sure the hoist and sling are compatible, confirm every attachment is secure, keep maintenance records, and make sure equipment is regularly inspected and serviced. LolerFlow covers the record keeping and inspection side: every item, its examinations, its defects and its next due date in one place.
What a good sling record looks like
Running several care homes?
Each home is a site in LolerFlow, and each room is a location. Group managers see every home on one dashboard, filtered by what is overdue, due this month or failed. Home managers see only their own home. When the CQC visits, the manager opens the home's records on a tablet and shows the current report for any hoist or sling in seconds.
What makes it hard
What changes for your care homes
How LolerFlow helps healthcare hoists
What equipment can you track?
Frequently asked questions
Do patient hoists need a LOLER inspection?
Yes. Patient hoists lift people, so LOLER requires a thorough examination by a competent person at least every 6 months.
Do slings need a LOLER inspection?
Yes. Slings are lifting accessories used to lift people, so they need a thorough examination at least every 6 months. Each sling should be identified and recorded.
Who is responsible for LOLER in a care home?
The care provider, as the employer, must make sure hoists and slings are examined on time and that the reports are kept. Most use a specialist engineer for the examinations.
What records does the CQC expect for hoists?
Inspectors look for evidence that equipment is safe and properly maintained. In practice that means current thorough examination reports for every hoist and sling.
Can engineers who examine hoists for many care homes use LolerFlow?
Yes. Each care home is a customer site, with rooms as locations, and you can give each home access to its own records.
Is a hoist service the same as a LOLER examination?
No. Servicing keeps the hoist working and follows the manufacturer schedule. A LOLER thorough examination is a separate legal check by a competent person, at least every 6 months, with a written report.
What should carers check before using a sling?
That it is the right sling and size for the resident, the label is readable, there are no cuts, frays or loose stitching, it is compatible with the hoist, and every attachment is secure before lifting.
How long must we keep hoist and sling examination reports?
At least until the next report is made, or for two years, whichever is later, under LOLER Regulation 11.
What do we do if a sling fails its examination?
Take it out of use straight away and label it so nobody picks it up. Replace it with a compatible sling of the right size, and record the defect against that sling.
Guides for this industry
See LolerFlow on your own equipment
A 20 minute walkthrough with the team who built it. Or start a free 30 day trial, no card needed.