Home · LOLER Inspection Checklist
One general LOLER inspection checklist plus 8 equipment-specific variants. Use on site to make sure every safety-critical component is examined before you sign the report. Free, printable, no email required.
A LOLER inspection checklist is a working document. Your inspector uses it on site to work through every component systematically. It is not the legal document.
The Report of Thorough Examination (ROTE) is the statutory document your competent person signs. That is what satisfies Regulation 9 of LOLER 1998 ↗. Use the checklist to feed into the ROTE. Download the ROTE templates separately.
LOLER Inspection Checklist
PDFCovers all lifting equipment types. Pre-inspection, visual examination, functional test, and defect summary. Open in browser, then Print to save as PDF.
Each checklist is pre-populated with the inspection points specific to that equipment type. Use the one that matches what you are examining.
Overhead / Bridge Crane
Pre-populated with hoist unit, runway rails, limit switches, brakes, and electrical controls. 12-month interval.
Mobile Crane / Telehandler
Covers boom, slewing ring, outriggers, LMI, anti-two-block device, and hydraulic circuits. 12-month interval.
Forklift / Reach Truck
Covers mast, lift chains, forks, tilt cylinders, overhead guard, and capacity plate. 12-month interval.
MEWP / Scissor Lift / Boom Lift
Covers platform, guardrails, emergency descent, tilt sensor, and ground controls. 6-month interval applies.
Passenger & Goods Lift
Covers car, landing doors, interlocks, suspension ropes, safety gear, and pit equipment. 6-month interval applies.
Slings, Chains & Accessories
Multi-item format. Covers textile slings, chain slings, wire rope, shackles, eyebolts, and hooks. 6-month interval.
Spreader Beam / Lifting Frame
Covers structural members, welds, attachment points, capacity markings, and identification plates. 6-month interval.
Patient Hoist (Healthcare)
Covers track and fixings, motor unit, sling bar, emergency lowering, and battery. 6-month interval applies.
Not all lifting equipment needs examining at the same frequency. The interval depends on what the equipment does. Get it wrong and your client is non-compliant before the next visit arrives.
Equipment that carries persons must be examined at least every 6 months under Regulation 9(3)(a) ↗. This covers passenger lifts, MEWPs, scissor lifts, boom lifts, and patient hoists. The 6-month checklists in this library are marked accordingly.
Lifting accessories require examination every 6 months under Regulation 9(3)(b). This covers slings, chains, shackles, eyebolts, hooks, spreader beams, and lifting frames. Every lift puts stress directly through the item, so the higher frequency reflects real wear.
Overhead cranes, mobile cranes, telehandlers, and forklifts require examination at least every 12 months. A competent person can set a different interval using a written examination scheme. The scheme must be in place before the equipment goes into service.
These are minimums. Heavily used equipment, harsh environments, or previous defects may justify a shorter interval. The competent person makes that call at examination and notes it on the report.
A checklist that misses a section is not worth using. Your inspector needs to work through five distinct areas on every visit. These checklists cover all five.
Pre-inspection
Check documentation is in order before touching the equipment. Last examination date, previous defects, any repairs since last inspection.
Visual examination
Work through every safety-critical component systematically. Structural members, welds, rope or chain condition, hooks, fittings, and markings.
Functional test
Test every movement and safety device. Limit switches, brakes, overload protection, and emergency stops must all be verified under controlled conditions.
Defect recording
Record every finding against each item. Pass, fail, or not applicable. Defects are categorised as immediate danger or not immediately dangerous, matching the ROTE.
Link to the ROTE
The checklist feeds directly into your Report of Thorough Examination. Every defect noted on the checklist must appear on the signed ROTE.
The HSE LOLER guidance ↗ does not prescribe a checklist format. But a thorough examination must cover all safety-critical components, and a checklist is the practical way to make sure that happens every time. The Lifting Equipment Engineers Association (LEEA) ↗ publishes guidance on examination scope for each equipment category.
Open the checklist on your phone or tablet before you start. Or print it and bring it with you. Either way, work through it top to bottom.
Start with the pre-inspection section. Check the documentation is in order and note the last examination date. Then move to the equipment itself.
Tick each item as you examine it. Record the condition in the notes column. Where a defect is found, mark it as a fail and note the category. Category A means the equipment comes out of service now. Category B means a repair date must be agreed.
Once the checklist is complete, use the findings to complete your Report of Thorough Examination. Every defect on the checklist must be recorded on the ROTE. The competent person signs the ROTE. That is the document with legal weight.
Keep completed checklists with your inspection records. They are not legally required, but they demonstrate the thoroughness of your process if the HSE ↗ ever asks.
Does LOLER require you to use a checklist?
No. LOLER 1998 requires a thorough examination and a signed report. It does not prescribe the format you use on site. A checklist is a practical control. It reduces the risk of missing a component and creates a record that supports the findings on the ROTE. Most competent persons use one as standard.
Who can carry out a LOLER thorough examination?
The examination must be carried out by a competent person. LOLER does not define competence by qualification. In practice, it means someone with the knowledge and experience to identify defects and judge their significance.
For most lifting equipment, this is an engineer or inspector with relevant trade training, often accredited through LEEA ↗ or a similar body. The competent person must be independent enough to report defects without commercial pressure to pass the equipment.
How long must LOLER inspection records be kept?
Reports for equipment that carries persons must be kept until the equipment is no longer in use. Reports for other lifting equipment must be kept until the next report is received, or for 2 years, whichever is longer. Lifting accessory records must be kept for at least 2 years.
Completed checklists are not a legal requirement. Keeping them alongside the ROTEs shows the depth of your examination if the HSE ever asks.
What is the difference between a LOLER inspection and a service?
A thorough examination is a safety check. It records whether the equipment is safe to stay in service. A service is maintenance work: lubrication, filter changes, adjustments. The two are separate legal obligations.
Many duty holders assume a recent service means no examination is needed. It does not. A service does not satisfy LOLER. A LOLER examination does not replace a manufacturer service schedule.
When checklists are not enough
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