What is Covered Under LOLER Regulations?

February 22nd, 2024

Last updated: May 7th, 2024

Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations, commonly known as LOLER, play a pivotal role in maintaining safety standards across various industries. These regulations have been in their current guise since 1998, and are designed to ensure the safe use of lifting equipment and protect workers from the risks associated with lifting operations. In this blog post, we’ll explore what LOLER regulations cover and why they are essential for workplace safety.

Established by the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and enforced by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), LOLER regulations apply to a wide range of lifting equipment, including cranes, hoists, forklift trucks, and lifting accessories such as slings and chains. The regulations aim to prevent accidents and injuries by requiring employers to properly plan, supervise, and execute lifting operations.

What LOLER Covers

If you run a business that is involved in providing lifting equipment then HSE sets out your responsibilities to manage the equipment and control the risks, as well as avoiding any injury.

Where you any form of lifting operations involving lifting equipment you must:

• Plan them properly
• Using people who are sufficiently competent
• Supervise them appropriately
• Ensure that they are carried out in a safe manner

Usually, lifting equipment used in work is also covered under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER), which includes lift maintenance and inspection.

Some Guidelines of LOLER

HSE make the full guidance available, but we’ve explored some of the key points regarding responsibilities.
Thorough Examination

LOLER mandates that all lifting equipment undergo regular thorough examinations by competent individuals. These examinations must be conducted at specified intervals, depending on the type of equipment and its intended use.

The HSE guidelines explain that lifting equipment need to be thoroughly examined in a number of situations, including:

• Before the first use (unless there is a valid Declaration of Conformity made less than 12 months earlier.
• Where it depends on installation, or re-installation or assembly at another site
• Where it is exposed to conditions causing deterioration, liable to result in danger

Lifts and hoists used to lift people or loads must be examined by a ‘competent person’ under HSE’s guidelines.

Safe Use of Equipment

Employers are responsible for ensuring that lifting and hoisting equipment is used safely and appropriately. This includes providing adequate training and supervision to employees involved in lifting operations and ensuring that equipment is properly maintained and inspected.

Inspection and Maintenance

Employers must maintain lifting equipment in a safe and serviceable condition. This involves regular inspections, maintenance, and repair to ensure that equipment remains in compliance with LOLER regulations and is fit for purpose.

LOLER inspections need to be carried out every 6 months for passenger lifts or every 12 months for goods lifts.

Record-Keeping

LOLER requires employers to keep detailed records of all lifting equipment, including inspection reports, maintenance records, and certification documents. These records must be readily available for inspection by regulatory authorities and can help demonstrate compliance with LOLER requirements.

The guidelines also explain that “where defects are identified, they should be reported to both the person using the equipment (and to any person from whom it has been hired or leased), and the relevant enforcing authority (HSE for industrial workplaces; local authorities for most other workplaces)”

Examples of LOLER Equipment

The sort of equipment that LOLER may apply to are listed below:

Cranes and lifting platforms
Forklift trucks and telehandlers
Hoists and winches
Lifting accessories such as slings, chains, and shackles
Passenger and goods lifts
Mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs)
Dock levellers and loading bays

There are certain types of lifting equipment that may not fall under the LOLER equipment, especially smaller lifts for transporting goods in a workplace. PUWER still applies, though, meaning that businesses and the self-employed have a responsibility.

LOLER regulations play a crucial role in promoting safety and preventing accidents in lifting operations. By adhering to LOLER requirements and prioritising the safe use of lifting equipment, employers can create a safer working environment and protect the welfare of their employees.

What Happens if Businesses Don’t Adhere to LOLER?

Businesses that fail to adhere to the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) in the UK can face serious consequences, both legally and in terms of safety risks. Here are some potential outcomes if businesses don’t comply with LOLER.

A coach company in Wrexham was fined £250,000, a massive sum, for repeatedly failing to comply with legal notices to get lifting equipment examined, breaching Regulation 9(3)(a)(ii) of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations.

As well as fines and penalties, failure to comply with LOLER increases the risk of workplace accidents and injuries. This not only jeopardises the safety and well-being of employees but can also lead to production delays, loss of productivity, and damage to equipment and property.

For all your commercial lift maintenance, repair and servicing needs, contact the experts at Robinsons Facilities Services. Your local, reliable lift maintenance provider.