LOLER inspections & thorough examinations, nationwide
Statutory thorough examinations of cranes, hoists and lifting accessories by competent, LEEA-member engineers. All makes and models — 6 and 12 month examinations, load testing and certification, anywhere in the UK.
Thorough examinations by competent engineers
Under the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER), every business that provides or controls lifting equipment at work must have it thoroughly examined by a competent person at statutory intervals. Granada takes that obligation off your desk.
Our qualified engineers visit your site, examine every item of lifting equipment and every accessory, carry out load testing where required, and issue the reports of thorough examination that prove your compliance — for equipment of any make, whether we supplied it or not.
Granada is a member of LEEA, the Lifting Equipment Engineers Association — the worldwide standard-setting body for the lifting industry.
How often is a LOLER inspection required?
LOLER sets maximum intervals between thorough examinations. Equipment must also be examined before first use, and after installation or reassembly at a new location.
| Equipment | Maximum interval | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Lifting equipment | Every 12 months | Cranes, hoists, lift trucks, telehandlers, vehicle tail lifts |
| Lifting accessories | Every 6 months | Shackles, eyebolts, slings, hooks, lifting beams |
| Equipment lifting people | Every 6 months | Passenger lifts, construction hoists, MEWPs, bath hoists |
| Under an examination scheme | Per the written scheme | Intervals set by a competent person for your specific equipment and environment |
Thorough examinations don't replace pre-use checks: operators should still visually check equipment and accessories before every use. Wear accelerates in wet, abrasive or corrosive environments — a written examination scheme can set shorter intervals where conditions demand it.
What we inspect
If it lifts, lowers or attaches a load, it almost certainly falls under LOLER — and we examine it.
Lifting equipment
Cranes of every type, hoists, runways and supporting structures, lifts, telehandlers, lift trucks and vehicle tail lifts.
Lifting accessories
All below-the-hook equipment that attaches the load to the machine — plus anything used to lift people.
The thorough examination process
Examination by a Competent Person
A systematic examination of structure, mechanisms, safety devices and SWL markings by an engineer with the knowledge and experience LOLER requires — independent of whoever maintains the equipment.
Load Testing Where Required
Testing with calibrated test weights where the competent person deems it necessary, backed by our full testing & certification service.
Report of Thorough Examination
A written report for every item: identification, examination date, next due date and any defects found. Your evidence of compliance for audits, insurers and the HSE.
Defects Handled Properly
Defects are classified by severity and serious defects reported as the law requires — and our team can quote for and carry out the repairs.
What is LOLER?
The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER) require that lifting equipment is strong and stable enough for its use, marked with its safe working load, positioned to minimise risk, used safely by competent people — and thoroughly examined at the statutory intervals above.
LOLER works alongside the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER), which covers all work equipment. A crane's lifting function falls under LOLER; components like a forklift's brakes fall under PUWER — most lifting equipment must satisfy both.
Want the detail? Read our guide to LOLER vs PUWER and your legal obligations, or download the HSE's official guidance, Thorough examination of lifting equipment (INDG422).
LOLER testing near you, wherever you are in the UK
With 60+ engineers operating from our West Midlands and Chester bases, we carry out LOLER inspections and testing across the whole of the UK — as one-off examinations or on a planned schedule through a maintenance contract that keeps every due date covered for you.
LOLER inspections across the UK
Local engineers, local knowledge — find your nearest LOLER inspection team.
LOLER inspection FAQs
A LOLER inspection — properly called a thorough examination — is a detailed, systematic examination of lifting equipment by a competent person, required under the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998. It checks for defects that are, or could become, dangerous, and results in a written report of thorough examination.
Lifting equipment such as cranes and hoists: at least every 12 months. Lifting accessories — slings, shackles, eyebolts, hooks — and any equipment used to lift people: at least every 6 months. Alternatively, intervals can follow a written examination scheme drawn up by a competent person. Equipment must also be examined before first use and after installation or relocation.
A competent person: someone with the theoretical knowledge and practical experience to detect defects and judge their importance, sufficiently independent from whoever maintains the equipment. That's why examinations are typically done by an external specialist. Our engineers examine all makes and models, and Granada is a LEEA member.
Our engineer visits your site and systematically examines the equipment — structure, mechanisms, safety devices and SWL markings — to the extent the competent person determines for that equipment type, including load testing with calibrated test weights where required.
A written report of thorough examination for each item: equipment identification, examination date, next due date and any defects found. Keep reports available for inspection — at least until the next report is issued — as your evidence of compliance.
It depends on severity. Some defects need monitoring or repair by a set date; a defect posing an existing or imminent risk of serious injury means the equipment must not be used until fixed, and the competent person must notify the enforcing authority. We can quote for and carry out any repairs identified.
LOLER applies specifically to lifting equipment and operations; PUWER applies to all work equipment. Lifting equipment usually needs to satisfy both — read our LOLER vs PUWER guide for the full picture.
Yes. As the UK's largest independent overhead crane company, we inspect, test and certify lifting equipment and accessories of all makes and models — not just our own.
Crane servicing and inspection services
Testing & Certification
Load testing with calibrated weights and full certification
Crane Maintenance Contracts
Planned schedules that never let a due date slip
Preventative Maintenance
Catch wear before it becomes downtime
Breakdown & Emergency Repairs
24/7 emergency response, nationwide
Crane Training
Operator and slinger/signaller training on your site
Records & Reporting
Examination records and compliance documentation
Book your LOLER thorough examination today
One-off inspections or a planned schedule that never lets a due date slip — 60+ LEEA-member engineers, all makes and models, UK-wide.
