Thorough Examination (LOLER 98)

Access platforms are designed to help people work at height safely and productively, and require regular inspections and maintenance to keep them safe for use.

UK legislation states that the employer or owner is responsible for all lifting equipment on site and is legally obliged to maintain the equipment in a safe working condition for the use of their employees.

All access platforms are therefore subject to a regular thorough examination (most commonly called LOLER inspection) every six months to identify whether or not the equipment is safe for use, and to report on any defects found that need to be corrected. For material lifting equipment, it is a minimum of every twelve months.

Here's how it works...

The Regulations

A thorough examination in accordance with the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER 98) should be carried out every six months by a competent person, and often more frequently if used in a hostile environment. Records must be kept of all thorough examinations and any defects found must be reported immediately to the responsible person.

What is a competent person?

Someone who has the appropriate practical, theoretical and technical experience of the equipment being examined, allowing them to detect any defects or weaknesses, and subsequently recognise and assess the importance of such defects in relation to the integrity and safe operation of the equipment. This person also needs to be sufficiently independent and impartial to make an objective assessment.

The LOLER 98 Approved Code of Practice and Guidelines (para 294 on competent persons)

You’ll be pleased to know that every one of our engineers is CAP (Competent Assessed Persons) trained to the highest level, with documented evidence to support that they are competent to examine, diagnose and perform thorough examinations on access platforms and material lifting equipment. With this in mind, you can be confident in your equipment, our services and most importantly - your safety whilst working at height!

Failure to comply can validate your insurance, open you up to prosecution or potentially cause an accident resulting in a major injury or fatality due to faulty equipment.

Download the hse guide to loler 98

Inspection & Examination

Twice a year, a competent person must carry out a systematic and detailed examination of every access platform (and its safety critical parts), that you own or operate. They then have to produce a written report which must contain the following information required by LOLER 98:

• Examination date
• Date when the next thorough examination is due
• Any defects found which are (or could potentially become) a danger to people

We’ll send a CAP-trained service engineer to attend your site to carry out a full visual, operational and mechanical examination in accordance with LOLER 98 - with the relevant method and risk assessments – and you’ll receive a report of thorough examination upon completion of meeting the relevant criteria. You’ll be immediately notified if any serious defects are identified whilst we’re onsite.

In many ways it’s like a car MOT inspection. It provides a report which identifies whether or not the equipment is safe to use, and any advice on defects found that need to be corrected.

Report of Thorough Examination

You’ll receive a report of thorough examination for each access platform or material lift, every time it is examined – in the same way as your car or van receives an MoT certification. By law, you must keep a record of each examination on file and make it readily available on request.

The report will identify any defects or weaknesses, and a timescale in which they should be rectified. We’ll also provide an estimate to rectify any issues reported.

You’ll get an electronic report of thorough examination emailed over to you, and we can send a paper version in the post – but don’t worry if you misplace it, we keep a copy on file here should you ever need it!

Download the HSE Simple Guide to Thorough Examination (loler 98)

Hassle-free Reminders

You’ll never forget when next LOLER 98 thorough examination is due, as we kindly remind you one month before, ensuring you are always compliant with the legislation.

Thorough examinations should be conducted every:

• 6 months for lifting equipment and any associated accessories used to lift people
• 6 months for all lifting accessories
• 12 months for all other lifting equipment

Get In Touch

To enquire about obtaining a Report of Thorough Examination, or if you to know more about LOLER 98, please call us on 01480 891251 or email service@accessplatforms.co.uk.