Lift LOLER Inspections: Passenger, Platform, Car & Goods Lifts
Passenger lifts, platform lifts, car lifts and goods lifts all play an important role in keeping workplaces, buildings and operations moving. But when were they last thoroughly examined?
At Mech Inspect, our Engineering Surveyors have recently been carrying out Thorough Examinations on a wide range of lifts and lifting equipment across commercial, industrial, property management, logistics and other working environments.
From passenger lifts and platform lifts to car lifts and goods lifts, understanding when a lift requires a Thorough Examination is an important part of managing workplace safety and compliance.
What is a LOLER Thorough Examination?
A LOLER Thorough Examination is a systematic and detailed examination of lifting equipment and its safety-critical components, carried out by a competent person.
The purpose is to identify deterioration, defects or weaknesses that could affect the safe continued use of the equipment.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) states that lifts used at work are among the types of lifting equipment that can require Thorough Examination under the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER).
A Thorough Examination is different from routine servicing or maintenance. A lift can be regularly serviced and maintained while still requiring a separate Thorough Examination by a competent person.
The examination should result in a written report detailing the examination, relevant findings and the date when the next examination is due.
What types of lifts require LOLER examination?
The exact requirements depend on how the equipment is used, but lifts used for work activities can fall within LOLER requirements.
At Mech Inspect, we regularly encounter a wide range of lifting equipment, including:
Passenger Lifts
Passenger lifts are used to transport people between different levels within buildings such as offices, residential developments, hotels, hospitals, educational facilities and commercial premises.
Where a lift is used at work to carry people, HSE guidance states that it normally requires Thorough Examination at six-monthly intervals, unless an examination scheme specifies another interval.
Because passenger lifts transport people, maintaining a suitable examination regime is particularly important.
Platform Lifts
Platform lifts can provide important accessibility between different levels in buildings.
Depending on where and how a platform lift is installed and used, different legislation and safety requirements can apply. For equipment used in work activities, the dutyholder needs to establish the appropriate inspection and examination arrangements.
This is why getting advice from a competent inspection provider is important if you are unsure what requirements apply to your equipment.
Car Lifts
Car lifts are used to raise and lower vehicles between different levels and are commonly found in commercial premises, vehicle workshops, dealerships, parking facilities and specialist buildings.
Where a car lift is used for lifting vehicles as part of work activities, it may fall within the scope of LOLER.
A Thorough Examination helps identify defects or deterioration that could affect the safe lifting of the vehicle.
Goods Lifts
Goods lifts are designed primarily to transport materials, products and other loads rather than passengers.
Where goods lifts are used at work, they may require LOLER Thorough Examination. HSE guidance states that lifting equipment used only to move goods will normally be subject to examination at 12-monthly intervals, unless an examination scheme specifies otherwise.
Goods lifts are particularly important in warehouses, factories, logistics facilities, retail premises and commercial buildings where materials are regularly moved between floors.
How often does a lift need a LOLER Thorough Examination?
There is no single interval that applies to every piece of lifting equipment.
Under the standard LOLER intervals, HSE guidance states that:
Lifts used to lift people: normally every 6 months
Lifts used only for goods: normally every 12 months
A competent person may establish an examination scheme that specifies different examination intervals where appropriate.
Thorough Examination may also be required following certain circumstances that could affect the safety or integrity of the equipment, such as significant damage, failure, major modification or other exceptional circumstances.
If you're unsure when your lift is due, checking the previous Thorough Examination report is a good starting point.
Is a lift service the same as a LOLER Thorough Examination?
No.
This is one of the most important points for lift owners and facilities managers to understand.
Routine servicing and maintenance are essential for keeping a lift in good working order.
However, a LOLER Thorough Examination is a separate statutory examination carried out by a competent person.
HSE guidance specifically distinguishes Thorough Examination from routine maintenance and servicing.
In simple terms:
Servicing = maintaining the lift.
Thorough Examination = independently assessing whether the lifting equipment remains safe for continued use.
Both can be important parts of an effective lift management programme.
What happens during a lift Thorough Examination?
The examination needs to be appropriate to the equipment and its use.
A competent person considers the condition of the lift and its safety-critical components, looking for defects, deterioration and other issues that could affect safe operation.
The examination may consider areas such as:
Structural components
Lifting mechanisms
Safety devices
Doors and gates
Chains, ropes or other lifting components where applicable
Safety-critical connections
Load-bearing components
Protective devices
Signs of wear or deterioration
Evidence of damage or modification
Other components relevant to the specific lift
The exact scope depends on the design, construction, use and condition of the equipment.
The purpose isn't simply to produce a certificate.
It's to identify problems before they become a danger to people.
What happens if a lift fails its Thorough Examination?
If a defect is identified that is, or could become, a danger to people, the dutyholder needs to take appropriate action.
Depending on the nature and severity of the defect, this can mean the equipment should not be used until the issue has been addressed.
The Thorough Examination report should identify relevant defects and provide the information needed for the dutyholder to take appropriate action.
This is why a Thorough Examination should be viewed as an important part of your overall safety management system — rather than simply another piece of paperwork.
Why choose an independent lift inspection company?
Independence and impartiality are important when carrying out Thorough Examinations.
HSE guidance states that a competent person should have the appropriate practical and theoretical knowledge and experience to identify defects or weaknesses and assess their significance.
The person carrying out the Thorough Examination should also be sufficiently independent and impartial to make objective decisions.
At Mech Inspect, our role is to provide independent statutory examinations for businesses responsible for lifting equipment.
Our Engineering Surveyors work across a wide range of equipment and industries, providing LOLER, PUWER and PSSR examination services.
Recent lift inspections by Mech Inspect
Our recent inspection work has included a range of different lift types, including:
Passenger Lifts
Used to transport people safely between floors.
Platform Lifts
Often used where accessibility between different levels is required.
Car Lifts
Designed to raise and lower vehicles in specialist commercial and industrial environments.
Goods Lifts
Used to move materials and goods between different levels.
Each type of equipment has its own design, application and potential risks, which is why Thorough Examinations need to be carried out by someone with the appropriate knowledge and experience.
Managing lift compliance across multiple buildings?
For facilities managers, property managers and organisations responsible for multiple sites, keeping track of lift examination dates can quickly become difficult.
You may have:
Multiple buildings
Passenger and goods lifts
Different examination dates
Different equipment manufacturers
Several contractors
Maintenance records
Previous Thorough Examination reports
Defects requiring follow-up
A missed examination date can create unnecessary disruption and potentially leave equipment unavailable for use.
Having a clear examination schedule and working with a reliable inspection provider can make managing statutory examinations considerably easier.
Mech Inspect — Independent Lift LOLER Examinations
At Mech Inspect, we provide independent LOLER Thorough Examinations for a wide range of lifting equipment across the UK.
Our services support businesses across sectors including:
Property management
Facilities management
Warehousing and logistics
Construction
Education
Manufacturing
Aviation
Commercial property
Industrial operations
We also provide LOLER inspection services across the Heathrow area and have experience working within complex operational environments.
Whether you are responsible for a single lift or multiple pieces of lifting equipment across several sites, our team can help you understand your examination requirements and keep your inspection programme on track.
Is your lift due for examination?
Don't wait until an examination date has passed.
If you're responsible for a passenger lift, platform lift, car lift, goods lift or other lifting equipment and you're unsure when the next Thorough Examination is due, Mech Inspect can help.
📞 0330 043 3448
Need a lift LOLER inspection? Get in touch with Mech Inspect today.
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