What Happens If Your LOLER Inspection Is Overdue?

Has your LOLER inspection date passed? Don't panic — but don't keep using the equipment either.

For businesses that rely on lifting equipment, missing a LOLER thorough examination date can happen surprisingly easily. A reminder gets missed, an engineer is unavailable, a machine is moved between sites, or a busy period takes priority.

But once equipment is overdue for its required thorough examination, it is important to deal with the situation quickly.

Can you use lifting equipment if the LOLER inspection is overdue?

The HSE advises that lifting equipment used at work should not be overdue for examination.

LOLER places responsibility on the dutyholder to ensure that lifting equipment is safe to use and subject to the required thorough examinations.

If the examination date has passed, the safest approach is to take the equipment out of service until a competent person has completed the required examination.

This applies whether you have a single piece of lifting equipment or manage hundreds of assets across multiple sites.

What should you do if your LOLER inspection has expired?

If you discover that an item is overdue, there are several straightforward steps to take.

1. Stop using the equipment

Do not continue using lifting equipment simply because it appears to be in good condition.

A LOLER thorough examination is a systematic examination of safety-critical parts carried out by a competent person. It is not the same as routine maintenance or a visual check.

2. Check when the previous examination was completed

Locate the previous LOLER report and confirm:

• The date of the last thorough examination

• The equipment identification or asset number

• The required examination interval

• Any defects or recommendations recorded

• The next examination date

This also helps identify whether other equipment on the same site may be approaching its examination date.

3. Arrange a competent person to carry out the examination

A thorough examination must be carried out by someone with the appropriate practical and theoretical knowledge and experience for the equipment being examined. The HSE also highlights the importance of appropriate independence and impartiality.

At Mechanical Inspection Services, our Engineering Surveyors carry out independent LOLER thorough examinations across a wide range of lifting equipment.

4. Don't forget the rest of your equipment

Finding one overdue asset is often a sign that other examination dates may have been missed too.

Check your lifting equipment register for:

Passenger & goods lifts | MEWPs | Forklifts | Hoists | Cranes | Tail lifts | Lifting accessories | Lifting beams | Platform lifts | Other lifting equipment

Remember that different equipment can have different examination intervals. Under the standard LOLER arrangements, equipment used to lift people and lifting accessories are generally examined every 6 months, while other lifting equipment is generally examined every 12 months, unless a written examination scheme specifies different intervals.

What if the equipment is overdue by only a few days?

It is still important to arrange the examination as soon as possible.

There isn't a practical benefit in waiting because the equipment is only slightly overdue. The HSE's guidance is clear that lifting equipment should not be used when it is overdue for examination.

The priority should be to get the equipment examined by a competent person and establish that it is safe to return to service.

What happens if a defect is found?

An overdue examination doesn't automatically mean the equipment will fail.

The purpose of a thorough examination is to assess the condition of the equipment and identify defects or weaknesses that could affect its safe use.

If a defect is found that is, or could become, a danger to people, the dutyholder must take appropriate action. In serious cases, the equipment should not be used until the defect has been rectified.

The examination report will document the findings and any action required.

How can you prevent LOLER inspections becoming overdue?

The easiest way to avoid last-minute compliance problems is to maintain a reliable asset register containing:

• Equipment description

• Asset or identification number

• Location

• Last examination date

• Next examination due date

• Examination report

• Outstanding defects or actions

• Responsible contact

Digital records can make this much easier to manage, particularly when you have equipment spread across several locations. The HSE confirms that LOLER examination records can be maintained electronically, provided they are protected from unauthorised alteration and can be produced when required.

Need an urgent LOLER inspection?

If your LOLER examination date has passed, don't wait until your next routine inspection cycle.

Mechanical Inspection Services provides independent LOLER thorough examinations for businesses across the UK, including London, Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Hampshire and the wider South East.

We inspect a wide range of lifting equipment and can support businesses managing individual assets, multiple sites or large equipment fleets.

Our aim is simple:

Keep your equipment compliant, your people safe and your operations moving.

Need a LOLER inspection?

Contact Mechanical Inspection Services today.

📞 0330 043 3448 📧 info@mechinspect.co.uk

Nationwide coverage | Independent Engineering Surveyors | Fast response | Instant certification