Lifting Equipment Inspections Explained
What is a Lifting Equipment / LOLER Examination?
A lifting equipment examination (sometimes referred to as a lifting equipment inspection or LOLER inspection) is a formal safety assessment carried out to confirm that lifting machinery and accessories are in safe working condition and suitable for continued use. In both the UK and Ireland, Lifting equipment / LOLER examinations must be completed by a competent person at legally defined intervals, and it involves checking for defects, assessing wear, and verifying that the equipment meets required safety standards.
Although the specific regulations differ—LOLER applies in the UK, while Ireland uses the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Regulations—the purpose is the same: to ensure lifting operations are properly controlled, risks are minimised, and equipment remains compliant, certified, and safe for everyday use.
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What Types of Lifting Equipment Do We Inspect?
A wide range of lifting equipment requires routine thorough examination to ensure it remains safe, compliant, and fit for use across different industries. Our inspections cover both machinery and lifting accessories including:
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Forklift inspection — assessing forks, masts, hydraulics, chains, brakes, and safety systems.
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Jack inspection — checking mechanical condition, load capacity, seals, and stability.
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Tail lift inspection — examining lifting platforms, hydraulics, controls, and structural components.
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Lifting beam inspection — verifying integrity, connection points, and load-bearing capability.
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Crane inspection — covering structural elements, wire ropes, hoists, brakes, and safety devices.
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Vehicle lift inspection — ensuring lifting arms, pads, hydraulics, and locking mechanisms are safe.
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Patient hoist inspection — checking frames, slings, spreader bars, and lifting mechanisms for safe patient handling.
Experience the Carn Difference
Why Choose Carn Engineering For Your Lifting Equipment / LOLER Examination?
✔ Comprehensive inspections — Covering all major lifting equipment types, from forklifts and cranes to patient hoists and vehicle lifts.
✔ Fully compliant assessments — Aligned with LOLER in the UK and the General Application Regulations in Ireland.
✔ Experienced, multi-disciplined engineers — We can take care of all of your engineering inspection needs saving you time, money and hassle.
✔ Flexible service options — Available for one‑off examinations or scheduled inspection programmes across multiple sites.
✔ Sector‑wide expertise — Supporting manufacturing, logistics, construction, automotive, healthcare, and more.
✔ On-line client portal — Access all of your past, and current reports along with your upcoming scheduled inspections.
We Travel Far & Wide
Where Do We Provide Lifting Equipment / LOLER Examinations?
We provide lifting equipment / LOLER examinations (sometimes referred to as a lifting equipment inspections or LOLER inspections) across all of Ireland and the UK. Our coverage includes major cities, rural areas, industrial hubs, and construction sites, ensuring every client—no matter their location—has access to reliable, accredited lifting equipment / LOLER examinations.
Whether you operate a single site or manage multiple locations across regions, our team delivers consistent, high‑quality examinations to keep your lifting equipment fully compliant and your operations running safely.
Know Your Obligations
When Do You Need a Lifting Equipment / LOLER Examination?
A lifting equipment / LOLER examination is required at various intervals throughout its life in service:
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When Lifting Equipment Is First Put Into Service — When lifting equipment is put into service for the first time, a lifting equipment / LOLER examination is required. This is normally covered by the CE or UKCA and subsequent Declaration of Conformity.
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When lifting equipment is installed — When equipment is installed, or moved and re-installed, it must undergo a lifting equipment / LOLER examination to ensure that the equipment has been installed correctly and is safe to operate.
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When lifting equipment has been in service for a period of time — Lifting equipment must undergo a thorough lifting equipment / LOLER examination after being in service for a period of time to ensure that it hasn’t deteriorated to a point where it could or has become a danger. The legislation in the UK and ROI specifies the intervals between these examinations as:
- Lifting accessories – every 6 months
- Lifting equipment – every 12 months
- Lifting equipment used for lifting or lowering person – every 6 months
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Each time exceptional circumstances involving lifting equipment have occurred — There is a requirement for a thorough lifting equipment examination each time exceptional circumstances, which are liable to jeopardise the safety of the lifting equipment, have occurred. A thorough examination is also required following any significant change which may affect the safe operation of the lifting equipment. These include:
- Its involvement in an accident or dangerous occurrence such as overloading, component failure etc
- After a significant change in conditions of use such as increase in use, change in loading (e.g. from inert loads to chemicals) or work environment (e.g. moving from indoor to outdoor use)
- Long periods out of use
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