LOLER regulations require all lifting operations to be properly planned and supervised by a ‘competent person’. LOLER also requires that all lifting equipment must undergo regular examinations by a qualified technician to ensure that it is fit for purpose — it is the responsibility of the business who own or rent the equipment to make sure these examinations take place. The piece of equipment must then be appropriately marked and records of each examination must be kept, with any defects being reported to the person responsible for the equipment and the relevant enforcing authority (the HSE for industrial workplaces and the local authority in most others).

It should be noted that a LOLER inspection, known officially as a ‘thorough examination’, is not the same as routine maintenance such as replacing worn or damaged parts, topping up fluid levels, or making minor adjustments. LOLER testing must be performed by what is known officially as a ‘competent person’: someone qualified to perform the thorough examination.