If you own or manage a building with a lift, LOLER compliance is a legal obligation you cannot afford to get wrong. The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 require all lifts used by employees or members of the public to undergo regular thorough examinations by a competent person. Miss an examination, fail to act on a report, or use an unqualified examiner and you face HSE enforcement action, prohibition notices and potential liability for any injuries that result.
This guide covers everything building owners and facilities managers need to know about LOLER inspections for lifts, what the regulations actually require, how often examinations must take place, what happens during and after an inspection, and how to ensure your building stays continuously compliant.
What is LOLER and Who Does it Apply To?
LOLER stands for the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998. It is a piece of UK health and safety legislation that places specific duties on anyone who owns, operates or has control over lifting equipment used at work. For building owners and facilities managers, LOLER applies to any lift in the building that is used by employees or members of the public, which in practice means virtually every commercial, residential, public sector and healthcare lift in the UK.
LOLER applies regardless of who owns the lift. If you manage a building and the lift in it is used by employees, tenants, residents, visitors or members of the public, you are the duty holder and LOLER obligations apply to you. This is an important point for managing agents, facilities management companies and property managers. The obligation sits with whoever has control of the equipment, not necessarily the equipment owner.
LOLER works alongside PUWER (Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998), which requires all work equipment including lifts to be maintained in an efficient state and good repair. A planned lift maintenance contract addresses PUWER obligations. A LOLER thorough examination addresses the statutory inspection obligation. The two are complementary but separate. Having a maintenance contract does not fulfil your LOLER examination requirement.
What is a LOLER Thorough Examination?
A LOLER thorough examination is a statutory inspection of a lift carried out by a competent person, an independent examiner with the technical knowledge, experience and qualifications to assess whether the lift is safe for continued use. It is not a maintenance visit, a service call or a general condition check. It is a systematic, documented assessment of the lift’s safety-critical components, designed to identify defects that could create a risk of injury.
The examination covers the lift car, doors and landing equipment, safety devices including overspeed governors, buffers and safety gears, structural components, the drive system, ropes or hydraulic equipment, electrical safety systems and any other components that are safety-critical. The examiner assesses whether each element is in a condition that is safe for continued use and identifies any defects requiring attention.
Critically, a LOLER thorough examination must be carried out by a person who is genuinely independent of the maintenance and operation of the equipment. In most cases this means using a specialist LOLER examination provider rather than your regular maintenance engineer, who cannot act as a competent person for their own client’s equipment under most interpretations of the regulation.
How Often Must Lifts Be Examined Under LOLER?
Examination frequency is one of the most commonly misunderstood aspects of LOLER compliance. The regulations set out default examination intervals based on the type of lift and how it is used, but these can be varied by a written examination scheme prepared by a competent person.
Passenger lifts
Lifts used to carry people must be thoroughly examined at least every six months. This applies to all passenger lifts in commercial buildings, offices, retail premises, hotels, hospitals, care homes, residential blocks and public buildings. Six months is the default maximum interval. A competent person may specify a shorter interval if the condition or usage of the lift warrants it.
Goods lifts and service lifts
Lifts used exclusively to carry goods and not people must be thoroughly examined at least every twelve months. If a goods lift is ever used to carry a person, for maintenance access for example, the six-month interval applies.
Dumbwaiters
Dumbwaiters are goods-only service lifts and fall under the twelve-month examination interval as standard, provided they are never used to carry people.
Platform lifts and step lifts
Platform lifts used to carry people, including wheelchair users, are subject to the six-month examination interval. Step lifts follow the same rule. These are frequently missed by building owners who assume that smaller or slower lifts have less onerous examination requirements. They do not.
Stairlifts and through floor lifts
Stairlifts and through floor lifts used by employees or in common areas of residential buildings are subject to LOLER and require examination at least every six months. Stairlifts used exclusively in a private dwelling by the occupant are outside the scope of LOLER, though this changes if the property is managed or let.
Written examination schemes
LOLER allows the default intervals to be varied by a written examination scheme prepared by a competent person. A written scheme might specify more frequent examinations for a heavily used or ageing lift, or in some cases less frequent examinations where the competent person is satisfied that the equipment’s condition and usage justify it. If your examination provider has prepared a written scheme for your lift, the intervals in that scheme take precedence over the default intervals.
LOLER and the Building Safety Act 2022
For owners and managers of higher-risk residential buildings, broadly residential buildings that are at least 18 metres high or have at least seven storeys and at least two residential units, the Building Safety Act 2022 adds an additional compliance layer that directly affects LOLER obligations.
Under the Building Safety Act, an Accountable Person carries ongoing duties to manage building safety risks, including a requirement to maintain a building safety case that the Building Safety Regulator can call in for review. Lifts in higher-risk buildings sit within the building safety case. LOLER thorough examination reports are the primary documentary evidence that lift safety is being managed correctly within that case.
For Accountable Persons managing higher-risk buildings, this means LOLER documentation is no longer just a compliance record. It is a core element of the building safety case. Gaps in examination history, overdue examinations or defects not actioned within the timeframes specified in examination reports all represent risks to the building safety case and potential regulatory exposure.
What Happens During a LOLER Lift Inspection?
Understanding what the examiner does during a LOLER inspection helps building managers prepare properly and respond appropriately to the findings.
Before the inspection. The examiner will typically request the lift’s previous examination report, service history and any records of repairs or modifications since the last examination. Having this documentation ready reduces delays. The lift should be clean and accessible. The examiner needs to access the lift pit, the car top and the machine room or drive system.
During the inspection. The examiner carries out a systematic visual and physical assessment of all safety-critical components. This includes checking structural integrity, safety device functionality, door operation and interlocking, rope or hydraulic equipment condition, electrical safety systems and the general condition of the equipment. The lift will be operated in various modes and at various speeds. The examiner may carry out specific tests including emergency stop tests and safety gear or buffer tests depending on the lift type.
After the inspection. The examiner produces a written report setting out the findings. The report will classify any defects found and specify the action required and the timeframe within which it must be completed.
Understanding Your LOLER Examination Report
The written report produced after a LOLER thorough examination is a legal document. It must be retained and, if it identifies a defect, acted upon within the timeframes specified. Reports typically classify defects in one of three ways.
Danger to persons, immediate prohibition. If the examiner identifies a defect that presents an immediate danger to persons, the lift must be taken out of service immediately. The examiner is required to notify the relevant enforcing authority, typically the HSE or local authority, as well as the duty holder. The lift cannot be returned to service until the defect is remedied and the examiner is satisfied it is safe. Operating a lift in defiance of this finding is a serious breach of health and safety law.
Defect requiring repair within a specified period. The examiner identifies a defect that does not present an immediate danger but could become dangerous if not addressed. The report specifies a timeframe within which the repair must be completed, typically between 14 days and 28 days depending on severity. The duty holder must arrange the repair and retain evidence that it was completed within the specified period. Failure to act within the timeframe is a breach of LOLER.
Observation or recommendation. The examiner notes something that does not currently require mandatory action but warrants monitoring or attention at the next examination. These are not legally binding obligations but should be noted and factored into your maintenance planning.
Retaining examination reports is a legal requirement. Reports for equipment used to carry people should be retained until the next examination. Reports identifying defects should be retained for two years. In practice, retaining all reports for the lifetime of the equipment is the safest approach and the one recommended by the HSE.
LOLER Compliance: Common Mistakes Building Owners Make
Assuming maintenance covers LOLER. A lift maintenance contract addresses PUWER obligations. It does not fulfil the LOLER thorough examination requirement. These are two separate legal obligations requiring two separate professional interventions. Many building owners discover this distinction only when an HSE visit or an insurance audit raises the question.
Letting examinations become overdue. With multiple lifts across one or more buildings, it is easy for examination due dates to slip. A lift that is one day overdue for its six-month examination is technically non-compliant. A system for tracking examination due dates is essential for any building with more than one or two lifts.
Using the maintenance engineer as the examiner. The LOLER examiner must be independent of the maintenance and operation of the equipment. Using your maintenance engineer to carry out the thorough examination is a common shortcut that does not satisfy the independence requirement and leaves the duty holder exposed.
Not acting on report findings within specified timeframes. Receiving the examination report and filing it without acting on any identified defects within the specified timeframes is a breach of LOLER in its own right. The report creates a legally documented obligation. Ignoring it does not make the obligation disappear.
Not retaining documentation. HSE inspectors and insurers may request examination reports going back several years. If records have not been retained, the duty holder cannot demonstrate compliance for the periods in question.
How Deltron Helps Building Owners Stay LOLER Compliant
Deltron provides LOLER inspections for all types of lifting equipment across the UK, including passenger lifts, goods lifts, platform lifts, dumbwaiters, stairlifts and through floor lifts. Our examiners are qualified competent persons who carry out thorough examinations to the standard required by LOLER 1998, and every examination is followed by a formal written report.
For building owners managing multiple lifts or multiple sites, we provide examination scheduling and documentation management to ensure no examination becomes overdue and all reports are retained and accessible. If remedial works are identified in an examination report, our engineering team can carry out the repairs and provide evidence of completion within the timeframes specified.
We also provide lift maintenance contracts to address your PUWER obligations alongside your LOLER examinations, giving you a single provider managing both the ongoing maintenance and the statutory inspection requirements for your lifting equipment.
Book a LOLER inspection or contact our team to discuss your compliance requirements. Call us on 0330 124 2169.
Frequently Asked Questions About LOLER Lift Inspections
What is a LOLER inspection for a lift?
A LOLER inspection, more accurately called a thorough examination, is a statutory safety assessment of a lift carried out by an independent competent person under the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998. It assesses whether the lift is safe for continued use and must be carried out at defined intervals. It is separate from and in addition to routine maintenance.
How often does a lift need a LOLER inspection?
Passenger lifts must be thoroughly examined at least every six months. Goods lifts and dumbwaiters used exclusively to carry goods must be examined at least every twelve months. Platform lifts and step lifts used to carry people follow the six-month interval. These frequencies can be varied by a written examination scheme prepared by a competent person.
Who can carry out a LOLER lift inspection?
The examination must be carried out by a competent person who is independent of the maintenance and operation of the equipment. In practice this means using a specialist LOLER examination provider rather than your regular maintenance engineer, who cannot act as the competent person for equipment they maintain.
What happens if a LOLER inspection identifies a defect?
The examiner produces a written report classifying the defect. If the defect presents an immediate danger the lift must be taken out of service immediately. Other defects must be remedied within the timeframe specified in the report, typically between 14 and 28 days. Failure to act within the specified timeframe is a breach of LOLER.
Is a LOLER inspection the same as a lift service?
No. A lift service is planned preventative maintenance carried out to keep the lift in reliable working order and addresses PUWER obligations. A LOLER thorough examination is a statutory safety inspection carried out by an independent competent person and addresses LOLER obligations. Both are required and neither replaces the other.
How long should LOLER inspection reports be kept?
Reports for lifting equipment used to carry people should be retained until the next examination. Reports identifying defects should be kept for at least two years. In practice, retaining all reports for the full operational life of the equipment is the safest approach and is recommended by the HSE.
What are the consequences of not having a LOLER inspection?
Operating a lift without a current LOLER thorough examination is a criminal offence under health and safety law. Consequences can include HSE improvement notices, prohibition notices preventing use of the lift, significant fines, and personal liability for building owners and managers if an injury occurs to a person using an uncertified lift.
Does LOLER apply to residential lifts?
LOLER applies to lifts used at work or by members of the public. In residential buildings this includes lifts in common areas of flats, residential care homes and supported living facilities. A stairlift or home lift used exclusively within a private dwelling by the occupant is generally outside the scope of LOLER, though the position changes if the property is let or managed.
