How often is a LOLER thorough examination?

Every 6 months for passenger-carrying lifts and every 12 months for goods-only lifts, unless a written scheme of examination sets different intervals.

Can my maintainer do the LOLER inspection?

The Competent Person must be sufficiently independent of the maintainer to give an objective assessment. Most duty holders use a separate insurance-appointed inspector.

What is a Report of Defect?

An immediate notification under LOLER Schedule 1 that a lift presents an existing or imminent risk of serious injury. The HSE must be notified and the defect rectified before further use.

Lift maintenance learning hub

Lift Maintenance

Statutory LOLER thorough examinations, planned preventative maintenance, callout SLAs and entrapment response — the day-to-day compliance of passenger and goods lifts.

In short

Every passenger lift needs a LOLER thorough examination every six months by a competent person independent of the maintainer. Reports of Defect (RIDDOR-reportable defects) must be actioned immediately. Failure to hold a valid LOLER report is enforcement territory.

Legal snapshot

What the law says

LOLER 1998, regulation 9: Thorough examination of passenger-carrying lifts every 6 months; goods lifts every 12 months.
PUWER 1998: General duty to maintain work equipment in efficient working order and good repair.
Lifts Regulations 2016: Placing on the market of new lifts and safety components — CE / UKCA conformity.
BS EN 13015 + BS 7255: Maintenance instructions for lifts and safe working on lifts.

On the ground

Common problems & fixes

LOLER report overdue
Fix, Appoint a UKAS-accredited independent Competent Person immediately; the lift should not be in service without a current report.
Report of Defect not actioned
Fix, Treat as a stop-work notice: isolate, brief the maintainer, evidence remediation before returning to service.
Entrapment response above 30 minutes
Fix, Move to a maintainer offering a 30-minute entrapment SLA, backed by SAFed accreditation.
Log book missing from motor room
Fix, Digital log with monthly PPM records satisfies the Competent Person on visit day.

Pillar guide6 min read

LOLER Thorough Examinations for Lifts: Duty Holder Guide

Six-monthly LOLER thorough examinations, Reports of Defect, RIDDOR notification and choosing a competent independent examiner under LOLER 1998.

Read the full guide

All lift maintenance guides

1 guide

Cluster guides for this niche are publishing shortly. The pillar guide above covers the full duty-holder journey while we finish the deeper breakdowns.

FAQ

Frequently asked

How often is a LOLER thorough examination?: Every 6 months for passenger-carrying lifts and every 12 months for goods-only lifts, unless a written scheme of examination sets different intervals.
Can my maintainer do the LOLER inspection?: The Competent Person must be sufficiently independent of the maintainer to give an objective assessment. Most duty holders use a separate insurance-appointed inspector.
What is a Report of Defect?: An immediate notification under LOLER Schedule 1 that a lift presents an existing or imminent risk of serious injury. The HSE must be notified and the defect rectified before further use.

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