LOLER regulation 9 requires passenger-carrying lifts to be thoroughly examined every 6 months (goods lifts every 12 months) by a competent person independent of the maintainer. A lift without a current LOLER report should not be in service. Reports of Defect are RIDDOR-reportable and demand immediate action.
What LOLER requires
The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER) apply to any equipment used at work for lifting or lowering loads, including passenger lifts. Regulation 9 sets the examination intervals:
| Equipment | Interval | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Lifts carrying people | Every 6 months | LOLER reg 9(3)(a) |
| Lifts lifting goods only | Every 12 months | LOLER reg 9(3)(b) |
| Any lifting equipment under a written scheme | As specified in the scheme | Drawn up by a competent person |
| After exceptional circumstances (damage, major modification, long out of use) | Before return to service | LOLER reg 9(3) |
A thorough examination is not the same as routine servicing. It is a systematic, formal examination by a competent person independent of the maintainer, resulting in a written report. Servicing keeps the lift running. The examination is the evidence that it is safe.
If you are unclear which regime applies to a hoist, a platform lift or a stairlift, our LOLER versus PUWER comparison draws the line.
Independence
The Approved Code of Practice (L113) is explicit: the competent person must be sufficiently independent and impartial to allow objective decisions to be made. In practice this rules out your maintenance contractor conducting your LOLER examination. Duty holders use one of:
- An insurance-appointed engineer surveyor
- A dedicated inspection body accredited by UKAS to ISO/IEC 17020
- A SAFed member firm operating a UKAS-accredited scheme
The single most common compliance failure we see is a maintenance contract that bundles the "LOLER inspection" into the service visit. That report is not independent, and an enforcing officer will treat the building as unexamined.
The report
The LOLER report must specify the date of examination, the identity of the competent person and their organisation, whether the lift was safe for continued use, any defects that are or could become a danger, the date by which each defect must be rectified, and the next examination date.
Reports must be sent to the duty holder within 28 days and retained for at least two years, or until the next report is issued, whichever is later.
Reports of Defect
If the competent person finds a defect presenting an existing or imminent risk of serious personal injury, they issue a Report of Defect and notify the relevant enforcing authority. The lift must be taken out of service immediately and remain out of service until the defect is rectified and the competent person confirms it is safe to return to use.
Practical point for managing agents: a Report of Defect on the only passenger lift in a residential block creates an access problem for residents with reduced mobility within hours. Have a decant or assistance plan agreed before you need it.
Common defect categories
| Defect | Typical cause | Usual outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Suspension ropes with broken wires or excessive wear | Age, misalignment, poor lubrication | Rope replacement, short remediation window |
| Brake not adjusted to specification | Wear, missed servicing | Immediate adjustment and retest |
| Overspeed governor not tripping at rated speed | Contamination, age | Governor overhaul or replacement |
| Safety gear failing the test drop | Corrosion, seized linkage | Out of service until rectified |
| Landing door interlocks fouled or overridden | Damage, poor door alignment | Immediate, common Report of Defect item |
| Machine room fire compartmentation breached | Cable penetrations after works | Fire stopping, cross-refers to the fire risk assessment |
The last one is worth flagging to whoever holds your fire risk assessment, because it is a fire safety finding recorded in a lift report and it routinely falls between two contractors.
Sitting alongside PUWER
PUWER 1998 imposes the underlying duty to maintain work equipment in efficient working order and good repair. LOLER is the specific regime for lifting equipment. Both apply in parallel: PUWER covers day-to-day maintenance and safe use, LOLER covers periodic thorough examination. Neither substitutes for the other.
When examination points to modernisation
Repeat defects on the same components, obsolete controller cards and rising callout counts are a capital signal, not a maintenance signal. Our lift modernisation planning guide sets out the trigger points, scope options and realistic costs.
Choosing an independent examiner
Look for SAFed membership, UKAS accreditation to ISO/IEC 17020, and professional indemnity cover appropriate to the portfolio value. A good examiner will publish attendance SLAs, typically five working days for a scheduled examination and 24 hours for a defect re-verification.
Evidence pack
- Current LOLER report for every lift, within its interval
- Register of lifts with next-due dates
- Maintenance log for the past 12 months
- Records of any Reports of Defect and their remediation
- Competent person accreditation certificate
- Insurance schedule showing engineering inspection cover
A lift without a current LOLER report is out of compliance regardless of how well it runs. The examination is the evidence, not the condition.
Working with TICDesk
TICDesk is a UK procurement desk for testing, inspection and compliance work. Tell us how many lifts you have, who maintains them and when the last examination was, and we introduce up to three vetted lift maintenance companies or independent engineering inspection bodies, typically within 48 hours. The service is free to the client and TICDesk earns a success fee from the contractor. Visit our lifts desk or open a brief.
Frequently asked
How often is a LOLER thorough examination?
Every 6 months for passenger-carrying lifts, every 12 months for goods-only lifts, unless a written scheme of examination drawn up by a competent person sets a different interval.
Can my lift maintainer also do the LOLER inspection?
The competent person must be sufficiently independent of the maintainer to give an objective assessment. In practice, duty holders use an insurance-appointed inspector or a dedicated inspection body, not the maintainer.
What is a Report of Defect?
A notification under LOLER Schedule 1 that a lift presents an existing or imminent risk of serious personal injury. It is RIDDOR-reportable and the lift must be taken out of service until rectified.
What is a written scheme of examination?
An alternative to the default 6/12-month intervals, a bespoke examination regime drawn up by a competent person, based on the lift's use and risk profile, and reviewed periodically.
Sources & further reading
