Loler Inspection Repair, Servicing and Maintenance

Do you require a Loler inspection or Quote?

Experienced and Specialised

Platform Lifts, Passenger Lifts, Service Lifts, Goods Lifts, Home Lifts, Stair Lifts, Scissor Lift (Person and Goods)

Base Lift Services Technicians provide LOLER INSPECTIONS for all types of lifts including traditional passenger lifts, as well as having the specific knowledge for LOLER across the accessibility / Platform / wheelchair lift segments.

As well as offering LOLER on the main passenger lift brands, our technicians have the specialist knowledge to perform LOLER on Aritco, Cibes, Dalby, Gartec, Kalea, Motala, Nami, NTD, Phoenix, Pollock, Stannah and Vimec.

Under the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (known as LOLER) and the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (known as PUWER) passenger and goods lifts, and lifting equipment are required to have a regular examination.

Lift Examination Visits

It is often essential to our customers that examinations to be carried out with the least possible disruption to their businesses. We are primed to work with all customers to keep interruptions to an absolute minimum, whilst of course ensuring our examinations are thorough and effective.

Customers Under Maintenance/Service Contract With Base

If customers whom are under contract with us require a LOLER examination for insurance purposes we offer to perform a LOLER at a special reduced and fixed rate. These can be performed at the time of service or at any other time through the year to meet our customer’s requirements. There is no obligation to use us for your LOLER examinations, which is often offered by your insurance company.

It is important however to keep in mind that if the insurance company find any faults they will not offer to remedy, and will just turn the lift off. As a lift service company, specialising in the equipment you have on site, we will always aim to reinstate your lift, remedying non-compliant items and limiting or eliminating any downtime.

We would suggest if you require any clarity on your requirements or what is provided by your insurers,  please liaise with your insurance company.

The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER) were created with the aim of establishing the safest workplace for all persons using, or coming into contact with, lifting equipment, such as employers, their employees and contractors. The term ‘lifting equipment’ describes any equipment that is used for lifting and lowering loads, including lifting accessories used for fixing or anchoring. The term is applicable to any sector that uses this kind of equipment.

It is the duty of Companies and Employers to ensure that all lifting equipment is appropriate for the task it is performing, that it is safely and suitably marked, and that it is fit for purpose. Further, under the LOLER regulations that it is subject to thorough inspections at the appropriate intervals.

The intervals may vary, depending on the type of lifting equipment, and the burden falls on the lift owner to know these intervals. However, LOLER checks are absolutely essential, and all lift owners must have an efficient system in place.

By adhering to LOLER and ensuring that inspections are done professionally, lift owners can be assured that the equipment you are providing or using is safe and fully compliant.

Further Reading on Loler

Why is it crucial to have LOLER inspections completed?

Following the introduction of LOLER, according to a Health & Safety Executive (HSE) Incident Review conducted across a period of five years, of the 4,624 incidents reported to them during the study period (1st April 1998 to 31st March 2003), 861 incidents were identified as occurring during lifting operations.

Due to statistics like those above, it is vital that LOLER inspections are completed in order to ensure that lifting equipment is always up to a high safety standard. As an employer, employee safety and avoiding serious injuries should be of the highest priority. However, there are further complications that can arise out of not completing LOLER inspections that can not only affect employees, but your business.

In recent years, the implications of not having LOLER inspections completed has shifted from harm caused, to potential risk of injury. This means that even if no one is injured using non-compliant equipment, your company will face serious consequences. These usually include (but aren’t limited to) a substantial fine. Fines as a whole have increased under the newer, stricter regime that is less lenient with companies who fail to comply. This should send a serious warning to companies that failing to comply with LOLER in any way could result in a fine that the majority of businesses would struggle to afford. Luckily, there are ways to ensure that this doesn’t happen. When carrying out LOLER inspections, there are a number of obligations you need to make sure are followed:

Ensure that simple pre-use checks are done on lifting equipment. By including this into your routine, you can ensure full compliance and safety.

Ensure that inspections and checks are done on a regular basis (monthly, weekly, quarterly), particularly LOLER inspections, to avoid risk of injury and fines. By doing this, you reduce the risk of injury or damage when using equipment. Complying with LOLER is crucial to your business’ reputation.

Once you become aware of what your equipment needs in order to be compliant, LOLER inspections become less problematic. Inspection periods vary for different equipment, so it is important to be aware of when each type of equipment is due to be examined.

HSE guidelines give employers examples of the different types of lifting equipment and how often they should be inspected:

    • For lifting equipment and any associated accessories used to lift people, LOLER states this should be done every six months. Some examples of these are access platforms, passenger lifts and window cleaning equipment
    • For all lifting accessories (anchoring, fixing for example) the interval is also every six months
    • For all other lifting equipment, inspections should be done every twelve months.
    • Some examples of this kind of equipment include cranes, forklift trucks, lifting jacks (anything that isn’t used to lift people).

These frequencies can also be amended depending on use, condition and/or their environment with the use of a Written Scheme of Examination.

In order to achieve compliance, formal inspections must be carried out by a competent person. While this term is potentially subjective, generally, the term refers to a person who is trained and certified in inspection and has experience of the type of equipment being inspected, with the key requirement being that this person is also independent. Objectivity is extremely important in the inspection process and an independent inspector would ensure that fair decisions are made that are safe.

To do this, an engineering inspection provider is recommended. Not only do they have industry experience, they will be impartial and are able to make sure you have a full understanding of the process.

A competent inspector will come to your business and perform the inspection, which consists of three stages:

    • Visual examination and functional checks
    • Measurements of wear
    • Non-destructive testing and load testing (rare).

When a defect is identified that (in the opinion of the inspector) could cause harm to people, you will be notified immediately. Once you are made aware, you must take action to manage the risk by making sure that the defect is highlighted and that the equipment is not used until it is repaired. It is recommended to make a record of the defect, even if it is fixed immediately. The reason for this is so that you are able to keep track of all equipment testing and make records of defects in case they re-occur.

It is understandable that you may be frustrated with this process, as it could potentially lead to large amounts of down time. However, with the right type of management system, and inspection provider, this can be significantly reduced or eliminated.

You need to be aware of what your responsibilities are to ensure your overall compliance, as well as being able to trust a competent inspector to carry out tests. The safety of workers is your main concern – not worrying about inspectors.

Base Lift Services Limited are your perfect provider of all your LOLER inspection services.

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