LOLER and PSSR Inspections: What the Law Requires

LOLER requires lifting equipment used at work to be thoroughly examined by a competent person, at least every 6 months for equipment that lifts people and for lifting accessories, and at least every 12 months for other lifting equipment, unless an examination scheme sets different intervals. PSSR requires steam systems and many compressed gas systems to have a written scheme of examination, drawn up or certified by a competent person, before they are used, with examinations carried out in line with that scheme.

What equipment does LOLER cover?

The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 place duties on people and companies who own, operate or have control over lifting equipment. HSE says they cover all businesses and organisations whose employees use lifting equipment, whether they own it or not, but only lifting equipment used at work.

HSE defines lifting equipment as work equipment for lifting and lowering loads, including the accessories and attachments used with it. Examples HSE gives include cranes, engine hoists, manually operated chain blocks, car jacks and equipment for lifting people. Because lifting equipment is also work equipment, HSE points out that the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) apply as well, covering wider duties on maintenance, inspection and training.

How often must lifting equipment be thoroughly examined?

Regulation 9 of LOLER requires equipment exposed to conditions that could cause dangerous deterioration to be thoroughly examined at set intervals. HSE’s guidance adds when examinations are needed outside the routine cycle.

Requirement	LOLER (lifting equipment)	PSSR (pressure systems)
Before first use	Thorough examination, unless the equipment has a Declaration of Conformity less than one year old and was not assembled on site	Written scheme of examination in place and examination carried out
Routine frequency	At least every 6 months for equipment lifting people and for lifting accessories; at least every 12 months for other equipment; or as set by an examination scheme	Nature and frequency set in the written scheme of examination
Extra examinations	After exceptional circumstances such as damage, failure, long periods out of use or major changes; after assembly at each new location	As required by the scheme, which the competent person reviews
Who examines	A competent person with enough independence and impartiality	A competent person independent of operating functions
Paperwork	Written report; serious defects reported to the dutyholder at once and copied to the enforcing authority	Written report for each examination; user or owner told of repairs needed

Regulation 9 also says equipment must not leave your business, and equipment obtained from another business must not be used, unless it comes with physical evidence that its last thorough examination was carried out. That applies to hired equipment as much as to equipment you sell or lend.

Which systems fall under PSSR?

The Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000 deal with the risk from stored energy in pressure systems used at work. HSE says relevant fluids include steam at any pressure, and compressed or liquefied gas, including air, at a pressure greater than 0.5 bar above atmospheric pressure. Hydraulic oils are not relevant fluids, so hydraulic systems are not covered.

Duties fall on the dutyholder. For an installed system, such as a steam boiler, that is the user. For a mobile system, such as an air compressor moved from site to site, it is the owner. HSE says anyone using hired or leased pressure equipment should confirm that a written scheme of examination is in place and that the examination certificate is current.

What is a written scheme of examination?

Regulation 8 of PSSR says the user of an installed system or the owner of a mobile system must not operate it, or allow it to be operated, without a written scheme of examination covering the protective devices, the pressure vessels and pipelines where a defect could give rise to danger, and the relevant pipework. The user or owner must make sure the scheme has been drawn up, or certified as suitable, by a competent person, and that its content is reviewed at appropriate intervals.

HSE’s brief guide to pressure systems safety adds that the scheme must specify the nature and frequency of examinations, and whether each one is carried out with the system in or out of service. It should also include any special measures needed to prepare the system for a safe examination. For fired systems such as steam boilers, HSE says it should include examinations both cold and stripped down and while running normally. Examinations must then be carried out in line with the scheme.

Who can act as the competent person?

For LOLER, HSE says the term is not defined in law. The person needs practical and theoretical knowledge and experience of the equipment. They can work for another organisation or be in house, as long as they are sufficiently independent and impartial for examinations to be made without fear or favour. HSE says the examiner should not be the same person who carries out routine maintenance of the equipment.

For PSSR, HSE says the competent person should be independent of operating functions and must have enough authority to stop the use of the equipment if needed. HSE’s brief guide says they can come from an in house inspection department, be self employed or work for an independent inspection organisation, and that bodies accredited by UKAS to BS EN ISO/IEC 17020 for in service inspection of pressure equipment can provide competent persons.

What records and reports are needed?

Under LOLER, if a defect is or could become a danger, HSE says the examiner must report it to the dutyholder immediately and follow up in writing. The equipment must not be used until the defect is put right, and a copy of the report must be sent to the relevant enforcing authority. Where use can continue, the defect must be fixed, or use stopped, within the period stated on the report. You must keep records of thorough examinations and inspections. They do not have to be on paper, but you must be able to produce a written copy on request and protect records from unauthorised changes.

Under PSSR, HSE says the competent person must produce a written report for each examination and tell the user or owner about any repairs needed. Keep those reports with the written scheme so you can show an inspector the full history of the system.

What are the penalties for getting it wrong?

Section 33 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 makes it an offence to contravene any health and safety regulations, which includes LOLER and PSSR. Schedule 3A provides that, in England and Wales, the offence can be tried in the magistrates’ court or the Crown Court, and on conviction in the Crown Court the penalty can be up to two years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both. Under section 37, a director or manager whose consent, connivance or neglect led to the company’s offence can be prosecuted personally. An accident involving lifting or pressure equipment may also need to be reported under RIDDOR.

How does engineering inspection insurance fit in?

The legal duty to have equipment examined stays with you as the dutyholder, whoever carries out the work. Engineering inspection insurance can bring both parts together: an inspection service in which a competent person carries out the statutory examinations and issues reports, and insurance for sudden breakdown or damage to the equipment. Whether a policy includes the inspection service, insurance cover or both, and which items are listed, depends on the policy. Separate cover may also be relevant, such as public and employers’ liability insurance for injury claims and contractors all risks insurance for plant on construction sites, alongside commercial property insurance for the premises themselves.

Example. A small vehicle repair garage has an engine hoist, a set of lifting slings and an air receiver fed by a compressor. The slings are lifting accessories, so they need a thorough examination at least every 6 months. The engine hoist needs one at least every 12 months, unless an examination scheme says otherwise. The air receiver holds compressed air above 0.5 bar, so it needs a written scheme of examination and examinations in line with it. The owner keeps all the reports in one file, and when an examiner finds a cracked hoist arm, the hoist is taken out of use until it is repaired.

Frequently asked questions

Does a daily check replace a thorough examination?

No. HSE says inspections between examinations help detect deterioration and can be done by trained staff, but the thorough examination must be done by a competent person at the required intervals and recorded in a written report.

Can my maintenance engineer carry out the thorough examination?

HSE says the competent person should not be the same person who carries out routine maintenance of the lifting equipment, so that the examination is independent.

Does PSSR cover hydraulic systems?

No. HSE says hydraulic oils are not relevant fluids, so hydraulic systems fall outside PSSR, although other rules such as PUWER may still apply.

Do I need examinations for hired equipment?

Yes. Hired lifting equipment must come with evidence of its last thorough examination, and HSE says users of hired pressure equipment should confirm that a written scheme is in place and the certificate is current.

How do I arrange inspection and cover?

Ask us for a quote. Solar Protect is an FCA authorised broker and we will look for cover and inspection arrangements that fit the equipment you use. Call 01795 841 310, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.

Sources

• legislation.gov.uk: SI 1998/2307, regulation 9
• HSE: Thorough examinations lifting equipment
• HSE: Loler overview
• HSE: Pssr
• legislation.gov.uk: SI 2000/128, regulation 8
• HSE: Indg261
• legislation.gov.uk: Act 1974/37, section 33
• legislation.gov.uk: Act 1974/37, schedule 3A
• legislation.gov.uk: Act 1974/37, section 37

Reviewed by Christine Anderson, Broker, Solar Protect. Last reviewed 6 November 2026. Solar Protect is the trading name of Solar Insurance Services (Medway) Limited, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. This page is general information, not advice on your own circumstances.