Frequently asked questions
What is a Thorough Examination of lifting equipment?
Put simply, Thorough Examination is roughly equivalent to the MOT test for cars, as both identify the condition of the equipment at the time of the examination.
How often must lifting equipment undergo Thorough Examination?
Lifting equipment must be examined in accordance with the requirements of Regulation 9 of LOLER. The Competent Person will determine the frequency, but it is typically at six or 12-month intervals, depending on conditions of use or whether the equipment is used for lifting people.
Who can carry out a Thorough Examination of lifting equipment?
Thorough Examination must be conducted by a ‘Competent Person’; someone who has sufficient knowledge and experience of the lifting equipment to enable them to detect and assess defects relating to the safety and continued use of the lifting equipment.
Whose duty is it to forward a Report of Thorough Examination to an enforcing authority?
Again Regulation 10(1)(c) of LOLER makes it clear, it is the Competent Person’s duty, not the equipment user or owner’s responsibility.
Is a Thorough Examination a legal requirement, like the MOT for cars?
Yes, Thorough Examination is a legal requirement under The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER).
What is a Report of Thorough Examination?
It is a formal recording of the condition of the equipment at the time of the examination. It will identify any defects found and, where appropriate, specify timescales by which remedial work must be completed.
What must a Report of Thorough Examination contain?
The law makes it quite clear; a report of Thorough Examination must contain all the information specified in Schedule 1 of LOLER.
Is it a legal duty to forward a report of Thorough Examination to an enforcing authority?
Sometimes. Regulation 10(1)(c) of LOLER requires any defect in the lifting equipment which is, or could become, a danger to persons be reported as soon as is possible to the relevant enforcing authority.
Is forwarding a Report of Thorough Examination to an enforcing authority mandatory even if remedial work has already been completed?
Yes, it is mandatory. The Competent Person would be committing an offence if they did not submit the report. Under no circumstances should the prospect of forwarding a Report of Thorough Examination to an enforcing authority be used to solicit additional work.
What follow-up action would an enforcing authority take following receipt of a Report of Thorough Examination?
It varies; follow-up may include a request for evidence that remedial work has been completed. The Competent Person that conducted the Thorough Examination is not responsible for the completion of remedial work, that responsibility is the duty of the employer of the operator of the lifting equipment.
What is Consolidated Fork Truck Services Ltd (CFTS)?
CFTS is the industry approved national accreditation scheme that authorises examiners and inspection companies to conduct a documented combined Thorough Examination under LOLER and inspection under PUWER. This combined activity is known as a CFTS safety inspection and ensures that the entire forklift truck has been checked in a single activity.