A LOLER report, properly called a report of thorough examination, is the legal document you receive after lifting equipment has been examined by a competent person. It confirms whether the equipment is safe to use, records any defects, and tells you when the next examination is due. Once you know what each section means, you can act on it quickly. This guide walks through a report of thorough examination and explains what to look for.
What a report of thorough examination is for
The report is the evidence that a thorough examination happened and what it found. It is the document an HSE inspector or your insurer will ask to see, so it needs to be complete, clear and kept on file. LOLER sets out the information a report must contain, so a proper report is not free-form: it follows a defined structure.
The key sections and what they mean
A LOLER report includes, among other details:
- Identification of the equipment: enough detail (type, serial or plant number) to match the report to the specific item.
- The safe working load: the maximum load the equipment is certified to lift.
- The dates: the date of this examination and of the last one, so intervals can be checked.
- The type of examination: whether it followed the standard interval or an examination scheme, and whether it was the first examination after installation.
- Defects: any fault that is, or could become, a danger to people, with a note of how serious it is.
- Timescale for repair: for a defect that is not yet an immediate danger, the period within which it must be put right.
- The next examination date: the latest date by which the next thorough examination must be carried out.
- The competent person: their details, and particulars of any tests carried out.
The part that matters most: the defect and its timescale
The single most important thing to check is whether any defect has been recorded and how urgent it is. Reports generally distinguish between a defect that is an existing or imminent danger and one that could become a danger over time. An immediate danger means the equipment should be taken out of use straight away. A defect with a stated timescale means you have a defined period to arrange the repair, but it still has to be actioned within that time.
Checking the next examination date
Every report states the latest date by which the next thorough examination must be carried out. Transfer that date into your planning system as soon as the report arrives. Remember that lifting accessories sit on a shorter interval than most machines, so a single site often has several different next-examination dates running in parallel. Our inspection frequency guide sets out how those intervals work.
Common things people miss
- Treating a clear report as permanent: it only confirms safety at the time of examination, up to the next due date.
- Overlooking a defect with a future timescale, then letting the deadline pass.
- Filing the report but not booking the next examination.
- Losing sight of accessories, whose separate reports and shorter intervals are easy to forget.
When a report goes to the HSE
Where the competent person finds a defect that could become a danger to people, they are required to send a copy of the report to the relevant enforcing authority, such as the HSE, as well as to you. If you can see that this has happened on your report, it signals a significant finding that needs prompt attention.
Independent reports you can rely on
A report is only as useful as it is clear. Safe-Lee is an independent consultancy covering Manchester and the North West, and reports are written to be read and acted on, not filed and forgotten. Thorough examinations are carried out by Engineer Surveyor Lee Charnock (EngTech MSOE MBES), and reports are typically issued within one to two working days. See our LOLER inspection service, our report writing service, or our guide to LOLER inspection cost.
Frequently asked questions
What is a report of thorough examination?
It is the formal document produced after a LOLER thorough examination. It records the equipment examined, any defects, the action required, and the date the next examination is due.
What does it mean if my LOLER report lists a defect?
It means the competent person found a fault. Check whether it is an immediate danger, in which case the equipment must be withdrawn from use, or a defect with a timescale, which must be repaired within the stated period.
How long should I keep a LOLER report?
Keep reports available for as long as you use the equipment, and retain superseded reports long enough to show a continuous examination history. They may be requested by the HSE or your insurer.
Does a passed LOLER report last forever?
No. It confirms the equipment was safe at the examination, up to the next due date shown on the report. After that date a new thorough examination is required.
Who signs a LOLER report?
The competent person who carried out the thorough examination. Their details appear on the report, which is a legal document.