Inspection frequency under UK health and safety law is not a single number — it depends on the regulation, the equipment, and how it is used. This guide lists the statutory minimums under each of the five regimes we work with, and the events that trigger an early re-examination.
LOLER 1998 — lifting equipment
- Equipment used to lift people: every 6 months
- Lifting accessories (slings, chains, eyebolts, shackles): every 6 months
- Other lifting equipment (cranes, fork-lift trucks, vehicle lifts): every 12 months
- After installation, substantial repair, modification, or exceptional event
The intervals are statutory maxima — your insurer or risk assessment may require shorter intervals. A LOLER thorough examination must be carried out by a competent person and the report supplied promptly to the duty holder.
PUWER 1998 — work equipment
PUWER does not prescribe a fixed interval. Regulation 6 requires inspections at "suitable intervals" determined by risk assessment. In practice:
- Production machinery: typically every 12 months
- High-risk or heavily-used equipment (presses, mills, large saws): every 6 months is common
- After installation, after exposure to conditions liable to cause deterioration, and following modifications
PSSR 2000 — pressure systems
PSSR intervals are set by the system's Written Scheme of Examination, not by the regulation itself. Common engineered intervals:
- Compressed-air receivers: 26 months internal / 26 months external is typical
- Steam boilers: shorter intervals, often 14 months — set in the Scheme
- Pipework and protective devices: included in the Scheme alongside the vessel
COSHH 2002 — Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV)
Regulation 9 of COSHH 2002 requires LEV systems to be subjected to a thorough examination and test at least every 14 months. Some processes have shorter prescribed intervals — for example certain blasting and grinding operations require six-monthly examination.
WAHR 2005 — height-safety equipment
Personal fall-protection equipment falls under the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and is also covered by LOLER where it is used to lower a person. Practical intervals:
- Harnesses, lanyards, fall arrest blocks: at least every 12 months, more often in heavy use
- Pre-use checks by the user every shift
- Detailed periodic inspection by a competent person — see our WAHR inspection service
Triggers for an early examination
All five regimes share a set of common triggers that bring an inspection forward of the scheduled date:
- After substantial repair, modification, or refurbishment
- After installation in a new location
- After an exceptional event — shock loading, fire, flood, collision
- When the report from the previous examination required a re-examination at a shorter interval
- If a defect is reported by the user or detected in routine maintenance
Building a schedule
Most clients consolidate their statutory examinations into a single annual visit, with shorter-interval items (lifting accessories, people-lifting equipment, certain LEV systems) revisited mid-year. We will set up and manage the schedule for you, including reminder dates and pre-examination checklists.