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Plant Inspection Services

Based in the North of England, Plant Inspection Services are a leading provider of LOLER Inspections across the UK. We have a simple purpose of aiding clients in complying with current UK legislation, whilst remaining completely unbiased in our recommendations.

From the initial quotation to contract renewal, we strive to create a safe and compliant environment for your staff and guests. LOLER Testing is an integral part of what makes Plant Inspection Services reputable amongst our repeat client base. We also understand the importance of being both cost-effective but carrying out the LOLER inspection with as little disruption as possible.

Based in the North of England, Plant Inspection Services are a leading provider of LOLER inspections. We focus on keeping our clients compliant with current UK legislation, whilst remaining completely unbiased in our recommendations and ensuring any disruption is kept to an absolute minimum.

From the initial quotation to contract renewal we strive to provide a seamless service to help you keep your staff and visitors safe, and your day to day operations running smoothly. Our service levels when providing LOLER inspections are an integral part of what makes Plant Inspection Services so respected amongst our repeat client base.

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What Is LOLER?

LOLER refers to the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998. These regulations place legal duties on people and companies who own or operate lifting equipment. This includes any business or organisations whose employees use lifting equipment, whether the equipment is owned by them or not.

What Does LOLER Cover?

LOLER applies to ALL lifting equipment used for work purposes, even where it was manufactured and put into use before LOLER came into force in 1998. Lifting equipment is defined as any equipment used to raise or lower a load and covers a wide range of equipment across many industries. For example:

  • An overhead crane in a factory
  • A patient hoist in a care home
  • A forklift truck in a warehouse
  • A lift in an office block

The regulations also cover lifting accessories, items used to directly attach a load to an item of lifting equipment. For example:

  • Lifting tackle such as shackles or eyebolts
  • Vacuum Lifters
  • Magnets

What is a LOLER inspection?

Regulation 9 of LOLER requires periodic Thorough Examination, often referred to as an inspection, of all items of lifting equipment.

The aim of the Thorough Examination is to confirm that the equipment is safe to use until the next examination. The competent person carrying out the examination should examine the parts of the lifting equipment that could, through damage or deterioration, lead to dangerous situations.

They will then provide a report of Thorough Examination, confirming whether the equipment is safe to use until the next examination, along with any recommendations for repair / replacement and the timescale in which this must be completed.

How Often Should Lifting Equipment be inspected?

Thorough Examinations should be conducted every:

6 months: For any equipment and accessories used to lift people, or protective equipment such as harnesses and lanyards.

6 months: For all lifting accessories (lifting equipment for directly attaching loads to machinery, such as slings and shackles).

12 months: For all other lifting equipment (work equipment for lifting and lowering loads, such as forklift trucks or vehicle lifts. This includes attachments used to anchor, fix, or support the equipment such as the runway of an overhead crane).

The competent person carrying out the examination may ask for inspections to be carried out more frequently depending on the condition of the item and the operating conditions.

A Thorough Examination will help to identify any issues before they become serious and should also be carried out:

  • Before first use, unless the lifting equipment is new and already has a declaration of conformity that is less than 12 months old.
  • After on-site assembly.
  • After exceptional or unusual circumstances such as damage or lack of routine use
  • After any major change in how the item is used that may affect its integrity.

In addition to a Thorough Examination under LOLER, the person responsible for the lifting equipment (the owner or operator) must carry out regular and reasonable checks before use.

Learn more about Thorough Examinations from our experts and what it means for your business.

Who Can Carry Out LOLER Inspections?

The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER) state that the competent person carrying out LOLER inspections must be “sufficiently independent and impartial to allow objective decisions to be made”.

It is the duty holder’s responsibility to ensure that an independent and impartial LOLER inspection can be carried out at statutory intervals. Care should be taken to ensure that the person doing the examination is not the same person responsible for the servicing and maintenance, as they would be checking their own work potentially leading to any errors made during maintenance being missed. 

As a LOLER inspection company that does not provide maintenance works to our clients, Plant Inspection Services are well placed to provide independent and impartial examinations. We do not stand to benefit financially from any recommendations that we make, so you can be sure they are made with only safety in mind.

About Us

Plant Inspection Services are a family-run business with over 40 years of experience in the industry. Our reputation for quality, professionalism and personable service is one we are proud to uphold as we provide inspection services throughout the UK.

Who We Work With

Our LOLER inspection services cover a wide range of industries including:

  • Manufacturing
  • Distribution and warehousing
  • Property management
  • Vehicle servicing and repair
  • Vehicle recovery and transport
  • Engineering
  • Healthcare and care homes

Your LOLER Inspection

We understand that the rules and regulations surrounding LOLER inspections can often seem confusing, but we’re here to help.

We can work with you to help you establish what items of equipment you have that need an inspection, and how often this should be carried out. We can then schedule these inspections to take place automatically, with minimal disruption to your day to day operation.

Contact us to get started.

Areas We Cover

Wherever you are, we have someone nearby. Areas we cover include:

  • Barnsley
  • Bradford
  • Doncaster
  • Harrogate
  • Huddersfield
  • Keighley
  • Leeds
  • Liverpool
  • Manchester
  • Nottingham
  • Oldham
  • Sheffield
  • Stockport
  • Wakefield
  • York

How Much Does A LOLER Inspection Cost?

We’re on your side. All pricing for our LOLER inspections is clear and transparent. We pride ourselves on offering honest, impartial advice with no hidden fees or extra charges. Unlike our competitors, we don’t charge additional fees for items such as paper reports or engineer waiting time.

We price each job individually so that we can tailor our service to your needs. Get Your Quote

Why Choose Us?

Our staff are hand-picked for not only their technical qualifications but also for their experience in the industry.

We offer:

Experience & Expertise

With over 30 years of industry experience, we have built a reputation for quality across a wide range of inspection services. Our affiliations with leading organisations ensure that we maintain the highest standards of LOLER inspections and Thorough Examinations to help you meet your obligations under health and safety legislation.

Personal Service

Our focus is on providing the best customer service possible because we believe that personal service is still important in the corporate world. We understand that it is vital that you are able to continue operating with as little disruption as possible. From quotation to contract renewal, we are here for you.

Independent Advice

Our services don’t include maintenance or servicing, which means we are able to offer impartiality and a fresh pair of eyes. This plays a key role in helping you to ensure a safe and compliant environment.

We don’t profit from any recommendations we make, and we aren’t checking our own work so there is no potential conflict of interest when highlighting errors relating to any previous servicing or maintenance. All of our recommendations are made with only safety in mind.

Hassle-Free

Our aim is always to keep you compliant and with a cost-effective, hassle-free LOLER examinations. We ensure that every inspection is carried out at the correct interval, scheduling these automatically so that you can get on with other things.

Book Your LOLER Inspection Today

Our Services

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