Stop using the equipment for its intended lifting purpose until it has been thoroughly examined and declared safe to operate. Operating uninspected lifting equipment is a breach of LOLER and creates clear liability if something goes wrong. Contact us, tell us your equipment list and how overdue you are, and we will quote and schedule as quickly as we can.

It depends on the category. A Section A defect — a danger to persons — means the equipment must not be used until the remedial action has been completed. A Section B defect or a Section C observation does not necessarily prevent continued use, but it is recorded for action within an appropriate timeframe. The competent person who carried out the examination will tell you on the day whether anything stops use immediately.

Ideally, your last full Report of Thorough Examination for each item, your equipment register and the dates of last examination. If you do not have any of that, we can still work from a physical asset list; we would just need a bit more time on the first inspection to record everything from scratch. The handover does not have to be complicated.

A LOLER thorough examination is a statutory inspection to identify defects that could compromise safety. A service is preventative maintenance — replacing worn parts, lubricating, calibrating. They are different exercises and, ideally, carried out by different people, because the competent person under LOLER must be sufficiently independent of the maintenance function to make objective findings. Many duty holders run both in parallel.

LOLER covers lifting equipment specifically — equipment used at work for lifting and lowering loads, including accessories. PUWER covers all work equipment more broadly. Most lifting equipment is subject to both. A LOLER thorough examination satisfies the statutory inspection element under both regulations for that equipment; non-lifting work equipment is covered by PUWER alone, which we also inspect.

We have an additional option for you to purchase access to our client portal. Reports and certificates are accessible through our client portal, so they are available whenever you need them for audits, insurance renewals, or HSE requests. Please let us know if this is something you require an we will send you a quote per license. 

Yes, GSB Inspections ensures thorough record-keeping. Following each examination, we provide a comprehensive report detailing the inspection findings, identified defects, and recommended actions. These records are crucial for compliance purposes and can be made available for inspection when required. 

Yes! As an associate member of the Safety Assessment Federation (SAFed), GSB Inspections demonstrates our commitment to complying with industry competency standards and the code of practice set by SAFed. This affiliation emphasises our dedication to maintaining the highest levels of professionalism, ensuring your safety and peace of mind.