LOLER inspection of climbing and rigging equipment
Independent thorough examination of climbing and rigging equipment, reported item by item with the inventory managed for you.
Independent thorough examination of climbing and rigging equipment by a competent person, carried out on site wherever possible so kit stays in service. Every item gets its own Thorough Examination Report.
We also hold the inventory and the schedule, so the next examination date arrives as a reminder rather than a surprise in an audit.
What the work involves.
What has to be examined, and how often
Equipment used to lift or support a person must be thoroughly examined by a competent person at least every six months under LOLER 1998. In practice that is the whole climbing system: harnesses, ropes, lanyards, karabiners, connectors, friction devices, pulleys, slings and anchor equipment. The interval is a statutory minimum, not a target, and heavily used kit warrants closer attention than the calendar requires.
How the examination runs
Wherever possible we come to you, so equipment is examined where it lives and goes straight back into service rather than being boxed up and sent away. Each item is examined individually against its manufacturer information and service history, and each gets its own Thorough Examination Report identifying the item, the findings, and any defect requiring action.
The inventory is the part that fails audits
Most of the difficulty contractors have with LOLER is not the examination, it is proving afterwards that every item was covered and nothing has drifted past its date. We log the inventory, hold the schedule, and flag the next examination as it falls due, so what you hand an auditor is a complete record rather than a folder of certificates with gaps in it.
Where LOLER stops and PUWER starts
LOLER covers equipment for lifting or supporting people and loads. Other work equipment falls under PUWER 1998, which requires it to be suitable, maintained and inspected, but not on the same statutory examination interval. We will tell you plainly which of your kit sits under which regime, so you are neither exposed nor paying to examine things that do not require it.
Questions about this service.
If yours is not here, ask it directly. We would rather answer before you commission than after.
Ask a questionHow often does climbing equipment need a LOLER inspection?
LOLER 1998 requires thorough examination at least every six months for equipment used to lift people. We examine on site wherever possible so kit stays in service, and we hold the inventory and schedule so the date does not creep up on you.
Does rigging equipment need LOLER examination as well as climbing kit?
Yes. Climbing equipment is lifting equipment for lifting persons, and rigging kit is an accessory for lifting. LOLER 1998 puts both on the six month interval. Only lifting equipment that is neither goes to twelve months, and very little of an arb kit falls there. In practice the same karabiner can end up doing both jobs, which is why we examine the whole system and record what each item is used for.
Is a pre-use check the same as a LOLER examination?
No. A pre-use check is the operator looking over their own kit before they climb, and it is required but it is not a thorough examination. The statutory examination is carried out by a competent person independent of daily use, and produces a written report per item. Both are needed, and we will review your pre-use system alongside the examination if it is useful.
Tell us the site and the deadline.
You get a fixed price and a realistic survey date back, not a discovery call.