LOLER inspections in Liverpool are needed by many care homes, care providers, landlords and businesses that have stairlifts, hoists or platform lifts used at work. Our enquiry service connects you with independent engineers across Liverpool and Merseyside who can carry out thorough examinations and explain what your report means.
We are an enquiry service, not an inspection body, and we cannot give legal advice. This page gives a plain-English overview based on Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance. Always check the HSE website or take professional advice about your own situation.
What is LOLER?
LOLER stands for the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998. According to the HSE, LOLER places duties on people and organisations who own, operate or have control over lifting equipment, and it applies to lifting equipment used at work. This includes businesses whose employees use lifting equipment, whether or not the business owns it.
How often are thorough examinations needed?
HSE guidance says lifting equipment used to lift people should be thoroughly examined at least every six months, and lifting accessories such as slings also every six months. Other lifting equipment is normally every 12 months. As an alternative, a competent person can draw up an examination scheme that sets different intervals. Equipment may also need examining after installation and after events that could affect its safety.
Who does LOLER apply to?
- Care homes and nursing homes with stairlifts, hoists, bath lifts or platform lifts used by staff.
- Home care providers whose staff use hoists or other lifting equipment in people's homes. The HSE explains that LOLER applies where lifting equipment is used by people at work.
- Businesses and organisations such as shops, surgeries and community buildings with platform or wheelchair lifts used at work.
- Landlords and housing providers may have duties for lifting equipment they provide or control, particularly in shared or communal areas. The detail depends on the situation, so take advice.
What about private homes?
The HSE says stairlifts installed in private homes are not covered by LOLER where they are not used by people at work. So if you own a stairlift in your own home and use it yourself, LOLER is unlikely to apply, although regular servicing is still strongly recommended. The picture can change when paid carers use the equipment as part of their work, or when equipment is loaned by an organisation. HSE guidance notes that most loaned equipment is treated as falling under LOLER because providers often cannot be sure it is only used privately. If you are unsure, ask your care provider or equipment supplier, or check with the HSE.
Servicing vs thorough examination
| Service | LOLER thorough examination | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Keeps the equipment working well, through cleaning, adjustment and replacing worn parts. | A systematic, detailed check of safety-critical parts to find defects that could put people at risk. |
| Who carries it out | A trained engineer, often the one who maintains the equipment. | A competent person who is independent and impartial. HSE advises this should not normally be the person who maintains the equipment. |
| Paperwork | A service record or job sheet. | A written report stating the date, the next due date and any defects found. |
A service does not replace a thorough examination, and a thorough examination does not replace servicing. Most organisations need both. See also our maintenance plans page.
What the engineers can help with
- Thorough examinations of stairlifts, ceiling hoists, mobile hoists, bath lifts and platform lifts.
- Examination of slings and other lifting accessories.
- Written reports and reminders for due dates.
- Repairs to put right any defects found, by a separate engineer where independence matters.
How it works
- Tell us what you have. Use our enquiry form to list the equipment, the type of premises and when it was last examined.
- We connect you. We pass your enquiry to an independent engineer covering your area.
- Examination. The engineer examines the equipment and issues a written report.
- Follow-up. Any defects are explained, with options for repair.
Costs
We do not publish prices. Costs usually depend on how many items need examining, the type of equipment, whether slings are included and how many sites are involved.
Areas covered
We take enquiries across Liverpool and Merseyside, including Bootle, Crosby, Birkenhead and Widnes. See our areas we cover page, or local pages for Birkenhead and Bootle.
Related services
Frequently asked questions
How often does a stairlift or hoist need a LOLER inspection?
HSE guidance says lifting equipment used to lift people, and lifting accessories such as slings, should be thoroughly examined at least every six months, unless a competent person has drawn up an examination scheme setting different intervals. Check HSE guidance for your situation.
Does my stairlift at home need a LOLER inspection?
Usually not, if it is in your private home and not used by people at work. The HSE says stairlifts in private homes are not covered by LOLER in that case. If paid carers use it or it was loaned by an organisation, the position may be different, so ask your provider.
Is a LOLER inspection the same as a service?
No. A service keeps the equipment working. A thorough examination is an independent safety check that results in a written report. Most workplaces need both.
Can my usual service engineer do the LOLER examination?
The HSE advises that the examiner should be independent and impartial, and should not normally be the person who maintains the equipment, so they are not checking their own work.
What happens if a defect is found?
The examiner records it in the written report. Serious defects may mean the equipment must not be used until it is repaired. The report should explain what needs doing and by when.
Request a call-back
Tell us what's wrong and a local stairlift engineer will call you back. No obligation.