Thorough Examination

Thorough examinations, though often referred to as LOLER examinations, are a legal requirement for any business that owns, leases, or hires forklift trucks. It is the responsibility of the owner to ensure that each forklift is, not only submitted, but passes a thorough safety examination safety check once every 6 to 12 months time. These examinations must fall under conditions of the Lifting Operations & Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER98) and the Provision & Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER98).

Following examination/inspection, any and all defects found must be reported to the individual responsible for managing equipment and the relevant authority overseeing these regulations. All examination records must be retained for record.

What is a thorough examination (LOLER)?

Similar to your car MOT, a thorough examination inspection (or LOLER) is a legal requirement which needs to be carried out on any and all trucks with forks, depending on overall usage. Regardless of whether you own or lease your forklift truck, it is your responsibility to ensure that each truck has a valid 'Thorough Examination' report or LOLER certificate based on LOLER 98.

In the event of an enforcement officer requesting a current LOLER report, you must be able to produce it. Failure to do so may lead to prosecution and/or invalidate any insurance against the vehicle. LOLER legislation focuses on the main risks associated with general use of materials handling equipment which includes the following:

  • Equipment failure
  • Incorrect use of equipment or maloperation
  • Risk of danger to people within the operating area
  • Risk of danger to the operator

What does a LOLER cover?

The type of lifting equipment that is used by your organisation will determine what will be checked during a LOLER inspection. Our Nexen Forklift Engineers are qualified to perform thorough examinations/LOLER inspections by the Fork Lift Truck Association (FLTA).

You can find a list of key materials handling equipment below which all require periodic LOLER examination, based on average usage or annually. If you have any questions regarding what is checked during a LOLER examination for any of these equipment types, feel free to contact us on 01502 532211 or by filling out our online contact form.

  • APR15-25N-S & APR16-20N - Reach Truck
  • Electric and Engine-Powered Counterbalance Forklifts
  • Powered Pallet Stacker (both pedestrian and ride-on)
  • APR15N-VNA - Very Narrow Aisle

FLTA Accredited

Thorough examinations performed by Nexen Lift Trucks engineers are accredited by the FLTA (Fork Lift Truck Association) and comply with the LOLER 98 (Lifting Operations & Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998) and PUWER 98 (Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998). 

Please note that non-FLTA inspections may vary in what is checked on each equipment type and may not cover a full inspection which will examine the lifting and driving mechanisms of your material handling equipment.

For more information on what is covered by our thorough examinations, please contact our offices.

PUWER

Businesses or organisations that operate work equipment are responsible for ensuring that any materials handling equipment they own, lease, or hire is compliant with the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER), with particular focus on the driving components such as the steering, brakes, and tyres of said equipment.

The key requirements covered by a PUWER compliant thorough examination are as follows:

  • The equipment is suitable for the operation and work environment
  • The equipment is safely maintained and is considered safe to use
  • The equipment is operated only by fully trained and licensed personnel based on current operating standards
  • All relevant health and safety measures are complete and present on the equipment. For example, any protective controls and all safety warning stickers.

FAQs

A Thorough Examination, or LOLER, is required to be carried out once every 12 months at the very least, though this may be subject to change depending on the type of operation that the equipment is used for and the frequency/intensity of its intended use. These factors could see the examination interval brought down to 4 or 6 months. The engineer who performs your LOLER examination should be able to confirm for you what the correct interval for your material handling equipment is or, alternatively, you are welcome to query this with our servicing team when booking your thorough examination.

Yes. Under current Health & Safety legislation, you are required to ensure that your material handling equipment is submitted for a Thorough Examination that is compliant with LOLER 98 (Lifting Operations & Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998) and PUWER 98 (Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998).

No. LOLER examinations are only required for trucks that are capable of lifting over 300mm. However, these do still require a PUWER inspection to ensure that the equipment is safe for operation, which our Nexen engineers can perform for you. If you are unsure which Thorough Examination your material handling equipment requires, please call our offices or fill out the online contact form.

All industrial lift trucks must be subject to a Thorough Examination. Such equipment includes, but is not limited to, forklift trucks, VNA, reach trucks, telehandlers, rough terrain forklifts, stackers, articulated forklifts, and multi-directional trucks. If you are unsure if your forklift or warehouse equipment needs a Thorough Examination, you can call our offices on 01502 532211 or fill out the online contact form.

Our engineers at Nexen Lift Trucks can carry out a Thorough Examination on any make/brand of material handling equipment. Simply give the details of your equipment to our service team when booking your LOLER or PUWER, and they will do the rest.