How Long Should LOLER Records Be Kept?

How long should LOLER records be kept? Learn the retention periods for examination reports, inspection records and Declarations of Conformity.

How long should LOLER records be kept? Reports of periodic thorough examinations must generally be retained until the next report is made or for two years, whichever is longer. However, different retention periods apply to reports following installation, inspection records and Declarations of Conformity.

A business should not apply one universal two-year deletion rule to every lifting-equipment document.

The correct retention period depends on:

• The type of document

• Why the examination or inspection was carried out

• Whether safety depends on installation or assembly

• Whether the equipment remains in use

• Whether the record has been replaced by a subsequent report

Records can be kept electronically, provided they remain retrievable, legible and protected against unauthorised alteration.

How long should LOLER records be kept under Regulation 11?

Regulation 11 of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 sets different retention requirements for different categories of information.

The principal periods can be summarised as follows:

RecordMinimum retention periodDeclaration of Conformity relating to lifting equipmentFor as long as the equipment is operatedThorough examination report relating to installation or assemblyUntil the equipment is no longer used at that locationPeriodic thorough examination reportUntil the next report is made or for two years, whichever is longerThorough examination report following exceptional circumstancesUntil the next report is made or for two years, whichever is longerInspection record made under LOLERUntil the next inspection record is made

These are minimum statutory retention periods. There can be good operational, evidential and asset-management reasons to keep certain documents for longer.

The Health and Safety Executive’s guidance on thorough examinations and inspections of lifting equipment confirms that thorough examination reports, inspection records and Declarations of Conformity must be retained and capable of being produced when required.

Excel Inspection Solutions supplies electronic reports following its independent LOLER thorough examinations.

How long should a periodic thorough examination report be kept?

A report of a periodic thorough examination should be kept until the next report is made or for two years, whichever period is longer.

This rule applies to examinations completed at the standard LOLER intervals or under a suitable examination scheme.

For example:

• A passenger lift examined every six months will normally accumulate several reports within a two-year period.

• A goods lift examined every 12 months will normally have the current report and at least the previous report retained.

• Equipment examined every three years under an appropriate examination scheme would require the existing report to be retained until the next report is made, because that is longer than two years.

• Equipment that is taken out of use after an examination may still require the report to be retained for the remainder of the applicable two-year period.

The wording “whichever is longer” is important.

A new report does not always mean the previous one can be deleted immediately. If the earlier report is less than two years old, it must still be retained until the two-year period has passed.

Does the two-year rule apply to every LOLER record?

No.

The two-year rule is frequently quoted as though it applies to all lifting-equipment documentation. It does not.

Different requirements apply to:

• Declarations of Conformity

• Installation and assembly examination reports

• Periodic thorough examination reports

• Reports following exceptional circumstances

• Inspection records

A document-retention policy should identify these categories separately.

It should also distinguish statutory LOLER records from supporting documents such as:

• Maintenance records

• Repair invoices

• Engineer worksheets

• Test results

• Risk assessments

• Lifting plans

• Training records

• Pre-use check records

• Accident investigations

• Equipment manuals

These documents may be subject to other legal, contractual, insurance or organisational retention requirements.

How long should an installation examination report be kept?

A thorough examination report relating to installation or assembly should be retained until the lifting equipment is no longer used at the location concerned.

This requirement can apply where the safety of lifting equipment depends on installation conditions or where equipment is assembled at a particular location.

Examples may include:

• A passenger lift installed in a building

• A platform lift

• A tower crane assembled on a construction site

• A fixed hoist

• An overhead crane installed onto supporting structures

• Lifting equipment reassembled at a new location

The report provides evidence that the installation or assembly was examined before use and found suitable from the competent person’s perspective.

It should not be routinely deleted after two years if the equipment remains in use at that location.

When equipment is moved, the old report may remain relevant to the historical record, while a further examination may be required after assembly at the new location.

How long should a Declaration of Conformity be kept?

A Declaration of Conformity relating to lifting equipment should be kept for as long as the equipment is operated.

The declaration is an important product-supply document. It helps establish matters such as:

• The identity of the equipment

• The manufacturer

• The product type

• The applicable conformity-assessment process

• The legislation and standards declared by the manufacturer

• The date the product was placed on the market

• The person authorised to sign the declaration

A valid Declaration of Conformity may affect whether a separate initial thorough examination is required before first use in particular circumstances.

It does not replace periodic thorough examination throughout the equipment’s working life.

The declaration should be matched to the correct asset and retained when:

• The equipment changes department

• A site is reorganised

• The maintenance contractor changes

• The business moves premises

• Digital systems are replaced

• The equipment is transferred between group companies

• Responsibility moves from a construction team to facilities management

A purchase invoice or equipment handbook should not be assumed to contain the required declaration.

How long should LOLER inspection records be kept?

A record of an inspection made under LOLER should be retained until the next inspection record has been made.

Inspection under LOLER is different from thorough examination.

An inspection may be required where lifting equipment is exposed to conditions that could cause deterioration resulting in danger. The inspection regime should be determined through risk assessment, taking account of manufacturer recommendations and the equipment’s circumstances.

The inspection may be carried out by a suitably competent employee, operator or maintenance person where appropriate.

If the inspection interval is:

• Weekly, retain the current record until the following weekly inspection is recorded.

• Monthly, retain it until the following monthly inspection is recorded.

• Quarterly, retain it until the following quarterly inspection is recorded.

Keeping only the latest inspection may satisfy the specific minimum retention period, but a longer history can be valuable for demonstrating recurring defects, deterioration patterns and whether recommended actions were completed.

Are pre-use checks LOLER records?

Pre-use checks are not the same as statutory thorough examination reports.

Whether each pre-use check needs to be formally recorded depends on the equipment, risk assessment, applicable guidance and the organisation’s control arrangements.

For example, a business may use:

• A daily fork-lift truck checklist

• A MEWP pre-use check

• A lifting-accessory visual check

• A crane operator’s daily inspection

• A passenger-lift building-management check

• A vehicle-lift check before work begins

LOLER does not create a universal requirement to retain every informal pre-use check for two years.

However, written records may be useful or required under a safe system of work, manufacturer instructions, sector guidance, contractual requirements or another inspection regime.

Where checks are recorded, the retention policy should reflect:

• The equipment risk

• Frequency of use

• Manufacturer guidance

• Industry standards

• Client requirements

• Accident-investigation needs

• Insurance conditions

• The organisation’s audit programme

Should maintenance records be kept with LOLER reports?

They should be linked or readily accessible, but they are not interchangeable.

A LOLER thorough examination assesses the condition and continued safety of lifting equipment. Maintenance is intended to keep equipment in a safe condition and working order.

Useful maintenance records include:

• Service reports

• Breakdown records

• Repair worksheets

• Parts replaced

• Lubrication and adjustment records

• Safety-device tests

• Software or control changes

• Details of modifications

• Engineer attendance records

Where a thorough examination identifies a defect, the maintenance or repair evidence should show:

• Which asset was repaired

• Which reported defect was addressed

• What work was completed

• Which components were repaired or replaced

• When the work was completed

• Who completed it

• What tests were carried out

• Whether further work remains outstanding

A general invoice stating “lift service” or “repairs completed” may not provide enough evidence to close a specific LOLER defect.

How long should defect and repair records be kept?

LOLER sets minimum periods for the examination reports themselves, but a duty holder should retain evidence showing how reported defects were managed.

The defect record, repair documentation and relevant examination report should be kept together or linked through the equipment register.

Retaining these documents for the asset’s working life can provide a useful history of:

• Recurring defects

• Component replacement

• Structural repair

• Overloading

• Safety-device failures

• Modernisation

• Changes in use

• Exceptional examinations

• Decisions to return equipment to service

This history can assist future competent persons and help the business identify deterioration trends.

If documents are deleted as soon as the minimum statutory period expires, important evidence about previous safety-critical repairs may be lost.

What should happen to records after a serious defect?

The original examination report should be retained for the applicable period even if the defect is repaired immediately.

The record set should include:

• The Report of Thorough Examination

• The defect classification

• Any immediate notification

• Isolation or withdrawal-from-service evidence

• Repair instructions

• Contractor reports

• Parts information

• Test results

• Any further examination report

• Written authorisation for return to service where applicable

A repair does not erase the original finding.

Where the competent person identifies a defect presenting an existing or imminent risk of serious personal injury, the competent person also has reporting duties to the relevant enforcing authority.

The duty holder should be able to demonstrate that the equipment was controlled and not used until the dangerous defect was remedied.

Should old reports be deleted when a new contractor is appointed?

No.

Changing examination providers, maintenance contractors or insurers does not cancel the existing retention obligations.

Historical records belong to the equipment’s compliance history, not to the contractor who created them.

Before changing provider, the duty holder should make sure it has copies of:

• Current and previous examination reports

• Installation reports

• Examination schemes

• Declarations of Conformity

• Open defect records

• Repair evidence

• Relevant test results

• Asset-identification information

The new competent person may need previous reports to understand:

• Earlier defects

• Repair deadlines

• Examination limitations

• Previous measurements

• Changes in condition

• Modifications

• The next examination date

A supplier portal should not be the only place where statutory records are stored if access will end when the contract terminates.

Who is responsible for retaining LOLER records?

The organisation with duties under LOLER must ensure that the required information is retained and available.

Depending on the arrangement, practical responsibility may sit with:

• The employer

• Equipment owner

• Hirer

• Building owner

• Facilities manager

• Principal contractor

• Plant department

• Health and safety team

• Asset-management team

An examination company may retain copies, but the duty holder should not rely exclusively on the provider’s archive.

Responsibilities should be clear where:

• Equipment is hired

• Premises are leased

• Facilities management is outsourced

• Several contractors use the same equipment

• Equipment is transferred between sites

• A landlord and tenant share responsibilities

• A managing agent controls the building

• A group company owns equipment used by another company

A contract can allocate record-management tasks, but it should not create assumptions or gaps.

What records should be supplied with hired equipment?

Where lifting equipment leaves an undertaking for hire or use elsewhere, evidence of its current examination status should be available.

The recipient should be able to confirm:

• The equipment’s identity

• Its safe working load

• The date of the last thorough examination

• The next examination due date

• Any applicable examination scheme

• Whether defects were reported

• Whether remedial work has been completed

• Whether the supplied configuration is covered

The report must match the actual item.

A generic certificate for a fleet or model range does not demonstrate that the specific machine or accessory supplied has been examined.

The hirer should keep the relevant record for the period of use and ensure that it remains available at the location where the equipment is being used.

What happens when equipment is sold?

Relevant documents should be transferred with lifting equipment where necessary to demonstrate its condition, examination status and conformity history.

This may include:

• Declaration of Conformity

• Current thorough examination report

• Installation information where relevant

• Manufacturer instructions

• Safe working load information

• Examination scheme

• Modification documentation

• Repair history

• Outstanding-defect information

A current thorough examination report does not constitute a warranty that equipment will remain safe indefinitely, but withholding relevant safety information can expose the new owner to avoidable risk.

The seller should retain its own copies for any remaining statutory, contractual or evidential period.

Can LOLER records be kept electronically?

Yes.

Records do not need to be retained only as paper documents. Electronic storage is acceptable, provided the records can be produced in written form when required.

A suitable electronic system should protect records against:

• Unauthorised alteration

• Accidental deletion

• Corruption

• Loss of access

• Supplier-platform closure

• Staff turnover

• Equipment being renamed

• Incorrect asset matching

• Failed migration between systems

Useful controls include:

• Read-only final reports

• Controlled user permissions

• Version history

• Regular backups

• Unique asset numbers

• Retention rules

• Audit logs

• Secure export capability

• Periodic recovery tests

A spreadsheet can help manage dates, but it should not replace the underlying reports.

The register and source documents should be linked so that a user can move from an asset entry to the relevant examination evidence.

Do electronic reports need a signature?

The statutory report must be authenticated by the person making it.

Authentication can be electronic. The system should make it possible to establish:

• Who completed the examination

• Who produced the report

• When it was issued

• That it is the final version

• That it has not been altered without authority

A scanned signature is not the only acceptable form of authentication.

The important issue is whether the record is attributable, protected and capable of being relied upon.

Can reports be stored only in an email inbox?

An email inbox is rarely a reliable long-term compliance system.

Emails can be:

• Deleted automatically

• Lost when an employee leaves

• Stored under an individual account

• Difficult to search

• Separated from repair evidence

• Overlooked when reminders are created

• Inaccessible during an audit

Reports received by email should be transferred into a controlled equipment-record system.

The system should use a consistent naming structure, such as:

• Site

• Equipment type

• Asset number

• Examination date

• Document type

The business should avoid filenames such as “certificate.pdf” or “inspection report final.pdf” where there is no clear equipment identity.

Should reports be kept at the equipment location?

The reports do not necessarily have to be physically stored beside the equipment, but they must be available when required.

Site personnel should be able to establish:

• Whether the equipment is within date

• Where the current report is held

• Whether defects remain outstanding

• Who is responsible for remedial action

• Who should be contacted if the record cannot be found

For mobile or hired equipment, evidence of the most recent examination should accompany the equipment or be readily accessible at the place of use.

A sticker showing the next examination date is useful but does not replace the report.

What information must a thorough examination report contain?

Schedule 1 of LOLER specifies the required information.

A compliant report should include matters such as:

• The name and address of the employer for whom the examination was made

• Identification of the lifting equipment

• The examination date

• The safe working load

• The reason for the examination

• Details of any tests

• The date by which the next examination must be made

• Any defect that is or could become dangerous

• The period within which a developing defect must be remedied

• Identification of the person making the report

• Authentication by the person making the report

The report’s title is less important than its contents.

A document called a “certificate”, “insurance inspection” or “engineering report” may be sufficient if it contains the required information. A document called a “LOLER certificate” may be insufficient if the required details are absent.

What if a LOLER report cannot be found?

The duty holder should act immediately to establish the equipment’s status.

Steps may include:

1. Check the central asset system.

2. Search site and contractor records.

3. Contact the competent person or examination provider.

4. Confirm the equipment’s identity.

5. Check whether the report was issued under a different asset number.

6. Establish the last known examination date.

7. Review any defects or repair records.

8. Arrange a further thorough examination where current compliance cannot be demonstrated.

9. Make a competent decision about controlling use in the meantime.

An examination sticker or diary entry does not contain all the information required in the statutory report.

Booking a replacement examination does not retrospectively correct a missing record, but it can help restore a controlled position.

How should acquired sites handle inherited LOLER records?

When a business purchases a site, takes over a lease or changes facilities-management provider, lifting-equipment records should form part of the handover.

The incoming organisation should request:

• A complete lifting-equipment register

• Current and historical thorough examination reports

• Installation reports

• Declarations of Conformity

• Examination schemes

• Maintenance records

• Open defect lists

• Repair evidence

• Modification records

• Contractor details

• Next examination dates

Every asset should then be physically verified against the register.

Common handover problems include:

• Duplicate asset numbers

• Missing equipment

• Reports for removed equipment

• Unrecorded modifications

• Outstanding defects marked as completed without evidence

• Reports stored only on the former contractor’s portal

• Examination dates copied incorrectly

• Accessories omitted from the register

Where documentation cannot be recovered, the incoming duty holder should obtain competent advice and establish a new compliant baseline.

Should reports be retained longer than the legal minimum?

Often, yes.

Longer retention can help with:

• Defending civil claims

• Accident investigations

• Insurance requirements

• Asset-history reviews

• Recurring-defect analysis

• Planning modernisation

• Demonstrating completed repairs

• Supporting future examinations

• Property or business transactions

• Contractor-performance reviews

A practical policy may retain core equipment records for the working life of the asset and for an appropriate period afterwards.

However, retention should still be controlled. Organisations should avoid keeping disorganised personal information indefinitely without a defined purpose.

The policy should distinguish safety-critical asset records from routine administrative correspondence.

What records should be kept for each item?

A well-managed lifting-equipment file may contain:

• Unique asset information

• Declaration of Conformity

• Manufacturer instructions

• Installation report

• Commissioning information

• Current and historical thorough examination reports

• Examination scheme

• Inspection records

• Maintenance history

• Defect reports

• Repair evidence

• Test certificates

• Modification records

• Exceptional-examination reports

• Accident or damage records

• Disposal or transfer information

The file should show the complete sequence from equipment introduction through examination, defect management, repair and eventual disposal.

For lifting accessories, records may be organised by individual item or controlled set, provided traceability is maintained.

Common LOLER record-keeping mistakes

Deleting every report after two years

An installation report may need to be retained for as long as the equipment remains at that location. A periodic report may also need to be kept for longer than two years if no subsequent report has been made.

Keeping only the newest report

The previous report may still be within its two-year minimum retention period.

Losing access when a contractor changes

The duty holder should hold its own accessible copies rather than relying entirely on a contractor’s portal.

Treating a spreadsheet as the report

A register helps control dates but does not replace the statutory Report of Thorough Examination.

Saving reports without asset numbers

Documents that cannot be matched to specific equipment provide weak evidence.

Keeping repair invoices separately

The examination finding and evidence of rectification should be linked.

Assuming an examination sticker is enough

A sticker does not contain the complete statutory information.

Failing to preserve Declarations of Conformity

These should be retained for as long as the equipment is operated.

Deleting records when equipment moves site

The historical reports remain relevant, and a new examination may be required following installation or assembly.

Retaining everything in individual inboxes

Compliance records should remain accessible when employees leave or change roles.

A practical LOLER record-management process

A reliable process can be organised around six stages.

1. Capture

Send every report and related document to a controlled central system rather than leaving it in an individual inbox.

2. Match

Match the document to the correct site and unique equipment identity.

3. Review

Check the report for:

• Correct equipment details

• Examination date

• Next due date

• Defects

• Repair deadlines

• Examination limitations

• Required tests

• Authentication

4. Act

Allocate defects and other actions to a named person or contractor.

5. Verify

Retain evidence that repairs, tests and further examinations have been completed.

6. Retain

Apply the correct retention rule based on the document type, while preserving useful safety-critical equipment history.

For multi-site organisations, the central register should provide visibility of:

• All equipment

• Current report status

• Next examination dates

• Outstanding defects

• Missing documents

• Responsible contractors

• Repair evidence

• Record-retention dates

A simple retention checklist

For each lifting-equipment asset, ask:

1. Do we have the current thorough examination report?

2. Do we still hold all reports less than two years old?

3. If no subsequent report exists, have we retained the last report?

4. Do we hold the installation or assembly examination report?

5. Is the equipment still used at the location covered by that report?

6. Do we have the Declaration of Conformity?

7. Can the declaration be matched to the asset?

8. Are required inspection records available?

9. Are defect and repair records linked?

10. Are electronic records protected from alteration and deletion?

11. Can the documents be produced promptly?

12. Will we retain access if a contractor or employee leaves?

The practical answer

Periodic LOLER thorough examination reports should generally be kept until the next report is made or for two years, whichever is longer.

Reports relating to installation or assembly should be retained until the equipment is no longer used at the relevant location. Declarations of Conformity should be kept for as long as the equipment is operated. LOLER inspection records should be retained until the next inspection record is made.

These are minimum requirements, not a complete document-management policy.

Businesses should also retain defect, repair, test and modification evidence for long enough to preserve a useful safety history. Reports can be stored electronically, provided they remain retrievable and protected from unauthorised alteration.

Excel Inspection Solutions supplies clear digital reports following independent thorough examinations of lifts, cranes, mobile plant, lifting accessories and other work equipment.

To discuss a LOLER examination programme for an individual site or multi-site equipment portfolio, call 01634 907073 or email enquiries@eis-uk.com.

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