Service Overview
Ensure the safe operation and legal compliance of your crane fleet with independent Thorough Examinations.
Crane inspections are a legal requirement for businesses operating heavy lifting machinery. Under the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER), duty holders must ensure that all cranes are safe, correctly installed, and subject to regular independent Thorough Examinations.
Responsibility for compliance sits with the duty holder. This typically includes employers, site managers, and construction firms responsible for the crane's operation. Inspections must be carried out by a competent and independent person at defined intervals.
Failure to meet these obligations can result in enforcement action by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), invalidated insurance policies, and increased risk of equipment failure. Regular inspection ensures both legal compliance and the continued safety of operators and site personnel.
We provide crane inspections across Kent, London, Essex and throughout the UK through our network of qualified Engineer Surveyors.
This page forms part of our wider inspection services covering lifting equipment, cranes, access equipment and plant machinery. Explore related inspection services and compliance guidance throughout our site.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) requires that Thorough Examinations are carried out by a competent person with the necessary technical knowledge and experience to identify defects and assess their significance.
The competent person must also be independent and impartial. In practice, this means inspection should be carried out separately from routine maintenance to avoid conflicts of interest.
Our inspections are delivered by qualified Engineer Surveyors operating independently of maintenance providers, ensuring objective reporting and clear compliance outcomes.
Under LOLER, a crane is classified as work equipment used for lifting and lowering suspended loads. This encompasses varied equipment including tower cranes, mobile wheeled cranes, overhead gantry cranes, and lorry-mounted lifting apparatus.
Due to the loads and operational environments, cranes are subject to rigorous safety protocols. The environments they operate in—from active construction sites to permanent industrial bays—dictate the exact nature of their inspection scheme.
The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 govern the structural integrity and operation of cranes. It requires that all lifting operations are properly planned by a competent person, appropriately supervised, and carried out safely.
Alongside the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, cranes must often adhere to BS 7121, the British Standard code of practice for the safe use of cranes. Together, they form a unified compliance requirement covering both the lifting mechanism and general machine safety.
Under LOLER, the frequency of a Thorough Examination for cranes is:
Alternatively, duty holders may opt for a "Written Scheme of Examination", drawn up by a Competent Person, which may specify distinct intervals based on intensive environmental usage.
A Thorough Examination is a systematic, detailed inspection of equipment and safety-critical parts. It is far more rigorous than routine maintenance checks.
While maintenance prevents operational breakdown, a Thorough Examination specifically targets hidden structural degradation and safety mechanism functionality. Because it acts as an audit of the equipment's primary safety, it must be conducted entirely independently from routine servicing providers.
Following the examination, it is a legal requirement that a detailed statutory report is generated and retained by the duty holder to prove compliance to HSE inspectors.
We carry out Thorough Examinations across a wide range of commercial and industrial lifting equipment. Explore our specific inspection services below:
We deliver inspection services across the UK. View availability in your area:
Regular independent inspections support compliance with UK legislation, reduce the risk of equipment failure, and help duty holders meet their legal responsibilities. They also form an essential part of insurance and audit requirements, ensuring that equipment remains safe for continued use.
Following inspection, a detailed digital report is issued outlining the condition of the equipment, any defects identified, and the next due inspection date. Where serious defects are found, guidance is provided on necessary corrective actions in line with statutory requirements.
Yes. Under LOLER 1998, cranes used at work must undergo regular Thorough Examination by a competent person.
Typically every 12 months for goods lifting, or every 6 months if lifting people or for lifting accessories, unless a Written Scheme specifies otherwise.
The duty holder, which is typically the employer, site contractor, or organisation responsible for the crane.
Non-compliance can lead to HSE enforcement action, invalidated insurance, and increased risk of operational failure.
No. A Thorough Examination is an independent statutory safety inspection, completely separate from routine mechanical maintenance or servicing.
We deliver crane inspections across Kent, London and Essex, supporting commercial and public sector clients with fully compliant, independent statutory inspection services.
Securing compliance requirements and statutory reporting for duty holders throughout the major Home Counties.
Ensure strict adherence to the latest structural and safety standards. Our fully certified examinations directly satisfy compliance mandates for LOLER 1998 and BS 7121.
Detailed reviews verify all critical safety and mechanical elements flawlessly.
Operation of jib and tower structural components
Integrity of lifting ropes, hoist mechanisms and limit switches
Functionality of braking systems and safe load indicators
Condition of slew rings, gears and chassis
Stability of outriggers and foundation anchors
Speak with our certified surveying specialists today and lock in your statutory examinations.
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