Service Overview
Secure compliance and protect operators with independent examinations of MEWPs, scaffolding hoists, and fall arrest systems.
Work at height equipment inspections are a strict legal requirement. Under the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER) and Work at Height Regulations 2005 (WAHR), duty holders must ensure that all elevating equipment is safe, correctly maintained, and subject to regular independent Thorough Examinations.
Responsibility for compliance sits with the duty holder. This typically includes employers, facility managers, and site supervisors. 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 users.
We provide work at height equipment 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.
This category includes equipment specifically designed to elevate personnel securely to physically work at height. This spans Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs), cherry pickers, scissor lifts, suspended cradles, and personnel harnesses.
Because the primary function of these machines involves the suspension of human life, they are subject to the strictest tier of regulatory scrutiny and inspection intervals under UK law.
The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 dictate the strict structural inspection requirements for all lifting platforms and their associated safety harnesses or descent features.
The Work at Height Regulations 2005 specifically govern the overarching task of working safely at an elevation. It mandates that equipment selected must be suitable, correctly maintained, and formally inspected.
Under LOLER, the frequency of a Thorough Examination is legally predetermined:
Equipment deployed in harsh environments (e.g., highly corrosive industrial plants) may require even more frequent examination schemes.
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.
We carry out Thorough Examinations across a wide range of commercial and industrial 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, MEWPs and related elevating platforms used at work must undergo regular Thorough Examination.
Because they elevate personnel, scissor lifts must be inspected strictly every 6 months under LOLER regulations.
The duty holder, which is typically the employer, site contractor, or organisation leasing and using the equipment.
Yes. As critical lifting accessories, safety harnesses, lanyards, and anchor points must undergo documented inspection every 6 months.
Non-compliance compromises worker safety, can lead to HSE prohibition notices, and fully invalidates active liability insurance.
We deliver work at height equipment 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 WAHR 2005.
Detailed reviews verify all critical safety and mechanical elements flawlessly.
Operation of hydraulic lifting mechanisms
Condition of platform integrity and guardrails
Functionality of emergency descent controls
Signs of wear across chassis and outrigger stability
Integrity of safety harness anchor points
Speak with our certified surveying specialists today and lock in your statutory examinations.
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