LOLER Thorough Examination approaching? Here’s how to prepare…

A surprising number of Thorough Examinations get postponed because the machine or space wasn’t ready — a delay which potentially takes important equipment out of service until the new test date.

Thankfully, there are three simple steps to ensure your inspection goes ahead without a hitch:

1. Clean the equipment so the examiner can check surfaces for damage and wear
2. Set aside a space that’s safe, with plenty of room and a floor that can take a jack
3. Schedule plenty of time so they can do a thorough job with no interruptions

They might seem basic, but these steps can save a lot of time, hassle, and lost productivity. Here’s why.

A little preparation goes a long way

When you book a CFTS Thorough Examination for your telehandler, tractor, forklift or warehouse truck, you’re paying for the industry’s safest standard for LOLER and PUWER inspection.

So, our official guidance to the Competent Person carrying out your test is simple. If you can’t safely and confidently inspect the machine to that high standard, stop and rebook the inspection for a time when you can.

And the Approved Code of Practice for LOLER Regulation 9 is clear: your Report of Thorough Examination must be current. So, if yours expires in the meantime, the equipment will unfortunately need to be removed from use.

A few simple steps can save all that hassle.

Step 1: Clean the equipment before the Competent Person arrives

This sounds simple, but still we see plenty of inspections rebooked because key components are too caked in dirt to be checked thoroughly.

We don’t expect every machine to be spotless before it’s examined. In the sectors where we work most often — agriculture, construction, and materials handling — a little grime goes with the territory. But the equipment does need to be clean enough for the Competent Person to inspect surfaces for damage and wear. Otherwise, they can’t be certain that the part is safe to use.

Guidance Note 28 is our official standard for exactly how Thorough Examinations should be performed. And it says: “If the truck is heavily contaminated to the extent the Competent Person cannot conduct the Thorough Examination in its entirety, the Thorough Examination may be refused until a later date.”

A quick clean won’t only help your inspection to go ahead as planned; you’ll also be meeting your duty under PUWER to keep equipment in efficient working order.

Step 2: Set aside a suitable working space for the inspection

Some of this is obvious: the area needs to be safe, stable, and not too small — with enough overhead clearance to properly operate the machine.

There are a few other important points too:

• The Competent Person needs enough light to be able to see the equipment clearly.
• The floor surface must be strong and level enough to safely use a jack.
• If the machine being inspected produces fumes (a diesel or gas truck, for example), the inspection can’t happen in an enclosed space.

One other thing to bear in mind, specifically for CFTS inspections. Because we cover both LOLER (lifting) and PUWER (driving and use) aspects, there needs to be enough space to drive-test key systems like steering and brakes. We’ll therefore need a bit more room than a LOLER-only examiner who doesn’t check if a truck is safe to drive.

Step 3: Schedule plenty of time

The clue’s in the name: this is a Thorough Examination. So the Competent Person needs to be given space to fully check the equipment to the best of their ability. Again, if you’re used to an inspection that only checks the lifting components, this may take longer than you’d expect.

Concentration is important, so we advise examiners not to work if there’s interference from operators who are badgering them to take the machine away.

We understand our standard answer, “as long as it takes”, isn’t always helpful for planning purposes. So, as a broad guideline, a full inspection rarely takes less than an hour (except for simple pallet trucks) — and can be up to a day or two for large, complex, or high-rise machines.

Remember that the condition and operating environment of the equipment will likely change over time, so a past inspection isn’t always a good guide to the next one. And while your Thorough Examination provider might estimate a timeline, a certain amount always depends on what the Competent Person finds when they arrive.

Rest assured, your examiner doesn’t enjoy delaying your operation, and they’re working as efficiently as they can to get you up and running again. But they also have a strict operating procedure to uphold, and a personal legal duty to check the equipment fully.

Bonus tip: Itemise removable attachments in advance

While you’re preparing for your inspection, don’t forget that LOLER says any removable attachments — fork extensions, jibs, safety cages and clamps — need a Thorough Examination schedule in their own right.

Using an untested attachment means you’re not LOLER compliant, even though you’ve had a Thorough Examination on the truck itself. So listing any attachments you use, and getting them ready in advance, helps to make sure everything is covered and you get the protection you’re paying for.

Stay ahead of renewal dates with your CFTS customer portal

None of these steps are difficult to do; it’s just a matter of planning in advance of your actual Thorough Examination date. And we can help.

Working with a CFTS-accredited examiner gives you access to a customer portal, where you can keep track of the renewal dates for all your Reports of Thorough Examination. So it’s easy to book everything in good time to get the cleaning, space, and scheduling arranged.

Meanwhile, CFTS members have access to an exclusive app which can remind them to contact you when the due date is approaching. 

Protecting the Competent Person protects you too

Whether you work on a construction site, a farm, or in a warehouse, LOLER and PUWER compliance are extremely important. Giving your Competent Person safe conditions to do a good job doesn’t just protect them; it protects your people and your business.

It’s vital for all concerned that they can be absolutely confident your equipment was tested properly. These simple steps make that possible.