Thorough examination
A detailed examination of lifting equipment by a competent person, carried out at specified intervals, to detect defects that could give rise to danger. Required under LOLER in GB and equivalent provisions in Ireland.
By jurisdiction
UK HSE
“thorough examination”Exact equivalentRegulation 9 of LOLER 1998 requires that lifting equipment is thoroughly examined before first use, after assembly at a new site, and at prescribed intervals (6 months for equipment used to lift persons or accessories; 12 months for other lifting equipment, or as specified in an examination scheme). The examination must be carried out by a competent person and a report submitted.
Irish HSA
“thorough examination”Close equivalentThe Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007 (Part 2, Chapter 2) require periodic examination of work equipment, including lifting equipment, by a competent person. The intervals and documentation requirements are similar in intent to LOLER regulation 9 but derive from the General Application Regulations.
US OSHA
“periodic inspection”Close equivalentOSHA requires periodic inspections of cranes and hoisting equipment under 29 CFR 1910.179 (frequent inspections at 1-3 month intervals and periodic inspections at 1-12 month intervals). Construction cranes are covered under 29 CFR 1926 subpart CC. The OSHA periodic inspection is similar in purpose to the LOLER thorough examination but is not identical in scope or frequency.
Practitioner note: Not the same as routine maintenance or a pre-use check. Intervals are set by regulation and by the written scheme, and the resulting report must be acted on.