Lifting Operations Safety and LOLER on Construction Sites

Lifting operations safety on a construction site means making sure that every lift done with equipment is properly planned, carried out by competent people with the right, examined equipment, and kept clear of anyone who could be hit by the load. The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998, known as LOLER, set the legal framework for this. They apply to cranes, hoists, lifting accessories such as slings and shackles, and other equipment used for lifting or lowering loads at work.

Key takeaways

LOLER covers lifting equipment and the way lifts are carried out, including planning, supervision, marking, examination and defect reporting.
Every lifting operation must be properly planned by a competent person, appropriately supervised and carried out in a safe manner.
Lifting equipment and accessories must be strong and stable enough for the job, and marked with their safe working load.
Lifting equipment has to be thoroughly examined by a competent person, and defects must be reported and acted on.
Keep people out of the area under and around a load, and never stand under a suspended load.
Manual handling, which uses the human body to lift or move a load, is covered by different rules from mechanical lifting.

What LOLER covers

The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 apply to work equipment used for lifting or lowering loads. On a construction site, that includes tower cranes, mobile cranes, hoists, telehandlers when they are used for lifting, chain blocks, and mobile elevating work platforms. It also covers lifting accessories, which are the items that attach the load to the equipment, such as slings, chains, hooks, shackles and eyebolts.

LOLER sits alongside other duties. The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) apply to work equipment in general, and LOLER adds specific requirements for lifting. In plain English, LOLER requires the following:

Lifting equipment must be of adequate strength and stability for each load.
It must be positioned and installed so that the risk of the load or the equipment causing injury is as low as reasonably practicable.
It must be clearly marked with its safe working load, and accessories must be marked so that they can be used safely.
Lifting operations must be planned by a competent person, appropriately supervised and carried out in a safe manner.
Lifting equipment must be thoroughly examined by a competent person, at the times the regulations require, and the results must be recorded.
Defects that are, or could become, a danger to people must be reported and acted on.

The regulations contain extra requirements where equipment is used to lift people. For exact wording and the detail of examination requirements, read the regulations on legislation.gov.uk and HSE's guidance rather than relying on this summary.

Planning the lift

Planning is the part of a lifting operation that most often decides whether it goes well. A competent person should plan each lift, and the plan should be proportionate to the complexity and the risk. For a routine lift that is repeated many times, the plan may be a standard one. For an unusual or complex lift, it should be written for the job.

A lift plan generally considers:

The load: what it is, how it is attached, and where its centre of gravity lies.
The equipment: the right type and capacity for the load, the radius and the conditions, and whether it has been examined.
The accessories: slings and other attachments that suit the load and the method, and that are in good condition.
The ground, site and weather: firm and level ground, overhead cables and underground services, nearby people and traffic, and wind or other conditions that can make a lift unsafe.
The people: who is in charge, who operates, who attaches the load, who signals, and how they communicate.
The area: where the load will travel and land, and how the lifting zone will be kept clear.

If conditions change, for example the wind rises or the load turns out to be different from what was planned, the lift stops until it has been reviewed.

Competent people and clear roles

Competence means that the person has the training, skills, experience and knowledge to do the task safely, and the authority to stop the work. LOLER expects the operation to be appropriately supervised, so someone must be clearly in charge of each lift.

Typical roles on a crane lift include the person who plans and appoints, the operator, the person who attaches and detaches the load, and the person who signals. These can be combined in simple operations, but the responsibilities must be clear to everyone. Signals and communication methods must be agreed before the lift begins. If radios are used, check they work. If hand signals are used, everyone must know them. If you are not certain of your role, ask before the lift starts, not during it.

Operators and signallers must be competent for the task. Check your site rules and employer's requirements, and see HSE's construction safety topics for guidance on specific activities.

Examination, inspection and marking

LOLER distinguishes between thorough examination and routine inspection. A thorough examination is carried out by a competent person at the intervals set by the regulations or by an examination scheme, and the results are recorded in a report. Routine inspection and pre-use checks are the day-to-day checks by operators and users to spot damage or faults.

In practice:

Check for the safe working load marking before using equipment or an accessory. If it is missing or unreadable, do not use it.
Look for current examination information where your site requires it, and do not use equipment that is overdue for examination.
Inspect accessories before each use for damage such as cuts, kinks, wear, deformation or missing parts.
Report defects straight away, and take faulty equipment out of use so that nobody picks it up by mistake.

For the intervals and the content of reports, check the regulations and HSE guidance for your equipment type. Do not assume that an interval from one type of equipment applies to another.

Exclusion zones and safe working around lifts

Even a well-planned lift can fail, so the principle is that nobody should be where a falling or swinging load could hit them. Good practice includes:

Setting up an exclusion zone around the lifting area, using barriers and signs, and keeping it clear of people who are not part of the lift.
Never standing or walking under a suspended load.
Avoiding load routes over occupied areas.
Stopping the lift if anyone enters the zone.

Manual handling and mechanical lifting

These are two different things, governed by different rules. Manual handling means moving or supporting a load by hand or bodily force, including lifting, pushing, pulling and carrying. It is covered by the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, and our manual handling basics guide explains the main points. Mechanical lifting uses equipment such as cranes and hoists, and is covered by LOLER. If a load is too heavy or awkward for manual handling, the answer is usually to use suitable lifting equipment or to change the way the task is done, which then brings LOLER into play.

Plant such as telehandlers and excavators used for lifting also falls under plant safety. Our plant and vehicle safety guide covers the wider hazards of moving machines on site.

Quick checklist before a lift

[ ] There is a lift plan, and I have been briefed on it.
[ ] I know who is in charge, who operates and who signals.
[ ] The equipment and accessories are marked with their safe working load and are in good condition.
[ ] Examination records are in date where required.
[ ] The ground, weather and surroundings have been checked.
[ ] The exclusion zone is set up and clear.
[ ] I know how to stop the lift if something changes.

Practice check

These two questions are original and written for this site. They are not official CITB questions and not an official result.

Question 1. What does LOLER require for a lifting operation?

A. It must be planned by a competent person, appropriately supervised and carried out safely.
B. It must be done as quickly as possible to reduce the risk.
C. It only applies to lifts done by hand.
D. It can be left to whoever is nearest to the equipment.

Answer: A. LOLER requires lifting operations to be properly planned, supervised and carried out in a safe manner, with competent people involved.

Question 2. You find a sling with no readable safe working load marking. What should you do?

A. Use it for a light load.
B. Guess the rating from its size.
C. Ask a colleague to use it instead.
D. Do not use it, take it out of service and report it.

Answer: D. Equipment without readable marking cannot be used safely, because you do not know what it can carry. Remove it from use and report it.

For more practice, see our free practice questions and the operatives test format page. This site is independent and not affiliated with CSCS or CITB.

FAQ

What does LOLER stand for?

LOLER stands for the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998. They set out requirements for the safe use of lifting equipment and for the planning, supervision and execution of lifting operations. They apply alongside the general rules for work equipment.

Does LOLER apply to manual handling?

No. LOLER covers lifting equipment and mechanical lifting operations. Manual handling, where you lift or carry a load using your own body, is covered by the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992. See our manual handling basics guide for more.

What is a thorough examination?

A thorough examination is a detailed check of lifting equipment by a competent person, carried out at the intervals the regulations or an examination scheme require, with the results recorded. It is separate from the daily or pre-use checks you do yourself. Check the regulations and HSE guidance for the requirements that apply to your equipment.

Who is responsible for the safety of a lift?

Several people share the responsibility. The employer or contractor must make sure the lift is planned, supervised and done with suitable examined equipment, and operators, signallers and slingers must do their parts competently.

Sources

Independent guide, not affiliated with, authorised by, approved by or endorsed by CSCS or CITB. Last updated 2026-10-08.