Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulation (LOLER) Call for Evidence (CfE)

Overview

HSE is gathering information and evidence relating to the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment (LOLER) and whether their scope and application are still fit for purpose.   

This call for evidence aims to gather information and evidence that the HSE will use to:  

• Help identify and reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens to save businesses time and money without compromising safety; and  

• Understand and identify whether the current application of the regulations reflects technological advances    

This is in line with the commitment made in the UK Government’s “New approach to ensure Regulators and Regulation Support Growth”, Regulatory Action Plan (RAP).  

This call for evidence targets companies (manufacturers, importers, suppliers) and users/owners, dutyholders, and any other organisation holding relevant information.  

The information you provide will be used to support a review of the LOLER Regulations.   

HSE may wish to contact you for further information. Please indicate whether you consent to this by answering the relevant questions in the survey.   

Please support your contribution with references and reliable data (facts and figures).  

Background note  

In March 2025, HM Treasury published the UK Government's RAP, which aims to simplify and modernise the regulatory system to support economic growth. It focuses on reducing bureaucracy, improving regulatory efficiency, and adapting to technological advancements.   

In support of the RAP, HSE made the following commitment:  

• Review older prescriptive legislation, specifically the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000 (PSSR) and the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER) and consult to identify and remove unnecessary regulatory burdens, and identify potential changes to this legislation to reflect technological advances and reliability of work equipment.  

Background on Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment 1998 Regulations (LOLER).  

These Regulations (often abbreviated to LOLER) place duties on people and companies who own, operate, or have control over lifting equipment. This includes all businesses and organisations whose employees use lifting equipment, whether owned by them or not. In most cases, lifting equipment is also work equipment, so the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) will also apply (including inspection and maintenance). All lifting operations involving lifting equipment must be properly planned by a competent person, appropriately supervised, and carried out in a safe manner.  

LOLER also requires that all equipment used for lifting is fit for purpose, appropriate for the task, suitably marked, and, in many cases, subject to statutory periodic 'thorough examination'. A copy must be kept of the thorough examination report, and when a defect is found which poses an existing or imminent risk of serious personal injury, a copy of the report must be sent to the relevant enforcing authority.

If you require a more accessible format of this document, please send details to HSE.Online@hse.gov.uk and your request will be considered.   

This consultation will last for 6 weeks from 01 October 2025 until 11 November 2025. Responses must be received by 23:59 on 11 November 2025.