Compliance
Plant Inspections: LOLER & PUWER Compliance for Construction
18 March 20265 min read
Every piece of plant and equipment on a construction site must be inspected, maintained, and recorded. Two key regulations govern this: LOLER and PUWER.
LOLER — Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998
LOLER applies to all lifting equipment used at work — cranes, hoists, telehandlers, MEWPs, chains, slings. Key requirements:
- All lifting equipment must be thoroughly examined at specified intervals
- Thorough examinations must be carried out by a competent person
- Reports must be kept and made available
- Defective equipment must be taken out of service immediately
PUWER — Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998
PUWER covers all work equipment — from hand tools to excavators. Requirements include:
- Equipment must be suitable for its intended use
- Maintained in a safe condition
- Inspected at suitable intervals
- Users must be adequately trained
Pre-Use Checks
Before using any plant, operators should carry out a pre-use inspection covering:
- Fluid levels (oil, coolant, hydraulic)
- Tyres, tracks, and undercarriage
- Lights, mirrors, and reversing alarms
- Safety devices (ROPS, FOPS, seat belts)
- Hydraulic hoses and connections
- General condition and cleanliness
Digital Plant Management
SiteLynx Plant & Equipment module gives you a full asset register with thorough exam tracking, pre-use inspection checklists per equipment type, defect reporting with automatic status updates, and insurance/certification expiry alerts.