Posted By Paul J Williams Not sure re load tests, but, as a rule, all FLTs should be subjected to a thorough examination by a competent person at least every 6 or 12 months (6 if used to lift people) or in accordance with a written scheme drawn up by a competent person. This thoropugh exam is in addtion to and often confused with routine maintenance although the 2 can be combined provided the person is competent and can demonstrate impartiallity. Thorough exams can in theory be done in house but I prefer to see external examiners. Where defects are identified with the lifting bits etc the competent person must state when they should be rectified by, if immediately then the FLT must not be used until rectified. Also where the competent person finds defects he MUST send a copy of the report of thorough examination to the Enforcing Authority who will probably contact you to confirm works have been completed. In the back of LOLER there is a schedule which lists the info that the competent person must include in the report he gives you. You must obtain a report even if the truck is in A1 condition.The competent persons are usually insurance engineers. I tend to find problems with lease hire trucks where the hirer also maintains the trucks. The duty to ensure the LOLER exam is done rests with the Employer using the truck not the owner of the truck.

Posted By Alistair Reid Maintenance / servicing and Thorough Examination are not the same although in some cases it may be carried out concurrently by the same person the question of independance becomes an issue. Part of the requirement of Competant is that the person is suitably independant so as to be free of commercial pressures of the owner / user etc and have the authority to issue the report if required to the enforcing authority as mentioned in my previous reply. Many satisfy this independance issue by employing specialist engineering examination companies to carry out their LOLER Thorough Examinations for them. As for the responsibility to have the examination carried out a general rule of thumb is - long term rental / lease items are subject to examination by an authority organised by the user wheras for short term rental items this is arranged by the owner. It is however the duty of the user whether they own, hire, rent, lease, borrow steal or whatever - to ensure that they have the current Report of Thorough Examination. I would also suggest that if any defects are identified on that report that additional supporting documentation regarding their rectification is attached to the report and all of this information retainend in the file for the item with the Certificate of Conformity, manuals, maintenance records etc.