Lift plan requirements under LOLER 1998

What LOLER says

The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER) apply to lifting equipment used at work and to the lifting operations carried out with it. The key duty for planning is regulation 8: every lifting operation must be

• properly planned by a competent person,
• appropriately supervised, and
• carried out in a safe manner.

HSE's Approved Code of Practice and guidance, Safe use of lifting equipment (L113), explains how to meet these duties. LOLER sits alongside the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER), which cover work equipment more generally.

Other LOLER duties a lift plan relies on

• Regulation 4: lifting equipment must be strong and stable enough for its use, including what it's mounted on or anchored to.
• Regulation 5: extra requirements for equipment used to lift people.
• Regulation 6: equipment must be positioned and installed to reduce the risk of the load striking people, drifting, falling or being released unintentionally.
• Regulation 7: equipment and accessories must be marked with their safe working load.
• Regulation 9: thorough examination: before first use, after installation where safety depends on it, and periodically. That means at least every six months for equipment that lifts people and for lifting accessories, and at least every 12 months for other lifting equipment, unless an examination scheme sets different intervals.
• Regulations 10 and 11: reports of thorough examination, defects and record keeping.

A lift plan should confirm the equipment and accessories have current thorough examination reports and are suitable for the load.

How much planning is needed

LOLER expects planning in proportion to the risk. Routine lifts can be covered by a generic plan reviewed for each site, while one-off, heavy or complex lifts need a plan for that specific lift.

For cranes, BS 7121 (the code of practice for the safe use of cranes) is the recognised standard. It sets out a planning structure led by an Appointed Person, who has the training and experience to plan the lift and takes responsibility for it, and it describes basic, standard and complex lifts, with the depth of planning increasing with complexity. The Appointed Person is supported by a lift supervisor, crane operator and slinger/signaller.

What a lift plan should contain

• The load: weight (with how it was established), dimensions, centre of gravity and lifting points
• The equipment: make, model and configuration, radius and duty, and a check against the rated capacity
• Accessories: slings, shackles, spreader beams and the slinging method, with their safe working loads
• Set-up: position, ground conditions, outrigger loads and spreader mats, and any underground services or voids
• Surroundings: obstructions, overhead power lines, nearby structures, public areas and traffic
• Exclusion zones and how they will be controlled
• Weather limits: wind speed limits for the equipment and the load, and visibility
• Roles: Appointed Person, lift supervisor, operator and slinger/signaller, with competence evidence
• Communication: radios or hand signals, and what happens if communication is lost
• Sequence of the lift and the landing arrangements
• Emergency and rescue arrangements
• Thorough examination reports for the equipment and accessories

The plan is only part of it. The lift should be briefed to the team before it starts, and replanned if conditions change on the day.

How we can help

All our lift plans are prepared and signed by John Massey, a CPCS A61 Appointed Person and former tower crane operator. Fixed prices, ex VAT: £195 for a basic lift (excavator, telehandler or lorry loader), £350 for a standard single mobile crane lift and £750 for a complex lift. An independent check of an existing lift plan is £125.

See lift plan prices and order

Common questions

Does LOLER apply to telehandlers and lorry loaders?

Yes. Both are lifting equipment, so their lifting operations must be planned, supervised and carried out safely under regulation 8, and the equipment must be thoroughly examined under regulation 9.

Who can sign a crane lift plan?

BS 7121 expects crane lifts to be planned by an Appointed Person with the training and experience for that type of lift. Principal contractors commonly ask for a CPCS A61 or equivalent qualification.

Is a lift plan the same as a RAMS?

No. A RAMS covers the whole activity; the lift plan covers the lifting operation in detail. Most sites want both where an activity includes lifting.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Always follow your principal contractor's requirements, the manufacturer's instructions and the HSE guidance referred to above.