Tail Lift Safety & LOLER Compliance — What Every Employer Must Know
LOLER requires that all tail lifts used at work undergo a Thorough Examination every six months. Failure to comply is a criminal offence. This site explains your legal obligations — and how Drumack Coachworks can help you meet them.
It is a legal requirement under LOLER (The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998) that all tail lifts undergo a Thorough Examination at least twice a year, carried out by a competent person. The Health & Safety Executive can request your examination report at any time. Non-compliance carries penalties of substantial fines or imprisonment.
Your obligations at a glance
2 per year
Minimum Thorough Examinations required by law
2 years
Minimum period examination reports must be retained
All makes
LOLER applies regardless of tail lift manufacturer
Criminal
Non-compliance is a breach of UK criminal law
As an employer, you must ensure your tail lifts are:
- Strong and stable for their intended use
- Operated safely at all times
- Inspected by a competent person at least every six months
- Maintained in good working order
- Used only by trained operators
Defects identified in a Thorough Examination report must be acted upon. Ignoring them does not just put your staff at risk — it compounds your legal liability.
How Drumack Coachworks can help
Drumack Coachworks has been helping Northern Ireland employers meet their LOLER obligations for over 40 years. Our engineers are fully trained and certified as competent persons, qualified to carry out Thorough Examinations on all makes of tail lift.
We offer Thorough Examinations, servicing, weight testing and operator training — at your premises or at our workshops in Rasharkin or Belfast. Associates also cover wider UK locations.
📞 028 2957 1215 | ✉ service@drumack.com
