On-Site & Off-Site Statutory Inspection Services for Lifting Equipment

Organisations across the UK choose our inspection teams because we provide:

• Competent engineers with specialist lifting knowledge 
• Independent and impartial inspection assessments 
• Responsive on-site and collection-based service options 
• Clear reporting and compliance documentation 
• Support for preventative maintenance planning 
• National service capability with regional engineering centres 
• Practical experience across heavy industrial lifting environments 

Our structured inspection programmes help businesses maintain safe operations while reducing downtime, compliance risk and unexpected equipment failure.

A statutory inspection, commonly referred to as a thorough examination, is a systematic and detailed assessment of lifting equipment and safety-critical components.

These inspections are required to:

• Verify lifting equipment remains safe for use 
• Detect deterioration, fatigue, wear or structural defects 
• Confirm Safe Working Load (SWL) suitability 
• Ensure continued compliance with UK lifting legislation 
• Provide documented certification for audit, insurance and safety management purposes 

Statutory inspections must be carried out at defined intervals or in accordance with a written examination scheme prepared by a competent person.

We deliver responsive on-site statutory inspection services for fixed and installed lifting systems operating in demanding industrial environments.

Typical on-site inspection activities include:

• Overhead crane statutory inspections 
• Hoist and runway beam examinations 
• Gantry crane compliance testing 
• Jib crane and lifting system inspections 
• Functional testing and operational safety checks 
• Load testing where risk assessment requires 
• Condition monitoring for high-duty equipment 

Inspecting equipment in its working environment allows engineers to accurately assess:

• Duty cycles and utilisation levels 
• Environmental exposure and corrosion risks 
• Structural loading conditions 
• Operational safety controls 

On-site inspection support is particularly valuable within manufacturing plants, steel processing facilities, warehouses, ports, utilities and infrastructure projects.

For portable lifting equipment and lifting accessories, off-site inspection provides a controlled technical assessment environment.

Equipment can be:

• Collected directly from customer premises 
• Thoroughly examined under workshop conditions 
• Subjected to detailed inspection procedures 
• Load tested using calibrated test beds (link to Load testing service page)
• Measured for wear, elongation or deformation 
• Repaired or refurbished if defects are identified (link to lifting equipment repair page)
• Returned with full certification documentation 

Off-site inspection enables deeper examination where specialist testing, partial disassembly or extended evaluation is required.

This service supports organisations managing large volumes of lifting accessories such as:

• Chain slings
• Wire rope slings 
• Shackles and eyebolts
• Lifting beams and spreaders
• Hoists and portable lifting devices

Thorough examinations are required throughout the lifecycle of lifting equipment, including:

• Before first use in certain installation scenarios 
• After assembly at a new site or working location 
• At regular intervals while equipment is in service 
• Following exceptional events such as damage, overload or long periods out of use 

Typical statutory inspection intervals include:

• Every 6 months for lifting accessories and equipment used to lift people 
• Every 12 months for most lifting equipment 
• At alternative intervals defined within a formal examination scheme 

Additional interim inspections may be required depending on operating conditions, risk assessments and manufacturer guidance.

The scope of inspection depends on equipment type, operating environment and risk exposure but may include:

• Detailed visual examination 
• Functional and operational testing 
• Measurement of wear, distortion or elongation 
• Structural integrity assessment 
• Non-destructive testing (NDT) where required 
• Verification of marking, identification and SWL 
• Review of inspection history and previous defects 

Where serious defects are identified, lifting equipment must be withdrawn from service until corrective action has been completed.

Following statutory inspection, a formal written report is issued containing required compliance information such as:

• Examination date 
• Equipment identification and description 
• Defects affecting safe use 
• Required remedial actions 
• Next inspection due date 

Maintaining accurate inspection records supports:

• Regulatory compliance 
• Insurance validation 
• Contractor safety management 
• Asset lifecycle planning 
• Demonstration of duty holder responsibility 

Digital certification can be supplied to support internal compliance systems and audit requirements.

Implementing a planned statutory inspection strategy helps organisations to:

• Improve lifting safety performance 
• Reduce unplanned equipment breakdown 
• Extend lifting asset lifespan 
• Maintain full legal compliance 
• Support maintenance scheduling 
• Protect employees, contractors and site operations 
• Reduce enforcement risk and liability exposure

We provide statutory inspection services across a wide range of sectors including:

• Manufacturing and heavy engineering 
• Steel fabrication and processing 
• Warehousing and logistics 
• Construction and infrastructure 
• Utilities and facilities management 
• Ports, transport and distribution 

Engineering teams based in Sheffield and Manchester enable responsive regional support with wider UK coverage available where required.