Determine correct statutory thorough examination intervals for different classes of lifting equipment and accessories.
Engineering & Maintenance
Statutory Thorough Examination and Inspection of Lifting Equipment
Plan and manage statutory thorough examination programmes for lifting equipment and accessories, covering inspection scope, defect classification and competent person reporting.
🗓️Duration5 training days
📚Content4 modules · 8 sessions
🎓On completionAccredited attendance certificate
About the programme
Course Overview
Lifting equipment failures are among the most severe causes of workplace injury and equipment loss, which is why statutory thorough examination exists as a legal requirement rather than a discretionary maintenance activity. This course prepares maintenance engineers, lifting equipment coordinators and competent persons to plan and manage thorough examination programmes that satisfy statutory obligations for cranes, hoists, lifting accessories and associated lifting gear. Participants learn to determine correct examination intervals based on equipment type and duty, distinguishing periodic examination from examination following installation, substantial alteration or exceptional circumstances. The course covers building a lifting equipment register that tracks safe working load, examination history and defect status for every item, and classifying defects into those requiring immediate action, those requiring repair within a period, and observations for monitoring. Participants practise interpreting competent person reports and the notification obligations that follow a reported defect. The course also addresses managing programmes across multiple sites and contractors, verifying examiner competence, and integrating findings into the CMMS so equipment with an outstanding defect cannot be scheduled for further use.
Expected Learning Outcomes
Build and maintain a lifting equipment register recording safe working load and examination history.
Classify defects found during examination into immediate action, timed repair and monitoring categories.
Interpret competent person reports and understand the legal implications of a reported existing or imminent defect.
Manage notification obligations that arise when a thorough examination identifies a serious defect.
Verify the competence and independence of examination providers used across multiple sites and contractors.
Integrate examination findings into the CMMS to prevent further use of lifting equipment with an outstanding defect.
Who Should Attend
Lifting equipment coordinators responsible for statutory examination scheduling.
Maintenance engineers who manage cranes, hoists and lifting accessories on site.
Competent persons and their supervisors conducting or reviewing thorough examinations.
HSE managers accountable for lifting equipment compliance across multiple sites.
CMMS administrators maintaining lifting equipment registers and examination records.
Contractor and rental equipment managers supplying lifting gear to client sites.
Course Modules
Select any module to see its sessions and points.
01Statutory Framework and Examination Intervals
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Legal Basis and Scope of Thorough Examination
- Distinguish the legal requirement for thorough examination from routine visual inspection and maintenance checks.
- Identify which categories of lifting equipment and accessories fall within statutory examination requirements.
- Determine the trigger points requiring examination, including installation, substantial alteration and exceptional circumstances.
- Establish who may act as a competent person and the independence required for valid examination reports.
Session 2Setting Examination Intervals by Equipment Type
- Apply the correct examination interval for lifting accessories, typically shorter than for lifting machinery.
- Adjust examination frequency for equipment used in arduous conditions or carrying passengers.
- Reconcile manufacturer recommendations with statutory minimum examination intervals where they differ.
- Schedule examinations to avoid equipment being used beyond its due examination date.
02Building and Maintaining the Lifting Equipment Register
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Structuring a Compliant Lifting Equipment Register
- Record safe working load, unique identification and examination history for every item of lifting equipment.
- Link register entries to the relevant competent person reports and any outstanding defect status.
- Include lifting accessories such as slings, shackles and chain blocks with their own examination records.
- Design the register so overdue examinations are visible before equipment is next scheduled for use.
Session 2Managing Multi-Site and Contractor Equipment Registers
- Consolidate examination records across multiple sites into a single accessible compliance register.
- Verify examination status of contractor-owned or rental lifting equipment brought onto site.
- Establish a process for accepting or rejecting equipment lacking current thorough examination evidence.
- Reconcile register discrepancies found during periodic compliance audits.
03Defect Classification and Competent Person Reporting
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Classifying Defects Found During Examination
- Distinguish defects requiring immediate withdrawal from service from those permitting timed repair.
- Record observations for monitoring where a condition does not yet constitute a reportable defect.
- Apply consistent classification criteria across different examiners to avoid inconsistent risk decisions.
- Cross-reference defect classification against manufacturer wear limits and statutory guidance where available.
Session 2Interpreting and Acting on Competent Person Reports
- Read a competent person report to identify safe working load, defects found and recommended timescales.
- Understand the legal weight of a report identifying an existing or imminent defect likely to cause danger.
- Determine notification obligations to the relevant regulatory authority when a serious defect is reported.
- Track remediation actions arising from reports through to verified close-out before equipment returns to service.
04Programme Management and Continuous Compliance
2 sessions · 8 points
Session 1Managing the Examination Programme Operationally
- Schedule examinations around production and shutdown planning to minimise operational disruption.
- Coordinate access, isolation and rigging support required to present equipment for examination safely.
- Maintain spare or substitute equipment arrangements for items withdrawn from service pending repair.
- Brief operators and supervisors on equipment status so withdrawn items are not inadvertently used.
Session 2Auditing and Improving Compliance Performance
- Audit the lifting equipment register and examination files against statutory record-keeping requirements.
- Analyse recurring defect types across equipment classes to inform preventive maintenance and procurement decisions.
- Review examination provider performance, including timeliness and clarity of reporting, on a periodic basis.
- Report programme compliance metrics, including overdue examination rates, to site leadership.
What the participant receives
4 course modules
A structured syllabus
8 training sessions
across 5 days
32 detailed points
Applied, detailed content
Accredited attendance certificate
On completing the programme
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