If your business runs forklifts, reach trucks, stackers or other lifting equipment, regular thorough examinations are a legal requirement, in the Republic of Ireland and in Northern Ireland alike. This guide explains what a thorough examination is, what the law says on each side of the border, how often it’s due and what to do if a truck fails.
What is a thorough examination?
A thorough examination is a formal inspection of lifting equipment by a competent person, recorded in a written report. It isn’t the same as a service or the operator’s daily check. The examiner looks at the parts that keep the load and the people around it safe, and decides whether the truck is safe to keep using.
On a forklift that usually means the mast, chains, forks and carriage, the hydraulics, brakes, steering, tyres and wheels, the overhead guard, and any attachments fitted to the truck.
The law in Northern Ireland: LOLER
In Northern Ireland, thorough examinations come under the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999, known as LOLER, and the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) enforces them. Under LOLER, lifting equipment must be thoroughly examined:
- At least every 12 months for equipment that lifts only loads, such as a standard forklift.
- At least every 6 months for equipment that lifts people, and for lifting accessories.
- Or in line with an examination scheme drawn up by a competent person.
Each examination must be recorded in a written report.
The law in the Republic of Ireland: the GA1
In the Republic, the requirements are in the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007, and the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) enforces them. Regulation 52 and Schedule 1 set the intervals for thorough examination: a fork lift truck must be examined every 12 months, or every 6 months if it’s used to lift people. The examination is usually recorded on the HSA’s GA1 form, which is why many people in the Republic call it “the GA1”.
People often say “LOLER” in the Republic too, but strictly LOLER is the Northern Ireland and Great Britain law, and the GA1 is the Republic’s.
How often is a forklift due?
- Forklifts, reach trucks, stackers and pallet trucks that lift only loads: at least every 12 months.
- Order pickers and any truck used to lift people: at least every 6 months.
- After a repair or change that could affect safety, before the truck goes back into use.
Keep the last report for every truck. It’s the first thing an inspector, your insurer or a customer’s auditor will ask to see.
What if a truck fails?
The report lists any defects. A defect that’s an immediate danger means the truck must stop being used until it’s fixed. Other defects must be put right within the time the examiner sets. Either way, the report tells you exactly what needs doing.
Who can carry out the examination?
It must be a competent person: someone with the practical and theoretical knowledge to find defects and judge how serious they are, and independent enough to give an honest verdict. Your own operators’ daily checks don’t count.
Thorough examinations from Clearlift
Our own engineers carry out LOLER and GA1 thorough examinations on the EP trucks we’ve sold or hired, at your site, alongside servicing. They’re based in Navan, Dublin, Waterford, Cork, Mayo, Portadown and Lurgan, so we cover all 32 counties.
- Reports fast: the job report is emailed to you within 10 minutes of the job finishing.
- Records in one place: your inspection records, service schedules and invoices are kept in our online fleet portal, where you can see them at any time.
- On hire: if you hire from us, the yearly thorough examination is already included in the weekly price, along with servicing and repairs.
We don’t service or examine other makes. If you’re replacing trucks from another brand, we can price new EP trucks or hire instead.
Questions
Who is responsible for the examination of a hired truck? The business using the truck must make sure it has a valid thorough examination. On Clearlift hire, we carry out the yearly examination as part of the contract.
How far ahead should I book? Book a few weeks before the last report runs out, so there’s time to fix any defects before it lapses.
Do you cover both the Republic and Northern Ireland? Yes. Our engineers work across all 32 counties, and we carry out both GA1 and LOLER examinations.
Book an examination
Email service@clearlift.eu with your company name and the serial or fleet numbers of your EP trucks, or call 01 5267 411 (ROI) or 028 3833 7038 (NI). See service and parts and our FAQs for more.
This guide is a summary for businesses, not legal advice. Always check the current regulations and guidance from the HSA or HSENI.
