LOLER and lift plans: what businesses need to know before moving machinery
Updated 6 November 2026 · By the Heavy Equipment Movers team
Short answer: Under the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER), every lifting operation in the UK must be planned by a competent person, appropriately supervised and carried out safely, using equipment that is suitable and has been thoroughly examined. For crane and HIAB lifts this usually means a written lift plan following BS 7121, alongside a risk assessment and method statement for the whole move.
What LOLER requires
- Lifting operations must be properly planned by a competent person
- Lifts must be appropriately supervised and carried out safely
- Lifting equipment must be strong and stable enough for the load
- Equipment must be marked with its safe working load
- Lifting equipment and accessories must have regular thorough examinations by a competent person
Lift plans and method statements
A lift plan sets out the load, its weight and lifting points, the crane or lifting equipment to be used, slinging arrangements, ground conditions, exclusion zones and who is in charge. A method statement covers the whole move, from isolation and preparation to transport and positioning. Both should be agreed before the day so everyone knows the sequence.
Contract lift or crane hire?
| Contract lift | Crane hire with operator | |
|---|---|---|
| Who plans the lift | The lifting contractor | You, as the hirer |
| Who supervises | The lifting contractor | You must appoint a competent person |
| Best for | Most businesses without in-house lifting expertise | Firms with their own appointed person |
Questions to ask a machinery mover
- Will you carry out a site survey before quoting?
- Will you provide a method statement and lift plan?
- What lifting equipment will be used, and is its thorough examination current?
- What cover do you carry for goods in transit and for lifting operations?
- Who will supervise the lift on the day?
Related guides
- How much does heavy equipment moving cost in the UK? (2026 guide)
- How to prepare for a machinery move: a checklist for businesses
- How to choose a machinery moving company: questions to ask and red flags
- Machine skates, forklift, HIAB or crane: how heavy machinery is moved
- Transporting heavy machinery by road: vehicles, load securing and abnormal loads
- Relocating a CNC machine: a step-by-step guide to protecting accuracy
- Planning a factory relocation: timeline, downtime and who does what
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