School Lifting Equipment Examination and Certification Checklist
- Version
- v1
- Updated
- 1 October 2026
- Who this checklist is for
- Maintained and academy primary and secondary schools in England where the school operates, provides, hires or controls lifting equipment or lifting accessories, including equipment operated by contractors under the school's control.
- Jurisdiction
- england
15 checklist steps
Blank response areas · preview only
Confirm applicability
Use this checklist where the school provides, hires, operates or controls the use of lifting equipment or lifting accessories, including equipment operated by contractors under the school's control.
Identify equipment in scope
Response required
List each lifting appliance, lifting accessory and hired or contractor-controlled item covered by this check.
Equipment or accessory description and location
Record identification details
Response required
Record the asset number, serial number or other identifier shown on the equipment or its records for each item checked.
Asset, serial or other identifier
Check safe-working-load marking
Response required
Check the equipment or accessory for a visible safe working load marking and record the marked value and unit exactly as shown.
Marked safe working load and unit, or state that it is not marked
Check safe limits before use
Response required
Check the available equipment information for the safe limits relevant to the intended lift and record any limitation or condition that must be observed.
Relevant safe limits or conditions
Check design, manufacture and testing evidence
Response required
Review the available equipment records and identify the evidence showing that the equipment was designed, manufactured and tested.
Record document references or state that evidence was not located
Record certification status
Select the status supported by the records for the item.
Choose one
- Certified
- Not certified
- Certification evidence not located
- Not applicable to this item
Check examination status
Review the examination record and select the status shown for the item.
Choose one
- Examination is not overdue
- Examination is overdue
- Examination record not located
- Not applicable to this item
Record thorough-examination report
Response required
Record the reference, date and source of the thorough-examination report for the item, or state that it was not located.
Report reference, date, source or reason unavailable
Record conformity and test documents
Response required
Record the references for any declaration of conformity and test certificate held for the item.
Declaration of conformity and test-certificate references
Check maintenance and condition
Response required
Inspect the item and review maintenance information. Record visible defects, damage, deterioration or maintenance concerns.
Condition and maintenance findings, or state that none were identified
Check load attachment arrangements
Response required
Check how the load will be attached and record how it will be secured against slipping or falling where necessary.
Attachment and securing arrangement
Record use decision
Based on the available evidence and findings, record the decision for the item.
Choose one
- Available for use
- Remove from use
- Restrict use and escalate for review
- Refer to contractor for action
- Decision pending further evidence
Record follow-up actions
Response required
Record the action owner, required action and target date for any defect, missing record, overdue examination, unsafe condition or removal-from-use decision.
Action, owner, target date and completion evidence
File supporting records
File or link the thorough-examination reports, declarations of conformity, test certificates, defect records and removal-from-use decisions associated with this check.
- Yes
- No
- Not applicable
Notes