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Ref LOLER reg 9(3)(a)(i); NatPSA/2026/005Checked November 2026

Hoist LOLER Inspection

Patient hoists lift people, so the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 put them on a 6 month thorough examination cycle, and the slings and spreader bars that carry the person are lifting accessories on the same interval. A care provider, hospital or council that supplies a hoist is responsible for it.

On 16 September 2026 the MHRA issued a National Patient Safety Alert on patient hoists and slings after deaths and serious injuries from falls. It asks providers to examine hoists at intervals of no more than six months, take any hoist with an overdue examination out of use, and keep a register of hoists and slings, with actions to complete by 16 September 2027.

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Hoists
Every 6 monthsMobile, ceiling track, standing
Slings
Every 6 monthsPlus checks before each use
First hoist
£120 to £180ex VAT
Each further hoist
£55 to £90same visit, ex VAT
Fees are a guide, not a quote. Excluding VAT unless stated.Sources read November 2026

Part 1

Who needs hoist examinations?

  • Residential and nursing care homes, hospices and supported living services.
  • NHS trusts and private hospitals, including theatres, wards and therapy departments.
  • Councils and community equipment services that loan hoists to people at home.
  • Home care agencies whose carers use hoists at work in clients’ homes.
  • Schools and day centres with ceiling track hoists in hygiene and therapy rooms.
Slings fail too

The MHRA alert names detachment at load-bearing points (sling loops, clips and spreader bar hooks) as a leading cause of fatal falls. Include every sling in the examination, label it, and withdraw any that is worn, damaged or not approved for that hoist.

Hoist examination fees

ItemTypical fee
First hoist
Mobile or ceiling track hoist, standard major brand		£120 to £180
Each further hoist
Same site, same visit		£55 to £90
Slings
Each, examined and labelled alongside the hoists		£5 to £15 each
Bath hoist or stand aid
Each		£55 to £90
Gated overhead track
Extra on a ceiling hoist with a gate or turntable		about £35

Excluding VAT; equipment for a disabled person’s own use can qualify for VAT relief. Public contracts give a sense of scale: NHS Highland budgeted £126,000 for four years of servicing and 6 monthly LOLER examinations from July 2026.

Work out a yearly budget

Part 2

What a hoist examination should cover

Lifting mechanism and actuator
Actuator, motor and gearbox, lifting tape or strap on ceiling hoists, and the end stops.
Spreader bar and hooks
Hooks, clips and latches for wear, cracks and deformation, and the bar’s attachment to the boom.
Emergency lowering and stop
Electrical and mechanical emergency lowering, emergency stop and battery condition.
Track and fixings
Ceiling or wall track, gates, turntables and fixings, especially after building work.
Slings, one by one
Fabric, stitching, loops and labels, with each sling identified so its report can follow it.
Safe working load
Marked on the hoist and each sling, and suited to the people it is used for.

Tell us how many hoists and slings you have, and where, and we will find a competent examiner for you.

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Part 3

How a care home examination runs

  1. Count hoists and slings

    before booking

    Every hoist, stand aid, bath hoist and sling, with room or resident where a sling is personal.

  2. Plan around residents

    two weeks ahead

    Agree a quiet time, and have spare equipment ready for anyone who needs a hoist while theirs is examined.

  3. The thorough examination

    on the day

    The competent person examines each item, and tests it where they judge a test is needed. A clean item with no defects usually takes well under an hour.

  4. Reports and the register

    within 28 days

    A report per item, dated sling labels, and next due dates you can add to the register the MHRA alert asks for.

Part 4

What inspectors and the CQC expect to see

Under regulation 15 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 regulations, equipment must be clean, suitable, properly maintained and used safely. In practice an inspection team asks for in-date LOLER reports for each hoist and sling, a record of servicing, and evidence that staff check slings before use.

The MHRA alert adds a register of hoists and slings that includes community equipment, a record of approved hoist and sling combinations, and role-based training. A clean set of examination reports with matching dates makes all three straightforward.

Questions duty holders ask

How often do hoists need a LOLER inspection?

Every 6 months, because they lift people. Slings and spreader bars, as lifting accessories, are on the same 6 month interval. Staff should also check each sling before every use.

Do slings need LOLER?

Yes. A patient sling is a lifting accessory, so it needs a thorough examination at least every 6 months and a record that ties each report to that sling.

Who is responsible for a hoist in someone’s home?

Whoever provides it for use at work: usually the council or NHS equipment service that loaned it, or a care provider. Hampshire County Council, for example, sought a contract in 2024 to examine about 11,000 loaned devices at 4,000 addresses every 6 months.

Is a hoist service the same as a LOLER test?

No. Servicing is maintenance under PUWER, usually yearly to the maker’s schedule. The LOLER examination is a separate statutory check every 6 months, though both can happen on one visit.

What does a hoist LOLER test cost?

About £120 to £180 for the first hoist before VAT, and £55 to £90 for each further hoist on the same visit. Slings are usually a few pounds each.

What should we do with a hoist that is overdue?

Take it out of use until it has been examined. The MHRA alert asks providers to remove from service any hoist with an overdue examination or an unresolved defect.

Where our information comes from

Fee bands are our own reading of UK examiners’ published price lists and guides (2024 to 2026), which we do not name. Rules come from the regulations and HSE guidance below.

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Three short steps: where the equipment is, what it is, and how to reach you. About two minutes.

Step 1 of 3
Where is the equipment?
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