There’s often confusion on construction sites about whether 4 Cladding Services’ panel dollies need LOLER certification. This article explains the difference between LOLER and PUWER, and why our dollies don’t fall under LOLER regulations.
Understanding LOLER and PUWER
In the construction world, safety and compliance are non-negotiable.
Two key regulations often mentioned together are LOLER (Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998) and PUWER (Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998).
Both are designed to keep people safe, but they apply to different types of equipment.
- LOLER covers equipment used to lift and lower loads. This includes cranes, hoists, and vacuum lifters – anything that raises a load from one level to another.
- PUWER, on the other hand, applies to all work equipment, ensuring it’s safe to use, maintained properly, and operated by trained people.
So, Where Do Panel Dollies Fit In?
Our panel dollies are designed to make the movement of cladding panels on site simpler and safer. They’re built to transport materials along the ground, not to lift or suspend them.
That distinction is important. Because our dollies don’t raise or lower loads, they aren’t classed as lifting equipment under LOLER.
In other words:
They move loads, they don’t lift them, so LOLER doesn’t apply.
Why This Matters
It’s common for site teams or safety officers to ask for LOLER certificates as part of their compliance checklist. While this makes perfect sense for cranes and vacuum lifters, it doesn’t apply to ground-handling equipment, such as dollies.
If we were to treat dollies as LOLER-regulated, we’d have to issue inspection certificates that don’t actually exist — because there’s no lifting mechanism to test under those regulations.
However, this doesn’t mean that no checks are required at all.
The Rules That Do Apply: PUWER
While our dollies don’t fall under LOLER, they are covered by PUWER.
That means we (and you, as the user) must ensure that:
- The dolly is in safe working condition before use
- It’s suitable for the job and load weight
- Operators are trained to handle materials safely
- Any damage or defects are reported and addressed before further use
All of our dollies are routinely inspected and maintained by our in-house team before they leave the yard.
We also recommend that customers carry out a visual check on arrival and before each shift — just as you would with any piece of site equipment.
