Lifting operation permit
Draft a lifting operation permit in minutes: lift plan reference, appointed person, LOLER and accessory checks, exclusion zone and wind limits. Print it for the issuing authority to review and sign on site.
Free to use — no signup, nothing stored. Use as a planning aid, then review against the actual site.
Issue · brief · sign off
Permit to work
printable · time-bound · signed
Lifting Operation Permit — details
Fill in the permit, then print it for wet-ink signature. This tool drafts the form — only the named issuing authority on site can issue the permit and authorise work to start.
Validity window
This permit covers only the lifts described in the referenced lift plan. Re-assess and re-issue if the load, equipment, position, ground or weather conditions change.
Planning
A lifting operation is only as safe as its plan. The plan defines the method; this permit authorises the window.
Equipment
The right machine and accessories, in date for thorough examination, with safe working loads adequate for the lift.
People
Competent, ticketed operators and a single clear chain of command on the ground.
Area
Control the ground under and around the lift so the load is never over a person.
Conditions
Wind, visibility and clear communication decide whether the lift goes ahead.
Authorisation
Signed on the printed permit. The issuing authority confirms the controls are in place; the person accepting the permit confirms they understand and will work to it.
Lifting Operation Permit
This permit covers only the lifts described in the referenced lift plan. Re-assess and re-issue if the load, equipment, position, ground or weather conditions change.
- Never lift over people — no person is permitted under a suspended load.
- If anything differs from the lift plan — stop, and do not resume until it is re-planned.
- Only the named issuing authority may issue this permit and authorise the lift to start.
Planning
- [Critical] Lift plan in place and referenced by this permit
- Lift plan reference: __________________________
- Lift classification: __________________________
- [Critical] Appointed person named — responsible for planning and overall control of the lift
Equipment
- Lifting machine and rated capacity at the working radius: __________________________
- [Critical] LOLER thorough examination in date for the lifting equipment (12-monthly, or per the written scheme)
- [Critical] Lifting accessories inspected, in date (6-monthly) and with SWL adequate for the load and sling angle
- Ground conditions assessed and outrigger / spreader mats provided where needed
People
- [Critical] Crane / machine operator competent and ticketed for the equipment
- [Critical] Slinger / signaller appointed, competent, and the sole-signaller rule applied
- Everyone involved briefed on the lift plan and their role
Area
- [Critical] Exclusion zone established and enforced around the lift
- [Critical] No person under the suspended load — rule acknowledged and enforced
- [Critical] Overhead hazards checked — power lines, structures, clearances
- Members of the public protected — barriers, banksman, no lift over highways / occupied areas
Conditions
- Wind speed limit for the lift (from the equipment manual / lift plan): __________________________
- Wind speed measured and within the stated limit
- Visibility adequate for the operator and signaller throughout the lift
- Communication method confirmed: __________________________
Authorisation
By signing, the issuing authority confirms the controls above are in place. The permit holder confirms they understand the conditions and will work to them.
Close-out & cancellation
Completed on site when the work and any post-work watch are finished. The permit is only cancelled once every line is confirmed.
- All loads landed and secure
- Lifting equipment stowed / de-rigged and made safe
- Exclusion zone cleared and barriers removed
- Permit cancelled and signed off
How the permit relates to the lift plan
A lifting operation permit and a lift plan do two different jobs, and you need both. The lift plan defines the method — the equipment, the load, the radius and capacity, the rigging, the ground, the sequence and the people. The permit authorises a specific window in which that planned lift may go ahead, once the issuing authority has confirmed the conditions on the day match the plan. The permit never replaces the plan; it references it. If the load, the machine, its position, the ground or the weather differ from what was planned, the permit no longer applies — stop and re-plan.
The appointed person owns the plan
Under LOLER, every lifting operation must be properly planned by a competent person, appropriately supervised and carried out safely. For all but the most basic lifts that competent person is the appointed person, who takes overall control: they produce the plan, decide the classification (basic, intermediate or complex), and ensure the operator, slinger/signaller and everyone else understand their part. The permit names that person so there is no ambiguity about who is in charge of the lift.
LOLER, BS 7121 and the checks that gate the lift
The equipment checks on this permit are framed by LOLER 1998 and BS 7121, the code of practice for the safe use of cranes. Lifting equipment must be within its thorough-examination interval — generally 12 months for the machine and 6 months for lifting accessories such as slings, shackles and chains (or as set by the written scheme of examination). Safe working loads must be adequate for the load and the sling angle, an exclusion zone must be established and enforced, and the absolute rule applies throughout: never lift over people, and no one stands under a suspended load.
This template aligns with HSE's guidance on LOLER. It drafts the form only — a lift is live work, and only the named issuing authority on site can issue the permit and authorise the lift to start.
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