Safe Lifting with Excavators: LOLER Compliance and CPA HSE Guidance
- Edward Hoare
- Aug 23
- 8 min read
Excavators lift loads every day on UK sites, from trench boxes and manhole rings to pipes, pumps and concrete barriers. The risk is that a familiar machine can start to feel like a crane without being treated like one.
Lifting with an excavator is legal and often practical, but only when the operation is properly planned, supervised and carried out with suitable equipment. Under LOLER, every lifting operation must be planned by a competent person, performed safely, and subject to appropriate supervision. The CPA guidance, produced with HSE involvement for the construction plant sector, gives practical direction on how to apply those duties when the lifting machine is an excavator.
This article is for general safety information only. Site teams should always follow current legislation, manufacturer instructions, company procedures and the advice of a competent appointed person.
Why excavator lifting needs careful control
An excavator is designed first for digging. When it lifts, the load moves through a changing radius, the centre of gravity shifts, and the machine can lose stability quickly. A small change in boom angle or slew position can make a safe lift unsafe.
The main hazards include:
Overturning
The load radius increases as the boom extends. Lifting over the side is often less stable than lifting over the front or rear, depending on the machine and its configuration.
Hydraulic failure or uncontrolled lowering
A burst hose or control fault can drop the load if the machine lacks suitable protection.
Poor attachment points
Lifting from bucket teeth, quick-hitch components not designed for lifting, or improvised points can cause sudden failure.
Ground bearing failure
Even a lift within the machine’s rated capacity can become unsafe on soft, uneven or recently backfilled ground.
People entering the danger zone
Loads can swing, rotate, snag or fall. Anyone near the load, machine or lifting path is at risk.
LOLER does not ban lifting with excavators. It requires the lift to be treated as a lifting operation, not as a quick favour while the machine is already on site. The difference is planning, competence, inspection and control.
The legal duties that apply
The main UK legal framework is the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998, known as LOLER. Other regulations also matter, including PUWER, the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act, and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations.
LOLER places three core duties on employers and those in control of lifting operations.
The lift must be properly planned
Every lifting operation must be planned by a competent person. The plan should match the complexity and risk of the job. A simple, repetitive lift may need a brief written plan and method statement. A heavier, unusual or high-risk lift needs more detail, more checks and more formal supervision.
For an Excavator Lift Plan, the planner should confirm the load, radius, machine capacity, lifting accessories, ground conditions, route, exclusion zone, communication method and emergency arrangements.
The equipment must be suitable and strong enough
The excavator, lifting point, quick-hitch, accessories and any attachment must be suitable for lifting. The rated capacity of the machine must not be exceeded at the working radius and configuration.
The operator must have access to the correct lifting chart for the machine and attachment setup. Guesswork is not acceptable. If the chart is missing, unclear or does not match the machine configuration, the lift should stop until the information is confirmed.
The operation must be supervised and carried out safely
Supervision must match the risk. Some lifts need close supervision by a lift supervisor or appointed person. Others may be controlled by a competent operator and slinger or signaller under a standard procedure.
Safe systems normally include:
A clearly defined lift area
Exclusion of non-essential people
Controlled access around trenches, edges and underground services
Agreed hand signals or radio commands
A competent slinger or signaller where the operator cannot see the load or landing area
A stop-work rule if conditions change
LOLER also requires lifting equipment and accessories to be thoroughly examined by a competent person. Lifting accessories are commonly examined at least every six months. Lifting equipment used for goods is commonly examined at least every 12 months, unless a written examination scheme sets a different interval. Records must be kept and defects dealt with.
What the CPA and HSE guidance expects in practice
The CPA guidance on lifting operations with excavators is widely used across UK construction because it turns legal duties into practical site controls. It does not replace LOLER, but it helps teams understand what good practice looks like.
A central message is simple: an excavator should only lift from a designated lifting point, using suitable lifting accessories, within the machine’s rated capacity.
Use the manufacturer’s rated capacity information
Excavator duties change with:
Boom and dipper length
Counterweight
Track width
Blade or stabiliser position
Bucket or other attachment fitted
Lift radius and height
Whether the lift is over the front, rear or side
Ground slope and condition
The rated capacity chart should reflect the actual machine configuration. If the excavator has a quick-hitch or bucket fitted, their weight must be allowed for. The safe load is not just the object being lifted. It includes the hook, shackles, chains, lifting beam if used, and any attachment between the machine and the load.
Lift from a proper lifting point
The correct point is usually a manufacturer-approved lifting eye or hook fitted to the bucket linkage, quick-hitch or attachment. It must be marked or supported by documentation showing its rated capacity.
The following should not be used unless the manufacturer states they are designed for lifting:
Bucket teeth
Cutting edges
Improvised welded lugs
Non-rated quick-hitch parts
Chains wrapped around the bucket
Hydraulic attachments not approved for suspended loads
A poor lifting point can fail without warning. It can also cause the load to swing or detach as the bucket moves.
Fit the required safety devices
Excavators used for object handling may need safety devices such as a rated capacity indicator, check valves or lowering control devices, depending on the machine, age, capacity and applicable standards. These devices help warn the operator and reduce the risk of uncontrolled boom or dipper movement.
The planner should not assume the machine is suitable because it is large enough to lift the load. Suitability depends on its rated object handling capacity, configuration and safety equipment. If there is doubt, the hire company, manufacturer or competent plant specialist should confirm the position before the lift takes place.
Keep travel with suspended loads to a minimum
Travelling with a suspended load adds risk. The load can swing, the excavator can bounce or slew, and the ground can change under the tracks.
Where travel cannot be avoided, the plan should set strict controls:
Keep the load as low as practicable
Use a short, clear and level route
Avoid sudden starts, stops and turns
Exclude people from the route
Use tag lines only where they reduce risk and can be handled from a safe position
Check gradients, edges, voids and service covers
If the job mainly involves moving suspended loads around site, a crane, telehandler or other purpose-designed lifting machine may be safer.
What a compliant lift plan should cover
Good Construction Lift Plans are specific. They do not rely on phrases such as “lift carefully” or “operator to assess on site”. They set out what will happen, who controls it and what limits apply.
A practical lift plan for excavator lifting should include the following.
Plan item | What to confirm |
Load details | Weight, dimensions, centre of gravity and lifting points |
Machine details | Model, configuration, counterweight, boom, dipper and attachments |
Capacity | Rated capacity at the maximum working radius and lift position |
Lifting accessories | Type, working load limit, certification and inspection status |
Ground conditions | Bearing capacity, slope, voids, edges, backfill and underground services |
Lift path | Pick-up point, slew area, travel route if needed and landing point |
People and roles | Appointed person, lift supervisor, operator, slinger and signaller |
Communication | Hand signals, radios, visibility and stop command |
Exclusion zone | Barriers, spotters and control of other plant or pedestrians |
Weather limits | Wind, visibility, rain, ice and ground deterioration |
Emergency actions | What to do if the load snags, the machine alarms or conditions change |
The plan should also state when the lift must stop. Clear stop points help operators and supervisors make safe decisions under pressure.
Examples include:
The load weight is not confirmed
The lifting chart is missing or does not match the machine
The ground is softer than expected
The load cannot be kept under control
People enter the exclusion zone
Wind affects the load
Any lifting accessory has damage or missing identification
The rated capacity indicator alarms or appears faulty
Competence, inspection and site discipline
Compliance is not only paperwork. The safest lift plan will fail if the people involved do not understand their roles or if the equipment is in poor condition.
The operator must be trained for lifting duties
A competent excavator operator needs more than digging skill. Lifting requires smooth control, awareness of radius, understanding of the rated capacity chart, and the discipline to refuse unsafe lifts.
The operator should know:
Where the approved lifting point is
How to read the relevant lifting chart
How attachments affect capacity
What alarms and indicators mean
How to avoid side loading and shock loading
When to stop and seek advice
They should never drag a load sideways, snatch a stuck load free, or use the excavator to pull against an unknown resistance. These actions can overload the machine and lifting accessories.
The slinger and signaller control the load
If the operator cannot clearly see the load, landing area or people nearby, a competent signaller is needed. The signaller should have a clear line of sight and should not stand under or close to the suspended load.
The slinger must choose suitable accessories, attach the load correctly and protect slings or chains from sharp edges. They also need to understand load balance. Many construction items, such as manhole rings, trench sheets and ducting bundles, can tilt or slip if lifted from the wrong points.
Pre-use checks must be meaningful
Before lifting starts, the team should check both the excavator and lifting accessories.
For the machine, checks include:
Track condition and machine stability
Hydraulic leaks or visible damage
Correct attachment and secure quick-hitch
Lifting point condition and rating
Operation of safety devices
Availability of lifting chart
Current thorough examination status where required
For accessories, checks include:
Identification and working load limit
Current thorough examination record
Damaged links, hooks, latches or shackles
Stretched, cut or distorted components
Missing tags or unclear markings
Compatibility with the lifting point and load
A missing tag, damaged hook latch or unclear rating is enough reason to take the accessory out of use.
Supervision should match the lift risk
Not every excavator lift needs the same level of supervision, but every lift needs control. A routine lift of known materials in a prepared area may use a standard lift plan. A complex lift near people, services, excavations, structures or public areas needs closer management.
The supervisor should confirm that the plan matches the real site conditions on the day. If the ground has changed after rain, the delivery arrives heavier than expected, or another trade blocks the landing area, the plan must be reviewed before work continues.
Common mistakes that lead to non-compliance
Most unsafe excavator lifts are not caused by one dramatic failure. They come from small shortcuts that stack up.
Common problems include:
Treating a “quick lift” as too minor to plan
Lifting from bucket teeth or an unapproved point
Using chains or shackles with no visible rating
Forgetting to include bucket, hitch and accessory weight
Lifting over the side at a radius not checked against the chart
Travelling too far with a suspended load
Allowing people to guide the load by hand from unsafe positions
Ignoring poor ground or working too close to an excavation edge
Using an excavator without the safety devices required for object handling
Relying on an operator’s experience instead of a written safe system
A simple rule helps: if the load is suspended, LOLER applies. That means planning, suitable equipment, competence, supervision and examination records.
Make excavator lifting safe by design
Excavators can be effective lifting machines when used within their limits. They are often the right choice for placing trench boxes, drainage units and materials close to the excavation. But safe use depends on treating the work as a lifting operation from the start.
The best approach is practical and firm:
Plan the lift before the machine moves
Confirm the load weight and centre of gravity
Check the machine capacity at the real radius
Use only approved lifting points and certified accessories
Inspect equipment before use
Keep people out of the danger zone
Stop when conditions change
LOLER sets the legal standard. CPA and HSE guidance show how to apply that standard on real construction sites. When the plan, plant and people line up, excavator lifting becomes controlled work rather than a site gamble.
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