ORR enforcement: a lift plan on file is not enough
An ORR Improvement Notice against London Underground highlights a critical lifting-compliance lesson: a historic lift plan that does not address the actual load, accessories, lifting points and safe system of work is not adequate planning.
The enforcement action
The Office of Rail and Road issued an Improvement Notice to London Underground Limited following concerns over overhead-crane lifting operations at Lillie Bridge Depot. ORR states that the lifting operation had not been properly planned by a competent person.
The lifting plan reviewed after the accident was dated May 2015 and did not adequately address suitable lifting accessories, the size, weight and stability of the load, appropriate lifting points or the safe system of work. The notice was issued on 20 August 2026 and its compliance date has been extended to 2 October 2026.
Having a document is not the same as having an adequate lift plan
The case reinforces a central compliance principle: organisations need a current plan that reflects the lifting operation actually being undertaken. A generic, historic or incomplete document cannot substitute for competent assessment of the load, equipment, accessories, environment and method.
- Confirm the current plan and revision before work starts.
- Define load weight, dimensions, stability and lifting points.
- Specify suitable lifting accessories and equipment.
- Record the safe system of work and required supervision.
- Re-plan when the operation, equipment or site conditions change.
- Retain approvals and revisions as an auditable record.
A wider LOLER compliance warning
ORR also has an open Improvement Notice involving Nene Valley Railway Limited concerning arrangements for controlling lifting equipment and accessories and ensuring equipment subject to deterioration receives appropriate thorough examination. Together, the notices demonstrate that planning, equipment control, examination records and revision management need to operate as a live compliance system rather than a paperwork exercise.
How LiftPlanProUK supports the process
LiftPlanProUK is designed to connect the load schedule, equipment and accessory selection, machine configuration, drawings, AP approval, revision control and retained audit trail. Digital workflow does not replace competent planning; it helps make the planning process visible, current and auditable.
LiftPlanProUK provides planning and management support. Site-specific information must be checked and every lifting operation approved by a competent person.