Building Maintenance Unit (BMU) & Access Cradle Maintenance Checklist
Keep façade access safe — the six-monthly LOLER thorough examination, wire ropes, brakes and limits, fall arrest, rescue plan and daily pre-use checks.
Also available as editable Excel and Word — with asset, sign-off and findings columns.
What is a bmu & access cradle maintenance checklist?
A building maintenance unit (bmu) & access cradle maintenance checklist is a structured list of the 9 preventive maintenance tasks — covering visual, functional, safety and record-keeping checks — that keep a building maintenance unit (bmu) & access cradle running safely and reliably. It groups routine checks by frequency, from daily inspections to annual servicing, so FM teams and building engineers can plan and evidence preventive maintenance.
Core bmu & access cradle checks
- Inspect wire ropes for broken wires, corrosion, kinks and wear
- Test the primary and secondary brakes and the overspeed device
- Carry out the pre-use check before every use and record it
- File the LOLER report and close any defects before use
What is a building maintenance unit (bmu) & access cradle?
A building maintenance unit (BMU) is a permanently installed machine — usually a roof-mounted trolley with a jib and suspended cradle — used to clean and maintain façades and glazing. Temporary suspended cradles and gantries do the same job on other buildings. Because they lift people, they are lifting equipment under LOLER and must be thoroughly examined by a competent person at least every six months (or to a written scheme), as well as maintained and checked before each use under PUWER.
This checklist is one of 5 in our lift maintenance checklists, covering passenger, goods and platform lifts and escalators — LOLER thorough examination, entrapment release and door safety.
Typical BMU & Access Cradle maintenance checklist
A practical starting point for planned preventive maintenance. Always refer to the manufacturer's O&M manual and site-specific requirements.
Visual Checks
- Inspect wire ropes for broken wires, corrosion, kinks and wear
- Check the cradle structure, gates, toe boards and handrails
- Inspect roof track, rails and fixings for corrosion and security
Functional Checks
- Test the primary and secondary brakes and the overspeed device
- Test upper, lower and travel limit switches
Safety Checks
- Carry out the pre-use check before every use and record it
- Check fall arrest anchors and lanyard attachment points
- Confirm the emergency descent and rescue procedure works and is rehearsed
Record Keeping
- File the LOLER report and close any defects before use
Download the free BMU & Access Cradle maintenance checklist PDF
Get all 9 tasks as a printable PDF — free, no signup needed. Keep a copy in the plant room, attach it to work orders, or share it with your maintenance contractor.
The PDF is free and needs nothing. The Excel and Word versions add asset details, sign-off and findings columns so you can record the work as you do it — we ask for an email address for those.
Typical maintenance frequency
Suggested intervals for building maintenance unit (bmu) & access cradle maintenance. Actual frequencies should follow manufacturer guidance and site-specific risk assessments.
Daily
- •Pre-use check before operation
Quarterly
- •Planned maintenance by the BMU contractor
- •Lubrication and adjustment
Every 6 Months
- •LOLER thorough examination
- •Wire rope inspection
- •Brake and overspeed tests
Annually
- •Load test where the written scheme requires it
- •Review rescue plan
Common faults and issues
Issues to be aware of when maintaining building maintenance unit (bmu) & access cradle equipment.
Safety and compliance notes
Key safety considerations for building maintenance unit (bmu) & access cradle maintenance. This is general guidance only — always follow OEM instructions, statutory requirements, and your organisation's safe systems of work.
Reference standards and frameworks
- United Kingdom
- LOLER 1998 statutory examinations and the BS EN 81 series
- North America
- ASME A17.1 / CSA B44 (safety code for elevators and escalators)
Frameworks commonly referenced when planning bmu & access cradle maintenance programmes. Always confirm the requirements that apply to your site and jurisdiction.
Managing BMU & Access Cradle documentation with PM Assist
PM Assist helps FM and building operations teams search their O&M manuals and building drawings in seconds. Upload your building maintenance unit (bmu) & access cradle documentation and ask questions like “When is the next BMU LOLER examination due?” or “What does the BMU rescue plan say?” — and get source-cited answers instantly.
The checklist tells you what to check. The manual tells you the numbers.
Ask a bmu & access cradle manual a question and get the answer back with the page it came from. No signup, and you can drop in your own PDF instead of the sample.
“When is the next BMU LOLER examination due?”Runs against a sample chiller manual so you can see the shape of the answer — then try it on one of yours.
Take this checklist with you
Download the branded PDF, generate a custom version for your asset, or run AI search across all your building documentation.
Related free tools
Further reading on bmu & access cradle maintenance
Compliance topics for bmu & access cradle maintenance
Compliance & CAFM
Run building maintenance unit & access cradle maintenance in PM Assist
This checklist is also a planned maintenance programme in PM Assist, included in every paid plan alongside the compliance register and mobile inspections.
- Add a building maintenance unit & access cradle to a building's asset register and this maintenance programme is created for you, with each task on its frequency in the planner.
- BMU & Access Cradle — LOLER Thorough Examination is tracked on the compliance register, with the date last done, the date next due and the certificate.
- Contractors can be given a login to see their jobs and upload certificates.
Frequently asked questions
How often does a BMU need a LOLER examination?
Who can carry out a LOLER thorough examination?
What is a written scheme of examination?
Manage your building documentation with AI
PM Assist gives FM teams instant access to O&M manuals, drawings, and maintenance knowledge — all searchable with AI.
- Upload and organise building documentation
- AI-powered search across all your manuals
- Source-cited answers for maintenance queries
- Team collaboration and access control
- No credit card required to start