Register lifts, boilers and other plant with DOSHS and get them examined
State Department for Labour and Skills Development - Directorate of Occupational Safety and Health Services · sources read 3 Oct 2026
Fill DOSH form 20, do a self-assessment of your plant and send it to the Technical Officer at DOSHS headquarters, then pay the registration fee and OSH levy when asked. After that, an approved plant examiner must examine the plant regularly, for example every 6 months for lifts and hoists.
- Fee
- We couldn't confirm a fee from the official page. Check it there before you pay.
- Deadline
- Lifts and hoists: examined at least every 6 months, and after any changes or major repairs.
- Deadline
- Cranes and other lifting machines: examined at least every 12 months.
- Deadline
- Steam boilers: examined at least every 12 months (the examiner can set up to 15 months).
- Deadline
- Air receivers: cleaned and examined at least every 24 months.
- Where
- DOSHS headquarters, Safety House, Industrial Area, Nairobi (forms at labour.go.ke/forms). DOSHS also has offices in 29 counties.
What you need
- Filled form DOSH 20 (from labour.go.ke/forms)
- For a lift or hoist: the manufacturer's certificate of test
Steps
- Download and fill form DOSH 20, and do a self-assessment of your plant.
- Send the filled form to the Technical Officer at DOSHS headquarters (Safety House, Industrial Area, Nairobi).
- If the form is in order, the officer will ask you to pay the registration fee and the OSH levy. If not, it comes back to you for corrections.
- DOSHS prints the registration certificate, the Director signs and seals it, and it is sent to you.
- Have the plant examined by a DOSHS-approved person. They fill the statutory report and send it to the DOSHS technical officer.
Watch out
- Tell the DOSHS Director in writing within one month of first using a new lift or hoist.
- If the examination finds problems, DOSHS can issue an improvement or prohibition notice, which can stop you using the plant.
Who can apply
- Any business or building using boilers, lifts and hoists, cranes and other lifting equipment, air receivers, steam receivers, refrigeration plant or compressed gas cylinders.
Official sources (4)
- Occupational Safety and Health Services labour.go.ke · read 3 Oct 2026
- Forms labour.go.ke · read 3 Oct 2026
- DOSH Form 20: Notice of use of hoist(s) or lift(s) labour.go.ke · read 3 Oct 2026
- Occupational Safety and Health Act, 2007 labour.go.ke · read 3 Oct 2026