What is PUWER 1998? A Guide to Work Equipment Regulations.
Updated: 3 days ago
Work equipment is used throughout UK workplaces, from industrial machinery and workshop tools to mobile plant, conveyor systems and storage equipment. Regardless of the equipment involved, unsafe conditions, inadequate maintenance or unsuitable safeguards can create significant risks to employees and others.
The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) establish legal requirements for work equipment used at work, helping businesses manage these risks and ensure equipment remains suitable and safe for its intended purpose.
This guide explains who PUWER applies to, the equipment it covers, the main legal requirements and when inspections are necessary.
1. What is PUWER 1998 and Who Does It Apply To?
PUWER is a set of UK health and safety regulations governing the provision, use, maintenance and inspection of work equipment.
Introduced in 1998, the regulations place duties on those responsible for work equipment, including its suitability, condition, safeguarding, operation and the training of those using it.
PUWER applies principally to:
Employers who provide or control work equipment used by employees.
Self-employed persons who use or control work equipment in connection with their work, where the relevant duties apply.
Those in control of work equipment, including businesses responsible for equipment used by others.
Ownership alone does not determine responsibility. Hired, leased or otherwise provided equipment may still create duties for the business using or controlling it.
The regulations apply across industries including manufacturing, construction, engineering, warehousing, automotive workshops, agriculture and commercial premises.
PUWER is not simply a requirement to arrange equipment inspections. It establishes wider duties relating to safe selection, maintenance, operation, safeguarding and continued use of work equipment.
2. What Does PUWER Apply To?
PUWER generally covers machinery, appliances, apparatus, tools and installations provided for use at work. Its scope extends from simple hand-operated equipment to complex industrial machinery and mobile plant.
Common examples include:
Fabrication equipment
CNC machines, lathes, milling machines, presses, cutting equipment, drilling machines and grinding machines.
Workshop and garage equipment
Hydraulic presses, heavy-duty trestles, tipping skips, container skips, air compressors and other workshop machinery.
Mobile equipment
Pallet trucks, tug units, shovel loaders, tipper trucks, scrapers, graders and bulldozers.
Process and handling equipment
Conveyor systems, packaging machinery, storage racking, compactors, balers, dock levellers and mixing machinery.
General equipment
Power tools, cleaning equipment, grounds maintenance machinery, bench equipment, hand tools and other equipment used during work activities.
These examples are not exhaustive. Although PUWER applies broadly to work equipment, inspection requirements depend on risks arising from installation, deterioration or exceptional circumstances.
PUWER Regulation 6(5) exempts certain equipment from its inspection requirements. These include lifting equipment covered by LOLER, specified equipment subject to the Work at Height Regulations, and power presses and their associated protective devices, which have separate examination requirements under PUWER Regulations 31–35.
These exemptions apply specifically to Regulation 6, rather than PUWER as a whole.
3. What Does PUWER Require?
PUWER establishes legal duties intended to ensure work equipment is suitable, properly maintained, safely operated and provided with appropriate safeguards.
The principal requirements include those outlined in Regulations 4–24.
Regulation 4 — Suitability of work equipment
Work equipment must be suitable for its intended purpose and the conditions in which it is used. Employers must consider the working environment, foreseeable risks and the suitability of equipment for the tasks being undertaken.
Regulation 5 — Maintenance
Equipment must be maintained in an efficient state, efficient working order and good repair. Maintenance arrangements should reflect the equipment's use, operating conditions, manufacturer recommendations and potential consequences of failure.
Regulation 6 — Inspection
Work equipment must be inspected where safety depends on installation conditions, or where deterioration could result in dangerous situations.
Inspections may also be required following exceptional circumstances liable to jeopardise equipment safety. Results must be recorded and retained until the next inspection is recorded.
Regulation 6 does not establish a universal inspection interval. The nature and frequency of inspections must be appropriate to the equipment and associated risks.
Regulations 8 and 9 — Information, instructions and training
People who use, supervise or manage work equipment must receive adequate health and safety information, instructions and training appropriate to their responsibilities.
This includes understanding relevant hazards, safe operating procedures, limitations and precautions.
Regulations 11–13 — Dangerous parts and hazards
Suitable measures must prevent or adequately control risks from dangerous machinery parts, specified hazards and excessively high or low temperatures.
These measures may include fixed guards, interlocked guards, protective devices and other safeguards appropriate to the risks involved.
Regulations 14–19 — Controls and isolation
Work equipment must have suitable starting, stopping and emergency controls where required. Control systems must be safe, including where faults or failures could create dangerous conditions. Appropriate means of isolation from energy sources must also be provided.
Regulations 20–24 — Stability and other safety measures
Equipment must be stable where necessary, with suitable provisions for lighting, markings and warnings. Maintenance operations must be undertaken safely, with appropriate measures to protect people from risks arising during servicing, adjustment or repair.
Together, these requirements address more than equipment condition. They establish responsibilities for managing risks throughout the equipment's working life.
4. When is a PUWER Inspection Required?
A PUWER inspection is an assessment of work equipment undertaken by a competent person to identify deterioration, defects or unsafe conditions that could affect its continued safe operation. Regulation 6 establishes several circumstances in which inspections are required.
Following installation or assembly
Where equipment safety depends on installation conditions, an inspection must be completed after installation and before first use. This also applies following assembly at a new site or location where the safety of the equipment depends on those conditions.
Periodic in-service inspections
Work equipment exposed to conditions causing deterioration liable to result in dangerous situations must be inspected at suitable intervals. Unlike LOLER, PUWER does not prescribe a general six-monthly or twelve-monthly inspection period.
Inspection frequency should be established through a suitable risk assessment, considering factors such as:
Equipment type, complexity and associated hazards.
Frequency and intensity of use.
Operating environment and exposure to deterioration.
Manufacturer recommendations and relevant industry guidance.
Previous inspection findings, maintenance history and equipment condition.
For example, machinery operating continuously in harsh industrial conditions may require more frequent inspection than equipment used occasionally in a controlled environment.
Inspection arrangements should be proportionate to the risks rather than based solely on a standard calendar interval.
Following exceptional circumstances
Additional inspection is required following exceptional circumstances liable to jeopardise equipment safety. Examples may include significant damage, accidents, substantial modifications, prolonged inactivity or exposure to natural phenomena that could affect safe operation.
Where these circumstances arise, equipment should be assessed and any required inspection completed before it returns to service.
Inspection records
Where inspections are undertaken under Regulation 6, the results must be recorded and retained until the next inspection is recorded. Where equipment leaves one undertaking for use by another, it must be accompanied by physical evidence of its last inspection where Regulation 6 requires one.
Businesses may choose to retain records for longer to monitor deterioration, recurring defects and equipment history. Routine maintenance and operator pre-use checks remain important but do not automatically replace inspections required under Regulation 6.
5. Common Terms Used in PUWER
Understanding commonly used terms can help businesses interpret inspection requirements, identify responsibilities and manage work equipment safely.
Competent person
Someone with sufficient knowledge and experience of the equipment to undertake the required inspection, recognise defects and assess their significance.
Competence depends on the equipment and nature of the inspection. A suitably experienced employee may be competent for certain inspections, while more complex equipment may require an external specialist.
Work equipment
Any machinery, appliance, apparatus, tool or installation used at work. This includes industrial machinery, mobile plant, workshop equipment and other equipment provided for work activities.
Risk assessment
An evaluation of hazards and associated risks arising from work equipment, used to establish appropriate safety measures and determine whether inspections are necessary, including their extent and frequency.
Inspection
A check of work equipment, including testing where appropriate, to identify deterioration, defects or unsafe conditions that could affect its continued safe operation.
The nature and extent of an inspection depend on the equipment, associated risks and circumstances requiring examination.
Further Information
For further information, businesses can refer to the Health and Safety Executive's L22 Approved Code of Practice and Guidance, together with HSE guidance INDG291 and SAFed guidance MLCC 05
Steadfast Compliance Ltd provides independent PUWER inspections of selected work equipment across Greater Manchester and the North West, helping businesses understand their equipment's condition and meet applicable inspection requirements. Power presses and their associated protective devices are excluded from our inspection services.
For further information or to arrange an inspection, visit Steadfast Compliance or email info@steadfastcompliance.co.uk.
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