What is PUWER & Who Does It Apply To?
What is PUWER?
PUWER stands for the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. These health and safety regulations govern the provision, use and maintenance of work equipment.
The regulations require equipment to be suitable, safely maintained and used by appropriately informed and trained people. They also establish requirements for inspection, guarding, controls and other measures to reduce risks associated with equipment use.
Who does it apply to?
PUWER places duties on employers and relevant self-employed people who provide or use work equipment, as well as those controlling its use.
The requirements apply across workplaces where machinery, tools, mobile plant and other equipment are used for work.
These responsibilities extend beyond ownership. Hired, leased or otherwise provided equipment may also fall within PUWER, with duties applying to those responsible for its provision and use.
What Does PUWER Apply To?
PUWER applies to machinery, appliances, apparatus, tools and installations provided for use at work. Its scope is broad, covering everything from hand-operated equipment to complex industrial machinery and mobile plant.
Fabrication Equipment
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CNC machines
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Lathe machines
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Milling machines
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Presses
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Cutting equipment
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Grinding machines
Workshop & Garage
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Heavy-duty trestles
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Hydraulic presses
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Tipping skips
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Container skips
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Air compressors
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Drilling machines
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Mobile Equipment
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Pallet trucks
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Tug units
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Shovel loaders
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Tipper trucks
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Scrapers & Graders
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Bulldozers
Process & Handling
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Conveyor systems
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Packaging machinery
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Storage racking
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Compactors & Balers
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Dock levellers
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Mixing machines
General Equipment
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Power tools
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Cleaning equipment
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Grounds machinery
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Bench equipment
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Hand tools
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Storage containers
The examples above are not exhaustive. PUWER covers a wider range of work equipment, with inspection requirements dependent on associated risks.
Steadfast Compliance inspects selected equipment only. Power presses and associated protective devices are excluded from our scope and subject to additional PUWER requirements.
What Does PUWER Require?
PUWER places duties on those providing and using work equipment, requiring it to be suitable, safely maintained and equipped with appropriate safeguards and controls for safe operation.
Suitability & Maintenance (Reg. 4 & 5)
Work equipment must be suitable for its intended purpose and operating conditions, maintained in an efficient state, efficient working order and good repair to ensure continued safe use.
Inspection (Reg. 6)
Equipment requires inspection where installation, deterioration or exceptional circumstances may affect safety. Lifting equipment, power presses and equipment subject to WAHR inspections are excluded under PUWER Regulation 6.
Information & Training (Reg. 8 & 9)
People who use, supervise or manage work equipment must receive adequate health and safety information, instructions and appropriate training.
Dangerous Parts (Regs. 11 - 13)
Risks from dangerous machinery parts, specified hazards and high or very low temperatures must be prevented or adequately controlled through suitable protective measures.
Controls & Isolation (Regs. 14 - 19)
Equipment must have suitable starting, stopping and emergency controls, protection against control-system failures and appropriate means of isolation from energy sources.
Stability & Safety (Regs. 20 - 24)
Work equipment must be stable where necessary, suitably lit and provided with appropriate markings and warnings. Maintenance operations must also be carried out safely.
When is a PUWER Inspection Required?
01 - Following installation or assembly
Where equipment safety depends on installation conditions, inspection is required after installation and before first use, or following assembly at a new site or location.
02 - Periodic in-service inspection
Work equipment exposed to conditions causing deterioration liable to result in danger must be inspected at suitable intervals to identify defects before safety is compromised.
03 - Following exceptional circumstances
Additional inspection is required following exceptional circumstances liable to jeopardise equipment safety, such as significant modifications, accidents, prolonged inactivity or natural phenomena.
Common Terms Used in PUWER
A quick guide to key terms used within the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER).
Competent Person
Someone with sufficient knowledge and experience of the equipment to carry out the required inspection, recognise defects and assess their significance. This may be a suitably experienced employee or an external specialist.
Work Equipment
Any machinery, appliance, apparatus, tool or installation used at work, including industrial machinery, mobile plant, powered tools and workshop equipment, whether owned by the employer or otherwise.
Risk Assessment
An evaluation of hazards and associated risks arising from work equipment, used to determine appropriate safety measures and establish whether inspections are necessary, including their extent and frequency.
Inspection
A check of work equipment, including testing where necessary, to identify deterioration, defects or unsafe conditions that could affect its continued safe operation and require corrective action.
