A guide to PUWER

What is PUWER?

PUWER stands for the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (1998). The regulations cover the work equipment and machinery used every day in workplaces and aims to keep people safe wherever workplace equipment used.

In general terms, the PUWER regulations require that equipment provided for use at work is:

• Maintained safely
• In a safe condition
• Suitable for the intended use
• Inspected by a suitable and competent person
• Used only by people who have received adequate information, instruction & training and;
• Accompanied by suitable safety measures, e.g. protective devices & warnings.

Who the regulations apply to?

PUWER regulations apply to work activities throughout the whole of Great Britain and additionally to offshore installations such as oil rigs and gas supply platforms. The groups covered by PUWER include:

• employers,
• self-employed people and the equipment they control or use and;
• those who are employed to supervise or manage the use of equipment operated by others.

It’s not just large businesses that are subject to PUWER – all organisations (no matter of how many people employed or the amount of annual turnover) that use or control work equipment have a legal obligation to comply with them.

However, it does not apply to those who have supplied or sold equipment – in this case it’s up to the purchaser of equipment to make sure that it is specified, installed and used so that it does not present a risk to those who use it/work in the facility of it.

Risk assessments for equipment & machinery

You have a legal obligation to put in protective measures to keep yourself and your workers safe when using machinery or equipment at work. One of these protective measures is to carry out a risk assessment for your machinery/equipment at work.

Here at iHasco, we offer a free risk assessment tool for anybody to use in order to reduce your chance of accidents and incidents occurring in the workplace, with just a few clicks of a button and five minutes of your time.

Take a look at our free risk assessment tool now!

Online PUWER Training

Here at iHasco, we offer an Online PUWER Training course that aims to educate you on when equipment is suitable for use, safe to use, inspected properly and accompanied by suitable health and safety measures. It provides you with necessary details for working towards compliance with the current legislation.

The CPD Accredited course takes roughly 30 minutes to finish and provides you with a printable certificate upon completion.

Claim your no-obligation free 14-day trial today!