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This guidance offers general information on the provision and use of work equipment.
The term 'work equipment' covers a wide range of items from, from photocopiers and hand tools to complex machine tools and combine harvesters.
There are many hazards associated with work equipment, which vary according to the type of equipment and the environment in which it is used. The following are examples of the most commonly found hazards:
"Work Equipment" has a very wide meaning. It is any "machinery, appliance, apparatus, tool or installation for use at work (whether exclusively or not)". This ranges from simple hand tools to workshop or office machinery and equipment, ladders, laboratory equipment, racking, storage systems, shelving etc.
Vehicles are included in the definition of "Work Equipment". Whilst road vehicles fall within the scope of the Road Traffic Acts when on the public highway, the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) will apply even though the Road Traffic Acts take precedence. PUWER will also apply when vehicles are operated or driven off the public highway.
"Using" work equipment includes starting, stopping, programming, setting, transporting, repairing, modifying, maintaining, servicing and cleaning, as well as operating the equipment.
Whilst generally the requirements of the Regulations apply to an employer, other persons are responsible to the extent that they have control over the "Work Equipment", or supervise or manage such equipment. A contract maintenance company may therefore be deemed to be responsible for a piece of equipment under maintenance by its engineers whilst it is under their control, even though it may be on the client's site.
It should be noted that whilst sections of the Regulations focus on the physical aspects of equipment such as guarding, control systems etc., there are also requirements on management issues, e.g. suitability, maintenance, inspection and training, which apply more generally to all risks.
Equipment provided for use at work must be suitable for the purpose intended, and for the conditions in which it is used. Employers must also ensure that it is only used for operations for which it is suitable.
Equipment must be kept in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair. The frequency of maintenance will depend on the type of equipment and circumstances of use, but must ensure that the performance of equipment does not deteriorate to the extent that people are put at risk. It is recommended that records of maintenance are kept.
There are two general requirements for inspection; before being put into use and at suitable intervals following that. These are not highly prescriptive and there is considerable flexibility to adapt local practices to meet the requirements. There are separate requirements for thorough examination of equipment such as pressure systems, lifting equipment and local exhaust ventilation.
A documented safety inspection of work equipment must be made where its safety depends on the installation conditions, either after installation and before first use, or when relocated. This will apply where a significant risk of injury can be identified, e.g. by a risk assessment.
Where equipment is used in situations where it can deteriorate and become unsafe, creating a risk of serious injury, it must be inspected at suitable intervals or when exceptional circumstances have occurred. Items of work equipment which may require regular inspection, include the following:
Where equipment is damaged, involved in an incident, or undergoes major repairs or modification, re-inspection should be carried out to ensure continued safety, regardless of the date of the last inspection.
Records must be kept at least until the following inspection cycle is completed and preferably records should be kept for at least 5 years.
Where equipment subject to such inspections is moved from or to a business or site, evidence of the most recent inspection carried out must accompany it.
For contractors, this means that evidence of an inspection programme must be available with equipment arriving on site, and for plant and equipment hirers, it means that the hire documents must clearly record when an inspection has been carried out.
Particular requirements apply to equipment that presents "specific" risks. There is no definition of what specific risks are, examples are those associated with lathes, grinding machines, platen printing machines and drop forges. Where it is not possible to provide physical safeguards, specific methods of operation have to be adopted including restriction of work to designated individuals who have been adequately trained.
Employers must provide adequate health and safety information, and where appropriate written instruction, on the safe use of equipment. The information must be available both to the users of the equipment and to their supervisors.
Both users and supervisors must be provided with adequate training on the safe and correct use of equipment. This could vary from the very simple, for example on how to use a modern paper shredder, to more complex training of longer duration, for example for operating fork lift trucks.
When equipment is brought into the workplace it must meet certain health and safety requirements, including the requirements of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations. For many items of equipment there are product safety requirements, equipment that meets these standards will have a CE mark. The CE marking requirements also apply to equipment that is made in-house.
The Regulations outline a hierarchy of measures aimed at preventing contact with dangerous parts of machinery. The hazards presented by work equipment and the control measures necessary should be identified in the risk assessment.
Exposure to specific hazards must be prevented or, at the very least, adequately controlled. The specific hazards referred to are:
Where equipment or its parts or products are dangerously hot or cold, then controls must be put in place to avoid risk to anyone in the vicinity.
Where there is a risk of work equipment in use being struck by lightning, appropriate precautions should be taken.
Equipment must have adequate controls for starting, stopping and controlling changes (speed, pressure etc.) that require the deliberate operation of the control - e.g. a machine cannot start inadvertently without the start button being pressed. All controls must be clearly visible and identifiable. Control systems must be safe and capable of withstanding normal use, and faults or failure in power supplies must not result in dangerous conditions arising.
Where appropriate, equipment must be provided with a means of isolating it from its sources of power, which is clearly identifiable, accessible, and can be operated without other risks arising. When power is restored, the control systems should have appropriate features to prevent hazards arising - e.g. from the movement of the equipment before operating the controls.
Where there is a danger of instability, work equipment must be secured or stabilised to prevent tipping or falling.
Suitable and sufficient lighting must be provided. This may include lighting for maintenance purposes, as well as normal operations.
Equipment must be safely maintainable and have appropriate arrangements and facilities to protect maintenance operators. This could include designing equipment to allow for external lubrication points, access platforms and local guarding or providing a range of specialised control functions to allow for maintenance operations, such as crawl speed controls, interlocking systems, etc.
There is a general requirement for clear markings to be provided. These may include safe working loads, control functions, operating speed, etc.
Where it is appropriate to provide warnings or cautionary notices, these need to be provided. Warning devices - lights, buzzers etc. may also be required. An example would be reversing alarms on a vehicle.
PUWER refers specifically to power presses and sets out requirements replicating previous legal requirements, although these now apply to power presses in areas such as research institutes as well as factories.
An extensive Approved Code of Practice has been prepared to outline in detail the application of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations to this group of machines. It includes a range of new and highly specific requirements.
Lifting equipment falls within the definition of work equipment, but is the subject of specific additional legislation - the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations.
For guidance on specific items of work equipment please contact the Croner Consulting (formerly IRPC) telephone advisory service.
Work Equipment (New) Procedure.
Work Equipment (Existing) Procedure.
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