PUWER stands for the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. They apply to almost every piece of equipment used at work, from a hand drill to a production line, and they ask four questions: is it suitable for the job, is it maintained, is it inspected where its safety depends on conditions, and are the people using it trained and protected from its dangerous parts.
What counts as work equipment
Any machinery, appliance, apparatus, tool or installation used at work. That is deliberately wide. A ladder is work equipment. So is a kettle in a staff room, a vehicle used at work, a hand tool, and an office chair mechanism. The duties are proportionate to the risk, which is why a kettle needs almost nothing and a bandsaw needs a great deal.
What the inspection duty actually says
Regulation 6 requires inspection where the safety of the equipment depends on the installation conditions, after installation and before first use and after assembly at a new site, and requires inspection at suitable intervals where the equipment is exposed to conditions causing deterioration liable to result in dangerous situations. The result of the inspection must be recorded and kept until the next one is recorded.
Why there is no PUWER inspection frequency in the regulations
Because the regulations say suitable intervals rather than naming a period, and the suitable interval depends on the equipment, how hard it is worked and what environment it is in. A machine in a wash-down food environment deteriorates faster than the same machine in a dry workshop. Anyone quoting a universal PUWER interval is quoting a convention, not the law.
PUWER and LOLER together
LOLER sits on top of PUWER for lifting equipment. PUWER covers the equipment generally; LOLER adds the specific duties on strength and stability, positioning, marking of safe working loads, planning of lifting operations and thorough examination at fixed intervals. A crane is subject to both, and satisfying one does not satisfy the other.
The ACOP, and what its status is
PUWER has an Approved Code of Practice, L22. An ACOP has a special legal standing: it is not law, but if you are prosecuted for a breach and did not follow the relevant ACOP, you have to show you complied in some other equally effective way. In practice that means departing from an ACOP is a decision you should be able to explain.
Questions people ask about puwer
What does PUWER stand for?
The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.
How often is a PUWER inspection required?
The regulations require inspection at suitable intervals rather than a fixed period, determined by the equipment, its use and its environment. Records must be kept until the next inspection is recorded.
What is the difference between PUWER and LOLER?
PUWER covers all work equipment. LOLER adds specific duties for lifting equipment, including thorough examination at set intervals and the planning of lifting operations.
What is the purpose of a PUWER inspection?
To confirm the equipment was installed or assembled correctly and is safe to operate, and to detect deterioration in good time so it can be put right before it becomes dangerous.