Introduction to Fire Safety Management

15.26
Provision and Use of Work 
Equipment Regulations 1998 
(SI 2306)
The aim of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment 
Regulations 1998 (PUWER) is to ensure that equipment 
provided for use at work can be used safely and without 
risks to health.
PUWER also has specifi c requirements covering 
mobile work equipment and power presses. These are 
not covered in this summary.

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Summary of key legal requirements
387
The regulations may be divided into two groups:
➤
Management duties – covering selection, mainte-
nance, inspection, conformity, information, instruc-
tion and training
➤
Physical aspects of equipment – covering guarding, 
control systems, emergency controls, stability, light-
ing and warnings.
➤
Work equipment is inspected each time that excep-
tional circumstances liable to jeopardise the safety 
of the work equipment have occurred (a record must 
be made of this inspection)
➤
Where the use of work equipment is likely to involve 
specifi c risk to health and safety, the use of the 
equipment must be restricted to those given the 
task of using it and any repairs, modifi cations, main-
tenance or servicing restricted to people specifi cally 
designated to perform those operations. These des-
ignated persons must also be given adequate train-
ing related to these operations
➤
People who use work equipment or who super-
vise or manage the use of work equipment have 
adequate health and safety information and, where 
appropriate, written instructions pertaining to the 
use of the work equipment
➤
In providing adequate information and instruction, it 
must be readily comprehensible to those concerned 
and the following should be included:
➤
The conditions in which and the methods by 
which the work equipment may be used
➤
Foreseeable abnormal situations and action to 
be taken should these occur
➤
Any conclusions drawn from experience in suing 
the work equipment
➤
Persons who use, supervise or manage the use of 
work equipment receive adequate training for the 
purpose of health and safety including training in:
➤
The methods which may be adopted when 
using the work equipment
➤
Any risks which such use may entail
➤
The precautions to be taken against these 
risks
➤
Work equipment is designed and constructed in 
compliance with any essential requirements detailed 
in EU Directives (see later section on the Supply of 
Machinery (Safety) Regulations 1992).