All your questions - answered
There are a number of questions we are frequently asked about PUWER. On this page we have collated these into a list and utilized our industry-leading knowledge to answer them.
Have you got a question about PUWER not covered in this list? Contact our Machinery Safety Experts for an answer to your query:
PUWER stands for The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations. PUWER Regulations came into force on 5th December 1998 and they apply to all UK work activities.
Compliance with the Regulations is a legal requirement for those who operate or have control over work equipment - in short, both employers and employees.
PUWER, The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations, is a statutory instrument of the United Kingdom. The main purpose of PUWER is to ensure the provision of safe work equipment throughout the lifetime of its use, regardless of its condition, age or origin. The regulations came into force on 5 December 1998 and was formerly known as PUWER98.
The regulations require that machinery provided for use at work is:
There is some overlap between PUWER and other sets of regulations - for example CE & UKCA Marking. For more detailed information on how Pilz can help you with your PUWER or CE/UKCA compliance contact us on [email protected]
Essentially it is 'work equipment' that is covered by the PUWER Regulations - as is referenced in the full title, the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations.
But what exactly is work equipment? The scope is very broad - it covers almost any equipment used at work, and also covers second hand, hired and leased equipment.
Equipment used at work includes the following (but is not limited to):
If you have and use any of the forementioned equipment then abiding by the PUWER Regulations is mandatory. Employers must ensure that all work equipment meets the essential requirements of the regulations laid down for the manufacture of that equipment, and that inspections are carried out in the right manner, by an appropriate party.
There are 37 PUWER Regulations in total. They are then split into 6 parts - Interpretation, Management, Physical, Mobile Work Equipment, Power Presses and Exemptions & Transitionals.
Each Regulation covers a different aspect of the safe use and provision of work equipment - specifically they are as follows:
Interpretation
Management
Physical
Mobile Work Equipment
Power Presses
Exemptions & Transitionals
The approved code of practice and guidance (ACOP) for PUWER (formerly PUWER98) states that duties, or responsibilities, are placed on the following:
Employer's Duties
To ensure that work equipment and machinery provided to your employees (including self-employed that are working for you) complies with PUWER. It is also a legal duty to discuss matters relating to health & safety in the workplace with your employees.
Self-Employed People’s Duties
To ensure that the work equipment and machinery you provide for work or use at work complies to PUWER.
The Duties of Those in Control of Work Equipment
To ensure that the work equipment and machinery complies to PUWER if you provide it for use at work, where you do not control its use or the premises where it is to be used.
For further information on PUWER duties refer to the guidance section for regulation 3 in the PUWER Approved Code of Practice and Guidance (ACOP) L22 (4th edition).
The PUWER ACOP (Approved Code of Practice) states that an inspection of work equipment must be carried out when it is:
This is to ensure that it has been correctly installed and is operating safely. Work equipment must also be inspected regularly where it is exposed to conditions that could cause it to deteriorate.
It then goes on to state that the people who determine the nature of the inspections required and who carry out the inspections are competent and should have the necessary knowledge and experience to do so.
Determining the nature of the inspection & carrying out a PUWER Inspection
The person who determines the extent of the inspection should have sufficient knowledge and experience, so that they can decide:
The inspector needs to have sufficient experience and knowledge to be able to identify what needs to be inspected, and to be able to detect damage or faults resulting from deterioration.
They should also be able to determine whether any tests are needed during the inspection to see if the equipment is working safely or is structurally sound. They should have sound knowledge of the equipment so that they:
Most importantly the inspector must be competent enough to carry out the inspection properly, thoroughly and safely. The necessary level of competence will differ depending on the type of equipment, its location and how it is used.
For many organisations the level of competence to determine the nature of the inspections or to carry them are not available in-house, in which case they seek the help of another body with the relevant competence, knowledge and experience needed to conduct a thorough and safe PUWER Inspection.
Want the knowledge to carry out your own PUWER inspections? We've got training courses for that!
PUWER Regulation 18 covers the safety and reliability of control systems on work equipment. It requires employers to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that control systems are designed and maintained so they do not create additional risk — including in the event of faults, failures or loss of power.
Control systems should:
Failure of the control system or its power supply should result in a safe state. Rather than “fail-safe”, this is better understood as minimising the likelihood of dangerous failure, often expressed using measures such as Probability of Dangerous Failure per Hour (PFH). The higher the risk, the more reliable and fault-tolerant the system must be.
In many cases, a safe stop is appropriate. However, for some processes (e.g. chemical systems), stopping may introduce additional hazards. In these situations, control systems should be designed based on risk assessment, using measures such as controlled shutdown, redundancy or diversion to a safe state.
The current PUWER Approved Code of Practice (L22) was published in 2014, with amendments made in 2018.
Which standards apply to control systems under PUWER?
PUWER does not mandate specific standards, but recognised standards are widely used to demonstrate compliance with current good practice.
Key standards include:
ISO 13849-1 is widely used across a broad range of machinery and technologies, while EN IEC 62061 is often applied to more complex or programmable systems, particularly where a SIL-based approach is preferred. Both aim to ensure control systems achieve an appropriate level of safety and reliability.
Employee training is covered within Regulation 9 of PUWER and mainly focuses on:
The current PUWER Approved Code of Practice (L22) was published in 2014, with amendments made in 2018.
Regulation 9 Training
The PUWER Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) states that:
Every employer shall ensure that any of his employees who supervises or manages the use of work equipment has received adequate training for purposes 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 and precautions to be taken
What does this mean?
In short, an employer must provide all staff who use, supervise or manage work equipment with adequate training on:
The phrase “adequate training” can be quite broad. What is considered adequate will depend on:
To determine the right level of training, employers should assess existing competence and provide additional training where needed.
The following steps can be taken:
Points to Consider…
It’s important to remember that training employees includes other types of workers such as agency or temporary workers, interns and work experience along with existing, permanent workers.
Pay particular attention to any employees who have disabilities, language difficulties or limited understanding of English. This could include interpreters or alternative training formats such as visual, digital or video-based learning.
Young or inexperienced workers may require closer supervision and more structured training due to their lack of experience. Additional duties for young persons are set out in the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
When is training necessary?
The PUWER ACOP states that training is necessary in the following situations;
Refresher training should also be provided where necessary, as competence can decline over time. For example:
Particular attention should be given to employees who infrequently deputise for others, as they may require more frequent refresher training.
At Pilz, we take training seriously. Not only is Regulation 9 covered in detail within our PUWER Inspection service, but we also offer a range of Machinery Safety training courses. These can be delivered at our Corby headquarters or on-site at your premises.
No, it isn't just work equipment and machinery that is inspected under PUWER - an inspection will also include:
Light curtains can be inspected as part of a PUWER assessment; they fall under regulation 11 of PUWER – Dangerous parts of machinery.
Regulation 11 of PUWER sets out the following:
During a Pilz PUWER inspection, where light curtains are used to protect against dangerous parts of machinery, we inspect the following areas:
One of the common non-conformances associated with light curtains during a PUWER assessment is that they are not situated a sufficient distance away from the danger zone. When a light curtain is improperly situated it defeats the purpose of its intended use, subsequently creating a dangerous working environment.
Conducting a PUWER inspection can help organisations to identify potentially dangerous situations within their plant, site, machinery or work equipment and create a plan to remedy this so that a safe working environment is created through having safe work equipment. Pilz also offer an Inspection of safeguarding devices service that will determine the proper installation, safe distance, function and incorporation into the machine control system.
To find out more about how PUWER is applied during an inspection contact us on [email protected].
Once the report has been quality checked at our head office, you will receive copy of the PUWER report via email. A hard copy can also be sent out via post if required - just let your PUWER assessor know.
To get an idea of the reports we produce contact us:
The total cost is dependent on the size, quantity and complexity of the machinery being inspected. A quotation can be based on the information you provide, such as machine images, drawings or site layout. If required a site visit can be arranaged to gather the necessary information to provide a detailed quotation.
To enquire about a Pilz PUWER Inspection click the button below to contact us via email:
We estimate we can inspect up to 15 small machines in a day*. Small machines include:
On average we can inspect up to 10 medium machines per day*. Medium machines include:
We estimate that we can inspect up to 5 large machines per day*, Large machines include:
The best way to find out how many days you would require for a PUWER assessment is to get in touch to discuss your requirements - you can either give us a call on 01536 460766 or click the button below to email us.
Pilz Automation Technology
Pilz House, Little Colliers Field
Corby, Northants, NN18 8TJ
United Kingdom
Telephone: +44 1536 460766
E-Mail: [email protected]
Pilz House, Little Colliers Field
Corby, Northants, NN18 8TJ
United Kingdom
Telephone: +44 1536 460766
E-Mail: [email protected]
Telephone: +44 1536 460866
E-Mail: [email protected]
