PUWER 1998 · Work equipment

Bandsaw Inspection and Testing

Independent inspection of your bandsaw as work equipment, against the PUWER duties, by a competent engineer surveyor.

A bandsaw's hazard is refreshingly simple: an endless blade, and however much of it the guard leaves exposed. We carry out independent PUWER inspection and testing of wood, metal and food bandsaws, and give you the written record of inspection the regulations require.

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  • Independent and impartial
  • Competent engineer surveyors
  • Reports issued promptly
Risk basedPUWER sets no fixed interval; a competent person sets the cycle for each saw
Written recordThe output is a record of inspection, not a certificate
Reg 11Dangerous parts, the blade and band wheels, must be effectively guarded
All tradesVertical, horizontal, woodworking and food bandsaws inspected
Work equipment we inspect

Why your bandsaw needs PUWER inspection

A bandsaw drives a continuous blade around two or more enclosed wheels, leaving a working run exposed at the table. Vertical machines cut timber, plastics and sheet metal to a line, horizontal bandsaws drop through bar and billet in fabrication shops, and food bandsaws portion meat and fish in processing rooms. The same architecture appears everywhere, and so does the same injury: contact with the running blade at the point of operation.

PUWER asks two things of a bandsaw. Regulation 11 requires the dangerous parts guarded, which on this machine means everything except the smallest working run the job allows, with the adjustable guard brought down to the workpiece every time. Regulation 6 requires inspection where deterioration could create danger, at intervals a competent person judges from the saw's use, and a written record of each inspection kept as the evidence.

Vertical bandsaws
Horizontal metal bandsaws
Woodworking bandsaws
Food and butchery bandsaws
Blade guards and guides
Band wheel enclosures
Braking and stop controls
Tension and tracking gear
How it works

How we inspect your bandsaw

Our engineer inspects the wheel enclosures and their fastenings or interlocks, the adjustable guard and its travel, blade guides and thrust bearings, the tensioning device, tracking, braked run down time, stop control reach and function, and the electrical isolation, then tests the saw through a cut so guarding is judged as used, not as parked.

  • 1

    Inspect the saw as it is actually used

    The guard height, the guides and the table insert tell the truth about daily practice, and the inspection reads them all.

  • 2

    Test the controls and the run down

    Stops, brakes and any interlocks are proven live, with the run down timed, because a blade that coasts for half a minute is a hazard with the power off.

  • 3

    Issue the written record

    You receive a record of inspection naming the saw, the findings and the recommended interval, filed in your SEIS portal for audits and insurers.

Why businesses choose SEIS

  • Independent inspection with no maintenance contract to protect
  • Wood, metal and food machines covered by one visit
  • Findings explained at the machine, in plain language
  • Records and reminders through the SEIS client portal
What we check

Bandsaw: what a thorough inspection covers

Guard parked high

An adjustable guard left at its top stop exposes the full working run on every cut. We check the guard's travel, clamping and whether the setting culture matches the jobs.

Wheel enclosure doors

Enclosures with missing fasteners, distorted doors or defeated interlocks put fingers a hinge swing from the wheels. Every door and catch is checked closed and effective.

Blade tension and tracking

A saw without a working tension device breaks blades, and a mistracked blade walks off the wheels. Both are inspected against the machine's markings.

Guides and thrust bearings

Worn guides let the blade twist in the cut and wander in the guard gap. Guide blocks, rollers and thrust bearings are checked at working height.

Run down and braking

The blade must stop within a safe time when commanded. We time the run down and test any brake, because coasting blades injure after the switch is off.

Stop control reach

The operator must reach a stop from the working position without crossing the blade line. Position, function and marking are all part of the inspection.

Intervals and your record

How often, and what you receive

Every bandsaw inspection ends with a written record of inspection, which is what PUWER requires in place of a certificate. It identifies the saw, records the condition of the guards, controls and braking, lists any defects with recommended actions and timescales, and states the interval our competent person judges right for its use. Records are held in your SEIS client portal, ready for an HSE visit, an audit or an insurer without a search through the workshop drawer.

No fixed intervalFrequency set by risk and how the equipment is used
After assemblyRe-inspected where safe use depends on correct assembly or relocation
A written recordA dated inspection record, not a statutory certificate
Where it liftsAny powered lifting function is examined under LOLER

Anyone selling a PUWER certificate is using a marketing word, not a legal one. We issue a clear, dated inspection record you can hand to an HSE inspector or your insurer.

Full statutory cover

Part of our full PUWER inspection service

Bandsaw is one of the many kinds of equipment we cover. We inspect the full range, across every sector, as an independent provider, one item or a whole site, anywhere in the UK.

See our full PUWER inspection service
Other services

Other statutory inspections we carry out

Many sites run more than one regime. We can examine all of it, under one independent provider.

LOLER inspectionThorough examination and certification of lifting equipment and accessories. PSSR examinationWritten Schemes and certified examination of pressure systems. LEV testingLEV thorough examination and test of your extraction systems.
PUWER FAQs

Bandsaw inspection: common questions

Do bandsaws need a statutory inspection under PUWER?
Yes, where deterioration could create danger, which covers any bandsaw in regular use. PUWER Regulation 6 requires inspection at suitable intervals by a competent person, with the result recorded in writing.
How often should a bandsaw be inspected?
There is no fixed legal interval. The cycle is set from risk: a food bandsaw washed down daily or a fabrication saw running double shifts sits on a shorter interval than a joinery machine used weekly. Our record states the interval and the reasoning.
Does PUWER give us a certificate for the saw?
No. PUWER produces a written record of inspection, not a certificate. The record is the legal evidence, and it should be kept at least until the next inspection is recorded.
What is the most common defect you find on bandsaws?
The adjustable guard parked at full height, followed by wheel enclosure doors missing fasteners. Both expose blade that the job never needed exposed.
Do you inspect food industry bandsaws?
Yes. Butchery and fish processing saws are inspected to the same standard, with the wash down environment, hygienic guard design and braking given particular attention because wet hands and fast work raise the stakes.
Our bandsaw was serviced last month, is that not enough?
Servicing keeps the saw cutting; it is not the statutory inspection. PUWER requires an inspection focused on safety, guarding and controls, by a competent person, with its own written record.
Where do the guarding requirements come from?
From PUWER 1998, principally Regulation 11 on dangerous parts and Regulation 6 on inspection. HSE guidance on PUWER sets out the duties, and our PUWER regulations guide explains the record, the intervals and the defect process.
How do I book a bandsaw inspection?
Call 0330 043 8191 or use the contact form. One saw or a whole workshop is fine, and our industrial machinery inspection service can sweep the rest of the machine shop in the same visit.

Is your bandsaw due a PUWER inspection?

Talk to an engineer surveyor, get a quote and book your inspection anywhere in the UK.

0330 043 8191 Request a quote