Under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER), employers have a legal duty to ensure that work equipment is safe, suitable, and properly maintained. Yet across factories and industrial sites, the same compliance gaps continue to appear — often unnoticed until an inspection, audit, or incident brings them to light.
Below are some of the most frequently identified PUWER non-compliances on factory machinery.
Preparing for a Thorough Examination under PSSR 2000 doesn’t have to be stressful or disruptive. With the right approach, you can ensure your pressure systems remain safe, compliant, and fully operational.
In this guide, we break down everything you need to know—from understanding your Written Scheme of Examination to practical steps that help you pass inspections first time. Whether you manage boilers, compressed air systems, or other pressure equipment, this article will help you stay ahead of compliance, reduce risk, and avoid costly downtime.
Read on to learn how to prepare effectively and keep your business operating safely and efficiently.
If your business relies on lifting equipment, staying compliant with the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER) isn’t optional—it’s essential. A scheduled LOLER thorough examination ensures your equipment is safe, legally compliant, and fit for purpose. But how do you properly prepare for one?
In this guide, we’ll walk you through exactly how to prepare for a LOLER thorough examination, reduce downtime, and ensure your lifting operations remain safe and efficient.
Learn the legal requirements for LEV testing under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH), including testing frequency, employer responsibilities, and compliance guidance. This article explains how regular Local Exhaust Ventilation examinations help businesses protect workers and meet standards set by the Health and Safety Executive.
Understanding who is responsible under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) is essential for maintaining workplace safety and legal compliance. While employers carry the primary duty to ensure work equipment is safe, properly maintained, and used by trained staff, responsibility can also extend to managers, supervisors, contractors, and equipment operators depending on their level of control. In this guide, we explain the key differences between employer responsibilities and duty holder obligations, how the regulations are enforced by the Health and Safety Executive, and what organisations must do to remain compliant with UK health and safety law.
Statutory Inspections in Manufacturing: What’s Required?
Manufacturing businesses in the UK are legally required to carry out statutory inspections to ensure machinery, lifting equipment, pressure systems, and hazardous substance controls remain safe and compliant.
Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and supporting regulations such as Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER), Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER), Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000 (PSSR), and Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH), manufacturers must implement structured inspection regimes carried out by competent persons.
Failure to comply can result in enforcement notices, significant fines, production downtime, and in serious cases, director liability.
This guide explains:
. Which statutory inspections apply in manufacturing
. What equipment must be examined
. Required inspection frequencies
. Common compliance failures
. How to build a defensible inspection framework
If you operate a manufacturing facility, understanding your statutory inspection duties is essential for legal compliance, operational continuity, and board-level risk management.
Read the full guide to ensure your manufacturing business meets UK statutory inspection requirements and can demonstrate robust health and safety governance.
Company directors have clear legal duties under UK health and safety law — and failure to comply can result in personal prosecution, unlimited fines, disqualification, or even imprisonment. Robust statutory inspections under Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER), Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER), Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000 (PSSR), and LEV examinations required by Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) are not just operational requirements — they are essential safeguards for directors themselves.
From lifting equipment and machinery safety to pressure systems and local exhaust ventilation testing, these statutory regimes create documented evidence of due diligence, competent oversight, and proactive risk management. In the event of an incident, investigators will examine whether inspections were completed on time, defects were addressed promptly, and compliance was reviewed at board level.
This guide explains how structured statutory inspection programmes reduce personal liability, strengthen corporate governance, and provide directors with defensible protection against enforcement action. If you are a company director, senior manager, or board member, understanding your responsibilities under LOLER, PUWER, PSSR, and COSHH is critical to protecting both your organisation — and your personal position.
PUWER breaches are one of the most common causes of HSE enforcement action in the UK. From unguarded machinery and inadequate maintenance to missing training records, real cases show how small compliance gaps can lead to serious injuries, substantial fines, and lasting reputational damage.
In this article, we examine real enforcement examples, explain where businesses went wrong, and outline practical steps you can take to protect your workforce and demonstrate compliance. If you’re responsible for work equipment safety, this is essential reading.
PUWER Machinery Risk Assessments (UK) – Ensure Legal Compliance & Reduce Risk
A PUWER machinery risk assessment is a legal requirement under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. If your business operates machinery, you must ensure equipment is safe, properly maintained, adequately guarded, and used by trained personnel.
Our in-depth guide explains what PUWER requires, how to carry out a compliant machinery risk assessment, and how to protect your organisation from enforcement action by the Health and Safety Executive.
In this article you’ll learn:
What a PUWER machinery risk assessment includes
When assessments must be completed
Common compliance failures businesses make
How to demonstrate competence and due diligence
How PUWER links to the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
Whether you operate manufacturing equipment, production lines, CNC machinery, or plant equipment, this guide will help you understand your legal duties and reduce machinery-related risk.
Read the full guide to ensure your business remains compliant, protected, and inspection-ready.
Air receiver systems are legally regulated in the UK under the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000 (PSSR 2000), yet many organisations still overlook critical compliance requirements before startup. From missing Written Schemes of Examination (WSEs) to incorrectly set pressure relief valves and undocumented system modifications, PSSR defects can expose duty holders to enforcement action from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), costly downtime, and serious safety risks.
In this guide, we break down the most common PSSR defects in UK air receiver systems, explain why they occur, and outline practical steps to ensure full regulatory compliance. Whether you’re commissioning a new compressed air system or reviewing an existing installation, this article will help you reduce risk, meet statutory obligations, and protect your workforce.
Read the full guide to ensure your air receiver system meets PSSR 2000 requirements.
