Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998

PUWER inspections & work equipment assessments

Confirming your work equipment is suitable, safe and properly maintained

If you own, operate or control work equipment, PUWER requires it to be suitable for the job, safe to use, maintained, and inspected at suitable intervals by a competent person. SEIS engineer surveyors assess your machinery, guarding, controls and condition, then issue a clear PUWER assessment report setting out any defects and the action needed.

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  • Independent & impartial
  • Risk-based scheduling
  • Whole-site surveys
PUWER assessment: work equipment confirmed suitable, maintained, inspected, guarded and used by trained operators Suitable Maintained Inspected Guarded Trained PUWER assessed Assessment report issued
The PUWER duties

What PUWER requires of you

PUWER applies to any equipment used at work, from a hand tool to a production line, and its scope is deliberately wide. It places duties on anyone who owns, operates or has control over that equipment. In practice those duties come down to five things.

  • Suitable for the job
    Equipment must be the right choice for the task and the working environment, and not introduce new risks when it is used.
  • Maintained in good order
    Kept in efficient working order and good repair, with a maintenance regime appropriate to how it is used.
  • Inspected at suitable intervals
    Where it could deteriorate and cause danger, it must be inspected by a competent person so faults are found and put right in good time, with the findings recorded.
  • Safe, with risks controlled
    Guarding, protection devices, controls and markings must control the risks from moving parts, ejected material and dangerous surfaces.
  • Used by informed, trained people
    Operators and supervisors must have the information, instruction and training they need to use the equipment safely.
What a PUWER assessment covers
The areas our engineer surveyors assess on every visit
  • 01
    Guarding & dangerous parts
    Fixed and interlocked guards, fencing and trip devices that prevent access to moving and cutting parts.
  • 02
    Controls & isolation
    Start, stop and emergency stop controls, mode selection and the means to isolate from power safely.
  • 03
    Condition & deterioration
    Wear, damage, corrosion and structural condition of the equipment and its safety-critical parts.
  • 04
    Stability, markings & warnings
    That the equipment is stable in use and carries the markings, warnings and information operators rely on.
  • 05
    Suitability for the task
    Whether the equipment remains the right choice for the work and environment it is actually used in.
Findings are set out in a written PUWER assessment report, with clear actions and priorities.
How often

PUWER intervals are risk-based

This is the biggest difference from LOLER. PUWER does not set a fixed six or twelve-month deadline. Under Regulation 6, equipment that could deteriorate and become dangerous must be inspected at suitable intervals, and what counts as suitable is decided by a risk assessment.

The interval follows the risk: equipment type, how hard and how often it is used, and the environment it works in. Something exposed to heavy use or harsh conditions needs looking at more often than a low-risk item in a controlled setting. An inspection is also triggered when equipment is new, relocated or modified. The breakdown alongside shows how this typically falls out.

The power press exception
Power presses are the one PUWER item with set intervals: a thorough examination every 12 months where there are fixed guards, or every 6 months in all other cases. We examine these to schedule.
How intervals typically fall out
Guided by your risk assessment, not a fixed deadline
Higher risk More often
Hazardous use or serious-injury potential, harsh or outdoor environments, heavy duty cycles.
Medium risk Periodic
Could cause injury but lower exposure; inspected on a regular periodic basis.
Lower risk Less often
Minimal risk in a controlled setting; longer intervals can be justified by the assessment.
We help set the right interval per asset, and where an item also falls under LOLER or PSSR, that examination can satisfy the PUWER duty for it.
PUWER & LOLER

How PUWER & LOLER work together

A common question is whether you need both. They are separate regulations, but they are designed to act as a package. PUWER covers the non-lifting aspects of work equipment, choice, maintenance, guarding, controls and training, while LOLER covers the lifting aspects, including thorough examination of lifting equipment and accessories.

So a fork lift truck sits under both: PUWER for its brakes, guarding and general condition, LOLER for its lifting function. The comparison alongside shows where each one applies.

One visit can cover both
Where an item falls under LOLER (or PSSR), completing that statutory examination can satisfy the PUWER inspection duty for it, so you are not paying for the same check twice. We coordinate the whole schedule for you.
See LOLER inspections
PUWER vs LOLER at a glance
Which regulation covers what
PUWER
Non-lifting aspects of all work equipment
Suitability & selection
Guarding & controls
Maintenance & condition
Risk-based intervals
LOLER
Lifting aspects of lifting equipment
Thorough examination
Slings, chains & hooks
Lifting of people
Fixed 6 / 12-month rule
Lifting equipment such as a fork lift sits under both, we cover the lot on one schedule.
What we inspect

Work equipment we inspect

PUWER’s scope is one of the widest in workplace safety, it reaches almost any machine, appliance, tool or installation used at work. Our engineer surveyors inspect across the full range, from individual machines to whole production lines and mobile plant.

Not sure which of your equipment needs a PUWER inspection, and how often? We can survey your site, build the asset register and set risk-based intervals for each item, so nothing is missed and nothing is over-inspected.

Arrange a site survey
Work equipment we inspect
A selection of equipment covered under PUWER 1998
Conveyor systems
Power presses
Industrial machinery
Storage racking
Dock levellers
Roller shutter doors
Plus woodworking & metalworking machines, pallet trucks, ladders, lathes and more.
Areas we cover

PUWER inspections across our coverage area

We work nationwide, with established local engineer surveyors across our coverage area. Choose your county to find puwer inspections in your nearest town.

Cambridgeshire2 towns
PUWER inspections in Cambridge PUWER inspections in Peterborough
County Durham1 town
PUWER inspections in Darlington
Derbyshire1 town
PUWER inspections in Derby
Lincolnshire3 towns
PUWER inspections in Grimsby PUWER inspections in Lincoln PUWER inspections in Scunthorpe
Nottinghamshire3 towns
PUWER inspections in Mansfield PUWER inspections in Nottingham PUWER inspections in Retford
Tyne and Wear1 town
PUWER inspections in Newcastle
Yorkshire15 towns
PUWER inspections in Bradford PUWER inspections in Castleford PUWER inspections in Doncaster PUWER inspections in Halifax PUWER inspections in Harrogate PUWER inspections in Huddersfield PUWER inspections in Hull PUWER inspections in Keighley PUWER inspections in Leeds PUWER inspections in Pontefract PUWER inspections in Rotherham PUWER inspections in Selby PUWER inspections in Sheffield PUWER inspections in Wakefield PUWER inspections in York
Due a PUWER inspection?
Talk to an engineer surveyor about your work equipment, get a quote, and book your inspection, wherever you are in the UK.
0330 043 8191 Request a quote
PUWER FAQs

Common questions about PUWER inspections

Clear answers to the questions duty-holders ask most about PUWER work equipment inspections. If yours isn’t here, our engineer surveyors are happy to help.

What is a PUWER inspection?

A PUWER inspection is an assessment of work equipment by a competent person to confirm it is suitable, safe and in good working order, and to detect any deterioration before it becomes a danger. Depending on the equipment and its risk, it can range from a visual check to a fuller examination with an element of testing. The findings are recorded in a written PUWER assessment report.

How often is a PUWER inspection required?

Unlike LOLER, PUWER sets no fixed interval. Under Regulation 6, equipment that could deteriorate and become dangerous must be inspected at suitable intervals, and the interval is determined by a risk assessment, based on the equipment type, how it is used and its environment. Higher-risk equipment is inspected more often; lower-risk items less often.

An inspection is also needed before equipment is used for the first time, and after it is relocated or modified.

What equipment does PUWER cover?

PUWER applies to almost any equipment used at work, machinery, appliances, tools and installations. That ranges from conveyors, power presses and industrial machinery to racking, dock levellers, roller shutter doors and hand tools. If an employee uses their own equipment for work, that is covered too. The scope is deliberately very wide.

What is the difference between PUWER and LOLER?

They work together. PUWER covers the non-lifting aspects of work equipment, suitability, maintenance, guarding, controls and training, with risk-based inspection intervals. LOLER covers the lifting aspects of lifting equipment, with thorough examinations on a fixed 6 or 12-month rule. Lifting equipment such as a fork lift falls under both.

Who can carry out a PUWER inspection?

A competent person, with the knowledge, experience and training to detect defects and judge their significance. Lower-risk, basic items may be checked in-house by a competent member of staff, but higher-risk equipment should be inspected by a competent person who is suitably independent. SEIS provides this as an independent service.

Do power presses have set intervals under PUWER?

Yes, power presses are the exception to PUWER’s risk-based approach. They require a thorough examination every 12 months where there are fixed guards only, and every 6 months in all other cases, plus examination after installation or modification. We examine power presses to this schedule.

Is a PUWER inspection a legal requirement?

Yes. If you own, operate or control work equipment used at work, PUWER places legal duties on you to keep it suitable, maintained, safe and, where it could deteriorate dangerously, inspected at suitable intervals. The duties are enforced by the Health and Safety Executive, and records of inspections must be kept.