PUWER 1998 · Work equipment

Industrial machinery inspection under PUWER

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

Production machinery earns its keep close to people, and most serious injuries come from contact with a dangerous moving part. PUWER puts the duty to guard those parts, and to keep the guards and stops working, squarely on the person in control of the machine.

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  • Independent and impartial
  • Competent engineer surveyors
  • Reports issued promptly
Risk basedInterval set by how hard the machine is worked, not a fixed date
Guarding ledGuards, interlocks and stops that prevent contact with dangerous parts
A written recordA dated inspection record, not a certificate
One exceptionPower presses follow their own set cycle, on a separate page
Work equipment we inspect

Why your industrial machinery needs PUWER inspection

Industrial machinery covers the production equipment on your floor: lathes, mills and drills, bandsaws and circular saws, bench grinders, CNC machines, balers and packaging lines. PUWER asks that each one is suitable for the job, kept in good condition, and fitted with the guards, emergency stops and safety devices that prevent contact with dangerous parts.

Under Regulation 6 the inspection is risk-based rather than tied to a fixed date: after installation where safe use depends on how it was fitted, at suitable intervals because it is exposed to wear, and again after any event that could have affected it. The aim is to catch a guard that no longer guards, an interlock that has been defeated or an isolator that does not isolate, before it lets someone reach a moving part.

Fixed and interlocking guards
Interlock switches
Emergency stops
Isolation and lockout
Rotating spindles and cutters
Two-hand and hold-to-run
Transmission guarding
Stored energy
How it works

How we inspect your industrial machinery

On site, a competent engineer surveyor works through the machine the way an operator meets it: the guards that stand between hand and hazard, the interlocks that must stop the machine when a guard opens, the emergency stops and the means of isolation, and the stored energy that can still move a part after the power is off.

  • 1

    Get in touch

    Tell us the machines you run, what they do and how heavily they are used.

  • 2

    On-site inspection

    A competent engineer surveyor inspects each machine, its guarding, interlocks, stops and isolation, in the way it is used.

  • 3

    Your record

    You receive a clear, dated inspection record, anything that needs attention flagged and the next date to plan around.

Why businesses choose SEIS

  • Independent and impartial: we inspect the machine, we do not sell or service it
  • Competent engineer surveyors used to production machinery and guarding
  • Inspection of the machine as it is set and run, not a generic checklist
  • Clear records issued promptly, with the next due date flagged
What we check

Industrial machinery: what a thorough inspection covers

Fixed and interlocking guards

Guards that prevent reach to dangerous parts, checked for fit, security and the gaps that open up where a guard is removed and replaced each shift.

Interlocks that cannot be defeated

Guard switches examined so the machine stops when a guard opens and cannot be tricked into running with the guard up.

Emergency stops

Stop devices placed within reach of the operator, checked so a single action brings the machine to a safe halt and it cannot restart on its own.

Isolation and lockout

The means of cutting and locking off power, so the machine can be made safe for cleaning or a jam without the risk of an unexpected start.

Dangerous moving parts

Rotating spindles, cutters, chucks and blades, and the in-running nips between them, the parts a guard is there to keep hands away from.

Stored energy

Rams, accumulators, springs and the rotating mass of a flywheel, which can move a part after the supply is off if it is not released or restrained.

Intervals and your record

How often, and what you receive

PUWER sets no fixed interval for most machinery. Under Regulation 6 the frequency follows the risk: after installation where safe use depends on how the machine was fitted, at suitable intervals because it is exposed to wear, and again after any event that could have affected it. Most operators settle on a regular cycle, often annual, with extra checks after a breakdown, a modification or a guarding change. The single exception is the power press working cold metal, which has its own statutory cycle under Part IV.

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.

The price follows your equipment, not a rate card: see what drives a PUWER inspection quote.

Full statutory cover

Part of our full PUWER inspection service

Industrial machinery 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

Industrial machinery inspection: common questions

Does industrial machinery need a PUWER inspection?
Yes. Machinery is work equipment, so PUWER applies. It must be suitable, kept in good condition and inspected where it is exposed to conditions that cause deterioration, and it must be guarded so people cannot reach dangerous parts. The duty is set out in the HSE guidance on PUWER.
Is it a PUWER certificate or a record?
A record. PUWER produces a written inspection record, not a statutory certificate, and that record is kept at least until the next inspection. There is no such thing as a PUWER certificate. We issue a clear, dated record you can hand to an HSE inspector or your insurer, and our guide to PUWER explains the difference.
How often should machinery be inspected?
There is no fixed interval. The frequency follows the risk and how hard the machine is worked: heavy, continuous use pulls the date in, while light use lets it out. Most operators settle on a regular cycle, often annual, with extra checks after a breakdown or a guarding change.
My machine is a power press, is that different?
Yes. A power press working cold metal falls under Part IV of PUWER and has its own thorough examination on a six or twelve month cycle, with a formal report. We cover that on a separate page. The rest of your machinery is inspected under the risk-based duty in Regulation 6.
What does the inspection cover?
The fixed and interlocking guards, the interlock switches that should stop the machine when a guard opens, the emergency stops, the means of isolation and lockout, the dangerous moving parts and transmission guarding, and the stored energy that can still move a part after the power is off.
Who is competent to inspect machinery?
PUWER requires a competent person, someone with the knowledge and experience to know what to look at, what to look for and what to do about anything found. Our engineer surveyors inspect production machinery and its guarding day in, day out.
Can you tell us if a guard or interlock is adequate?
Yes. We assess whether the guarding actually prevents contact with the dangerous parts and whether the interlocks and stops work as they should, and we set out plainly anything that falls short and needs attention.
Do you inspect machinery across the UK?
Yes. Our engineer surveyors travel to factories and workshops nationwide, a single machine or a whole line. Call 0330 043 8191 to arrange a visit around your production schedule.

Is your industrial machinery 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