PUWER 1998 · Work equipment

Power press thorough examination under PUWER

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

A power press that works cold metal is the one machine PUWER singles out for a thorough examination on a fixed cycle. Its flywheel and clutch hold real energy, and a worn brake or a defeated guard can close the tools on a hand in a moment.

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  • Independent and impartial
  • Competent engineer surveyors
  • Reports issued promptly
A set cycleThorough examination every 12 months, or every 6 with interlocking or AOPD guards
Every working periodGuards and devices also checked after setting and at each shift
A formal reportA report of thorough examination, copied to the HSE if a defect is dangerous
Working cold metalMechanical presses built around a flywheel and a clutch
Work equipment we inspect

Why your power press needs PUWER inspection

A power press is a press or press brake that works metal by means of tools, power driven and built around a flywheel and a clutch. Part IV of PUWER, Regulations 32 to 35, gives this machine a regime of its own, set apart from the risk-based inspection that covers the rest of your work equipment.

Its guards and protection devices are thoroughly examined every twelve months where fixed guards or enclosed tools are used, and every six months where interlocking guards or automatic protection devices such as light curtains are fitted. The guards are also inspected after the tools are set, reset or adjusted, and at the start of every working period. The examiner makes a formal report, tells you at once of any dangerous defect, and copies the report to the HSE where the danger is serious.

Flywheel and clutch
Brake and linings
Fixed and interlocking guards
Light curtains and AOPDs
Two-hand controls
Trip and mute devices
Die and bolster area
Crankshaft and bearings
How it works

How we inspect your power press

A competent engineer surveyor strips the examination back to what keeps hands clear of the tools: the clutch and brake that stop the slide, the guards and protection devices that prevent reach to the danger zone, and the controls that govern the stroke. Parts that cannot be seen are checked by non-destructive testing where the standard calls for it.

  • 1

    Get in touch

    Tell us how many presses you run, the guards fitted to each and your shift pattern.

  • 2

    On-site examination

    A competent engineer surveyor thoroughly examines each press and its guards, with non-destructive testing of hidden parts where needed.

  • 3

    Your report

    You receive a formal report of thorough examination, dangerous defects flagged at once and the next date set.

Why businesses choose SEIS

  • Independent and impartial: we examine the press, we do not sell or service it
  • Competent engineer surveyors who know mechanical presses and HSG236
  • The full Part IV regime, the examination and the working-period checks, set out plainly
  • Formal reports issued promptly, with dangerous defects notified at once
What we check

Power press: what a thorough inspection covers

Clutch and brake

The parts that stop the slide, examined for wear and slow response, because a brake that no longer holds can leave a press repeat-stroking on a single trip.

Guards and protection devices

Fixed and interlocking guards, light curtains and trip bars, checked so reach to the tools is prevented and the press stops the instant it should.

Two-hand and hold-to-run controls

The control arrangement and its timing, so both hands stay clear of the tools through the dangerous part of the stroke.

Flywheel, crankshaft and connections

The rotating mass with its bearings and keys, examined for cracks, play and the early signs of fatigue.

Die area and bolster

Tool fixing, packing and the bolster face, so a die cannot shift or break up under load and throw fragments.

Hidden parts and NDT

Shafts, pins and highly stressed components examined by non-destructive testing where the guidance calls for it, not left to a glance.

Intervals and your record

How often, and what you receive

The power press is the one part of PUWER with a clear statutory cycle. Under Regulations 32 to 35 the press and its guards are thoroughly examined at least every twelve months where fixed guards or enclosed tools are used, and at least every six months where interlocking guards or automatic protection devices are fitted. The guards are also inspected after the tools are set, reset or adjusted and at each working period. The examiner makes a formal report, notifies you at once of any defect that is or could become a danger, and sends a copy to the HSE where the defect is dangerous.

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

Power press 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

Power press inspection: common questions

Does a power press need a PUWER inspection?
Yes, and to a stricter standard than most machines. A power press working cold metal falls under Part IV of PUWER, which requires a thorough examination of the press and its guards on a fixed cycle, on top of the general duty to keep work equipment safe. You can read that general duty in the HSE guidance on PUWER. Guillotines look similar but sit outside Part IV under Schedule 2, and have their own guillotine inspection page.
Is the result a record or a formal report?
A formal report. Unlike the simple written record that covers most work equipment, a power press examination produces a report of thorough examination with the content set in Schedule 3, and a dangerous defect is copied to the HSE. There is still no such thing as a PUWER certificate, whatever a supplier calls it. Our guide to PUWER explains where the power press differs from the rest of your equipment.
How often must a power press be examined?
At least every twelve months where it has fixed guards or enclosed tools, and at least every six months where it has interlocking guards or automatic protection devices such as light curtains. Separately, the guards and protection devices are inspected after the tools are set or adjusted and at the start of each working period.
Which presses count as power presses in law?
A press or press brake that works metal by means of tools, is power driven and embodies a flywheel and a clutch. That is the mechanical press. Hydraulic presses are not power presses in this sense and are inspected under the general risk-based duty in Regulation 6 instead.
What does the examination cover?
The clutch and brake that stop the slide, the fixed and interlocking guards and any light curtains or trip devices, the two-hand and hold-to-run controls and their timing, the flywheel, crankshaft and bearings, and the die and bolster area. Hidden, highly stressed parts are examined by non-destructive testing where the standard calls for it.
Who is competent to examine a power press?
A competent person with the knowledge and experience to examine presses, working to HSE guidance HSG236. Our engineer surveyors examine mechanical presses and their guards regularly and report against that standard.
Do you carry out non-destructive testing of internal parts?
Yes, where it is needed. Shafts, pins and other highly stressed components that cannot be judged by eye are checked using methods such as magnetic particle inspection, so deterioration is found before it reaches the surface.
Do you examine power presses across the UK?
Yes. Our engineer surveyors travel to press shops and factories nationwide, one press or a full line. Call 0330 043 8191 to arrange a visit around your production and shift pattern.

Is your power press 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