PUWER 1998 · Work equipment

Roller shutter door inspection under PUWER

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

A powered roller shutter is a heavy curtain held up by springs and a motor, and when a spring or a brake lets go it comes down fast. PUWER treats the door as work equipment and puts the duty to keep its safety devices working on the person who controls it.

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  • Independent and impartial
  • Competent engineer surveyors
  • Reports issued promptly
Risk basedInterval set by how heavily the door is used, not a fixed date
Powered doorA powered shutter falls clearly within PUWER
A written recordA dated inspection record, not a certificate
Anti-fall brakeA safety device that arrests an uncontrolled drop
Work equipment we inspect

Why your roller shutter door needs PUWER inspection

A roller shutter door is a curtain of linked laths that winds onto a barrel at the head, balanced by counterbalance springs and cables and driven by a motor. The energy stored in those springs is the heart of the hazard: a failed spring or cable, or a motor brake that no longer holds, can drop the curtain on whatever is beneath it.

Under Regulation 6 the inspection is risk-based rather than fixed. We work through the door as a safety system: the springs, cables and barrel that carry the weight, the anti-fall safety brake that has to arrest an uncontrolled descent, the bottom safety edge and photocells that reverse the door on an obstruction, and the limit switches, motor brake and manual release that govern everyday use.

Counterbalance springs
Cables and barrel
Anti-fall safety brake
Bottom safety edge
Photocells and light curtains
Limit switches
Motor and brake
Manual release
How it works

How we inspect your roller shutter door

A competent engineer surveyor runs the door through its travel and tests it as a safety system: the springs and cables that balance the curtain, the centrifugal safety brake that should catch an uncontrolled drop, the pressure-sensitive bottom edge and photocells that reverse it on contact, and the limit switches and manual release. Heavily used loading-bay doors get a closer look.

  • 1

    Get in touch

    Tell us how many doors you run, whether they are powered and how heavily they are used.

  • 2

    On-site inspection

    A competent engineer surveyor inspects each door through its travel, with its springs, brake, safety edge and controls.

  • 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 door, we do not sell or service it
  • Competent engineer surveyors used to powered doors and loading bays
  • Inspection of the door as a safety system, not a generic checklist
  • Clear records issued promptly, with the next due date flagged
What we check

Roller shutter door: what a thorough inspection covers

Counterbalance springs and cables

The springs and cables that hold the curtain up, checked for fatigue, fraying and tension, because a failed spring or cable lets the curtain drop under its own weight.

Anti-fall safety brake

The centrifugal brake, usually on the barrel endplate, tested so it arrests the curtain if it descends too fast on a motor or spring failure and needs an engineer to reset.

Bottom safety edge

The pressure-sensitive edge along the bottom rail, checked so the door stops and reverses the moment it meets a person or an obstruction.

Photocells and light curtains

The beams across the opening that should hold or reverse the door, checked for alignment and clean operation so they are not blinded by dirt.

Limit switches and motor brake

The open and closed limits and the motor brake that holds the curtain in place, so the door stops where it should and does not creep down.

Guides, curtain and manual release

The laths, guides and bottom rail for wear and damage, and the manual release so the door can be operated safely in a power cut.

Intervals and your record

How often, and what you receive

PUWER sets no fixed interval for a roller shutter door. Under Regulation 6 the frequency follows the risk: after installation where safe use depends on how it was fitted, at suitable intervals because the springs, cables and safety devices are exposed to wear, and again after any event that could have affected it. Most operators settle on a regular cycle, often annual, with more frequent checks on heavily used loading-bay and warehouse doors. A random component failure between inspections is exactly why a built-in anti-fall device matters.

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

Roller shutter door 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

Roller shutter door inspection: common questions

Does a roller shutter door need a PUWER inspection?
Yes, where it is powered. A powered roller shutter is work equipment, so PUWER applies: it must be suitable, kept in good condition and inspected where it is exposed to wear, with safety devices that prevent it falling or crushing. 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, kept at least until the next inspection. There is no such thing as a PUWER certificate. We issue a clear, dated report you can hand to an HSE inspector or your insurer, and our guide to PUWER explains the difference.
How often should a roller shutter be inspected?
There is no fixed interval. The frequency follows the risk and how heavily the door is used: a busy loading-bay door worked many times a day needs more frequent attention than a door used now and then. Most operators settle on a regular cycle, often annual, alongside the manufacturer's servicing.
What is an anti-fall device and why does it matter?
It is a centrifugal safety brake, usually on the barrel endplate, that grips and stops the curtain if it starts to descend too fast after a motor, spring or cable failure. Because springs and cables can fail at random between inspections, this built-in device is what stops the curtain dropping on someone.
What does the inspection cover?
The counterbalance springs, cables and barrel, the anti-fall safety brake, the bottom safety edge and photocells, the limit switches and motor brake, and the guides, curtain and manual release. We run the door through its travel and test the safety devices.
Who is competent to inspect a roller shutter?
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 powered doors regularly and know where the safety brakes sit.
Does this replace servicing the door?
No. An independent inspection confirms the door and its safety devices are safe to use and meets your PUWER duty, while routine servicing keeps it running. The two work together, and we report plainly anything that needs attention.
Do you inspect roller shutter doors across the UK?
Yes. Our engineer surveyors travel to warehouses, factories and loading bays nationwide, one door or a whole site. Call 0330 043 8191 to arrange a visit around your operation.

Is your roller shutter door 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