If your business owns, operates or has control over any kind of mechanised work equipment, you need to ensure it’s safe for its intended use to comply with Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER).
Our turnkey PUWER assessment service covers the whole process, from testing equipment against regulations to providing test reports and remedial solutions in the event of non-compliance.
Turnkey testing service for high-technology manufacturers
Specialists with 30 years’ experience in compliance testing
IES provided an efficient, well thought out method of testing which caused minimum disruption to our ongoing business operations."
Head of Compliance
VPS, UK
What we do
We help high-technology manufacturers to assess new and relocated mechanical equipment on installation, as well as at regular intervals or when circumstances change.
On-site equipment testing and inspection to assess suitability and safety
Equipment assessment on installation
Equipment reassessment at suitable intervals or if it’s been modified, its intended use has changed, there’s been an accident or it’s been exposed to deterioration
Full test reports detailing any potential problems
Remedial solutions in the event of non-compliance
Ad-hoc consultancy services to address specific issues
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations, often abbreviated to PUWER, are regulated by the UK HSE (Health and Safety Executive). They place duties on companies who own, operate or have control over work equipment and regulate that it's safe for its intended use.
“Work equipment” in this context applies to any machinery, appliance, apparatus, tool or installation for use at work.
What is a PUWER risk assessment?
To comply with PUWER, every new piece of equipment has to undergo a PUWER inspection. A PUWER workplace assessment typically involves:
Identifying and reporting any hazards
Assessing risks by calculating the chance of harm being done
Identifying ways to eliminate those risks where possible
When a complete elimination of a certain risk is not possible, listing ways to reduce it and specifying precautions which need to be taken
A PUWER workplace assessment should be performed each time a piece of equipment is installed. Reassessments are necessary if any modifications or changes are made, or if that equipment will be used differently. Reassessment is also required if there has been an accident.
Who does PUWER apply to?
PUWER regulations apply to work activities throughout the whole of Great Britain, as well as offshore installations such as oil rigs and gas supply platforms. The groups covered by PUWER include:
Employers
Self-employed people and the equipment they control or use (whether for profit or not)
Those who are employed to supervise or manage the use of equipment operated by others
What equipment is covered by PUWER?
“Work equipment” in the context of PUWER applies to any equipment, appliance, apparatus, tool or installation for use at work (whether exclusively or not), including equipment that employees provide for their own use at work.
PUWER regulations apply to work equipment found at any workplace in Great Britain and offshore installations, including but not exclusive to; factories, construction sites, farms, hospitals and offices.
When does PUWER not apply?
The regulations do not refer to equipment used by the public, which comes under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. PUWER also does not apply to those who have supplied, sold or hired equipment – in this case, it’s up to the purchaser of the equipment to make sure that it is complying with the law – that is; specified, installed and used so that it does not present a risk to those at work.
How does PUWER affect training?
PUWER requires employers to ensure that their work equipment is used exclusively by individuals who have received the necessary training to carry out the work safely. What is accepted as adequate training will vary according to an employee’s current competence level, and the complexity of the work equipment itself.
Staff without the qualifications necessary to operate a piece of equipment must be given the relevant training by an employer before they can use the equipment unsupervised. The competence of new employees should be assessed to ensure that they only operate equipment which they are qualified to use.
Trusted by Rolls-Royce, MBDA, Rapiscan, Cytiva and more
Since 1991, we’ve been helping manufacturers and importers in the microelectronics, semiconductor, pharma and other high-technology industries comply with the requirements PUWER.
Our team has decades of experience in compliance testing and working with complex, high-technology equipment, so you can have total confidence you’re in the right hands.
Consultancy services
Our expert consultants will work with you to find a solution if your equipment doesn’t meet PUWER requirements. We also offer ad-hoc consultancy services to address specific issues.
Excellent service
We have a flexible and collaborative team that appreciates that plans can change and always finds solutions to client problems.
