Work Equipment / PUWER Inspections
Work equipment is any machinery, appliance, apparatus, tool or installation for use at work. This includes equipment which employees provide for their own use at work. The scope of work equipment is therefore extremely wide. The use of work equipment is also very widely interpreted and means any activity involving work equipment and includes starting, stopping, programming, setting, transporting, repairing, modifying, maintaining, servicing and cleaning.
Both PUWER Reg 6 in the UK and the General Applications Regulations SI 299 Regulation 30 in ROI require that work equipment, which is exposed to conditions causing deterioration that could result in a dangerous situation, should be inspected at suitable intervals, and after every event liable to jeopardise its safety.
Frequency Of Work Equipment / PUWER Examinations
The frequency of inspection of work equipment may vary, depending on environmental conditions (E.g. equipment subject to harsh outdoor conditions is likely to need more frequent inspections than if used in an indoor environment). The frequency of inspection of work equipment should be determined through risk assessment, taking account of the manufacturer's recommendations, industry advice and your own experience. It may be appropriate to review the frequency of inspection in the light of your experience. Intervals between inspection of work equipment can be increased if the inspection history shows negligible deterioration, or shortened where experience shows this is necessary to prevent danger.
Both UK and ROI regulations state that where work equipment is of a type where the safe operation is critically dependent on it being properly installed (or reinstalled), and where failure to carry this out would lead to a significant risk to the operator, or other worker, you should arrange for a suitable work equipment / PUWER inspection to be carried out before it is put into service. This inspection report should state that it is a ‘Report of Inspection after Installation’ and the equipment has been ‘installed correctly’ and is ‘safe to operate’. The report should remain with the equipment for the life of the equipment or when it is moved. It should also be made readily available for the enforcing authority upon request.
What We Offer
Based in Newtownabbey, Carn Engineering offer inspections of work equipment throughout Northern Ireland, ensuring that your business adheres to PUWER regulations.