PUWER 1998 (Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations)

PUWER 1998 requires that work equipment is suitable, safe, maintained, and used only by people with adequate training and information.

The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, or PUWER, apply to almost all equipment used at work, from hand tools and ladders to machinery and power tools. The regulations place duties on employers and anyone who controls the use of work equipment, and are enforced by the HSE.

PUWER requires that equipment is suitable for its intended use, maintained in a safe condition, inspected where necessary, and accompanied by adequate information, instruction, and training. It also covers protection against specific hazards, such as guarding on dangerous parts of machinery, and controls for starting and stopping.

Where LOLER deals specifically with lifting, PUWER covers the broader duty to keep all work equipment safe. Recording inspections and maintenance for plant and tools is a practical way of demonstrating compliance.