From Selection to Maintenance: Putting PUWER Requirements into Practice

PUWER requirements sit at the heart of how employers in the UK must manage work equipment, from simple hand tools to complex machinery and installations. They exist to ensure that any equipment used at work is suitable, safe, properly maintained and operated by people who are competent to use it. Although the underlying regulations can appear technical, PUWER requirements are fundamentally about preventing avoidable injuries and creating workplaces where people can use equipment confidently, knowing that foreseeable risks have been identified and controlled. Understanding how PUWER requirements apply in practice is therefore essential for anyone who owns, provides, manages or uses work equipment in the course of their job.

At the most basic level, PUWER requirements state that work equipment must be suitable for its intended purpose and for the conditions in which it is used. This means more than simply buying a machine that can do a task; it involves checking that the equipment is appropriate for the environment, the frequency of use and the people who will operate it. For example, equipment used outdoors, in wet or corrosive conditions, or in potentially explosive atmospheres must be chosen with those specific challenges in mind. PUWER requirements also make it clear that equipment should be free from obvious defects that could put users at risk, and that safety features such as guards, interlocks and emergency stops need to be present and in effective working order. Suitability under PUWER requirements is therefore a combination of correct selection, correct configuration and ongoing verification that the equipment remains fit for purpose over time.

Another central element of PUWER requirements is the duty to maintain equipment in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair. Even high quality machinery will deteriorate with use, and small faults can easily develop into serious hazards if they are ignored. PUWER requirements expect employers to put in place a planned system of maintenance, including routine servicing, timely repairs and clear procedures for taking defective equipment out of use until it is made safe. This applies not only to large, obvious items such as production machinery, but also to everyday tools, appliances, access equipment and installations. The idea is that maintenance should be proactive rather than reactive, with organisations anticipating wear and tear and addressing it before it leads to failure. In this way, PUWER requirements encourage a culture of continuous care rather than one-off fixes.

Inspection and testing form a third major pillar of PUWER requirements. The regulations recognise that maintenance alone is not enough; there must also be systematic checks to confirm that equipment is safe to use and that previous maintenance has been effective. PUWER requirements call for inspections at suitable intervals, taking into account the type of equipment, the risks associated with its use and the environment in which it operates. New or newly installed equipment should be inspected before first use, and further inspections should be carried out when circumstances change, such as after modification, damage or relocation. Records of these inspections should be kept so that organisations can demonstrate compliance and track recurring issues. In practical terms, this means building PUWER requirements into everyday management systems, so that inspections become part of normal operations rather than ad hoc responses to incidents.

Proper information, instruction and training are also explicit PUWER requirements. Providing safe equipment is not sufficient if people do not understand how to use it correctly, what its limitations are or how to recognise when something is wrong. PUWER requirements state that users, supervisors and managers must receive appropriate information about the equipment, including any health and safety risks and the steps taken to manage them. Written instructions, signage and manuals play a part, but so does hands-on training and assessment of competence. Under PUWER requirements, training should cover not only normal operation but also start-up, shutdown, cleaning, adjustment and fault reporting. Organisations must ensure that only people who have been trained and deemed competent use particular items of work equipment, and that refresher training is provided when necessary, for example when new controls or processes are introduced.

The design and layout of controls is another area covered by PUWER requirements. Machines and other work equipment must have controls that are clearly identifiable, accessible and designed to minimise the possibility of accidental operation. PUWER requirements emphasise that start and stop controls should be logical and that emergency stops, where required, must be easy to reach and capable of overriding other functions. This extends to control systems that are software-based as well as physical buttons and levers. Under PUWER requirements, employers should consider whether controls are suitable for all users, including those who may be working under pressure, in noisy environments or while wearing personal protective equipment. Good control design is a practical way of reducing human error and improving response in emergency situations.

Guarding and protective devices feature strongly within PUWER requirements, particularly for machinery with moving parts, sharp edges, high temperatures or other inherent hazards. The regulations require that risks from mechanical movement are either prevented or adequately controlled by physical guards, distance, positioning or appropriate protection measures. Interlocked guards that stop the machine when opened, fixed guards that prevent access to dangerous areas and automatic detection systems that respond to the presence of a person are all examples of measures encouraged by PUWER requirements. The intention is to ensure that normal operation does not expose people to dangerous parts of equipment and that maintenance tasks are planned in a way that avoids reliance solely on procedural controls or personal vigilance.

PUWER requirements also extend to issues such as stability, lighting, isolation and emergency preparedness. Equipment must be stable under the conditions of use, which may mean securing it to floors, walls or frames to prevent tipping or unintended movement. Adequate lighting is necessary so that users can see controls, read markings and spot potential hazards. Isolation points for energy sources, such as electrical supplies, hydraulic lines or compressed air, should be clearly identified and accessible so that equipment can be made safe during maintenance and in emergencies. Under PUWER requirements, these practical considerations are not optional extras; they are integral parts of designing and managing safe work equipment, regardless of the size of the organisation or the industry in which it operates.

A further aspect of PUWER requirements involves co-ordination and responsibility where multiple parties are involved. The regulations apply to employers, the self-employed and anyone who has control over work equipment, including those who hire or lease it out. PUWER requirements make it clear that simply providing equipment is not enough; there must be arrangements to ensure that recipients understand how to use it safely, what inspections are required and who is responsible for maintenance. In shared workplaces, such as construction sites or multi-occupancy buildings, PUWER requirements call for collaboration so that equipment risks are managed consistently and information flows between different dutyholders. This helps to avoid situations where one party assumes another is handling safety obligations, leading to dangerous gaps in control.

Embedding PUWER requirements into an organisation’s health and safety management system brings several benefits beyond legal compliance. A structured approach to equipment selection, maintenance, inspection, training and control design reduces downtime, improves productivity and can extend the lifespan of assets. Staff are more likely to report defects promptly and engage with safety initiatives when they see that concerns about equipment are taken seriously and acted on. Moreover, clear adherence to PUWER requirements can be reassuring to clients, regulators and insurers, who may view robust equipment safety practices as a sign of a well-managed operation. In this sense, PUWER requirements support both duty of care and good business practice.

In summary, PUWER requirements provide a comprehensive framework for ensuring that work equipment is suitable, safe and properly managed throughout its lifecycle. They address everything from initial selection and installation to routine maintenance, periodic inspection, user training, guarding, control design and emergency preparedness. By understanding and applying PUWER requirements, organisations can move beyond minimum standards to create working environments where people can use equipment confidently and productively, with reduced risk of accidents and ill health. Far from being an administrative burden, PUWER requirements are a practical toolkit for anyone serious about managing equipment safely and effectively.