The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (SI 1998/2306) — PUWER — are a legal requirement in Great Britain applying to any employer, self-employed person, or controller of work equipment. They require equipment to be safe, maintained, inspected, guarded, and used only by trained personnel. Failure to comply is a matter of criminal law enforced by the HSE.
What PUWER Regulations Are: Statutory Basis and Legal Status (SI 1998/2306)
PUWER is Statutory Instrument 1998/2306, made under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. It came into force on 5 December 1998 and applies across all industries — engineering, construction, manufacturing, facilities management, healthcare, and beyond.
PUWER 1998 replaced the original PUWER regulations first introduced in 1992. The main change was in the coverage of mobile work equipment, woodworking equipment and power presses, allowing the repeal of the 1965 Power Press Regulations and a number of other older regulations, including those on woodworking machinery. (hse.gov.uk/work-equipment-machinery/puwer-overview.htm)
PUWER is supported by an Approved Code of Practice (ACOP), amended following the Health and Safety (Miscellaneous Amendment) Regulations 2002. Separate ACOPs cover woodworking machinery and power presses for working on cold metal. Where work equipment is also lifting equipment, a further ACOP supports both LOLER and PUWER. (hse.gov.uk/work-equipment-machinery/puwer-overview.htm)
The ACOPs are not law, but were made under section 16 of the Health and Safety at Work Act and therefore carry special legal status: departing from ACOP guidance requires an employer to demonstrate they achieved the same or better standard by an alternative means. (hse.gov.uk/work-equipment-machinery/puwer-overview.htm)
Who PUWER Applies To: Employers, Self-Employed, and Controllers of Equipment (Regulation 3)
The scope of duty under PUWER is deliberately wide. Regulation 3 of SI 1998/2306 states that PUWER places duties on employers in respect of work equipment provided for use or used by their employees at work. The duties also apply to relevant self-employed persons in respect of equipment they use at work, and to any person who has control — to any extent — over work equipment, a person using it, or the way it is used, to the extent of that control. (Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, regulation 3)
Three practical consequences follow from this:
- You do not need to own the equipment to hold PUWER duties. A facilities manager who controls how a workshop machine is used holds duties to the extent of that control, even if the equipment belongs to a client or contractor.
- Self-employed persons operating within a trade, business, or other undertaking (whether for profit or not) are subject to PUWER in respect of equipment they use at work. (regulation 3)
- Sellers and hire-purchase suppliers are excluded. The requirements imposed by PUWER shall not apply to a person in respect of work equipment supplied by them by way of sale, agreement for sale, or hire-purchase agreement — the duty transfers to the recipient on acquisition. (regulation 3)
PUWER applies in Great Britain and outside Great Britain to the extent that sections 1 to 59 and 80 to 82 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 apply by virtue of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (Application outside Great Britain) Order 1995 — covering, for example, offshore installations. (regulation 3)
There is a general exclusion covering ship's work equipment in most situations, where merchant shipping legislation provides equivalent protection. (hse.gov.uk/work-equipment-machinery/puwer-overview.htm)
Core Duties Under PUWER: A Plain-English Index of All Five Parts
SI 1998/2306 is divided into five Parts. The table below summarises every Part with its focus — a reference map no competitor page provides.
| Part | Regulation range | Subject | Key duty in plain English |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | 1–3 | Citation, interpretation, application | Sets out who is bound and where |
| II | 4–24 | General requirements for all work equipment | Suitability, maintenance, inspection, controls, guarding, hazards, information, training |
| III | 25–30 | Mobile work equipment | Stability, roll-over protection, operator restraint, pedestrian safety |
| IV | 31 onwards | Power presses | Thorough examination; guard inspection by competent person at frequent intervals |
| V | Final provisions | Miscellaneous and repeals | Repeals of earlier instruments including the 1965 Power Press Regulations |
Part II is where most duty-holders spend their compliance effort. It contains the specific regulations that govern suitability (regulation 4), maintenance, inspection, information and training, controls, guarding, and specific hazard protection — each addressed below.
PUWER Regulation 4: Suitability of Work Equipment
Regulation 4 of SI 1998/2306 requires every employer to ensure that work equipment is so constructed or adapted as to be suitable for the purpose for which it is used or provided. In selecting work equipment, every employer must have regard to the working conditions and to the risks to the health and safety of persons in the premises or undertaking in which the equipment will be used, and any additional risk posed by the use of that work equipment. (PUWER 1998, regulation 4 — Suitability of work equipment)
"Suitable" is defined in regulation 4 itself: it means suitable in any respect which it is reasonably foreseeable will affect the health or safety of any person.
Practical translation: A floor-mounted pillar drill brought from a low-risk stockroom and re-deployed in a dusty casting workshop is not automatically suitable in its new context. Regulation 4 requires the selection decision to account for the new conditions. Document the selection rationale — it is evidence of compliance.
PUWER Regulations on Maintenance and Inspection: What the Law Requires
PUWER requires that equipment provided for use at work is safe for use, maintained in a safe condition, and inspected to ensure it is correctly installed and does not subsequently deteriorate. (hse.gov.uk/work-equipment-machinery/puwer-overview.htm)
Two distinct duties operate here:
- Maintenance — equipment must be kept in efficient working order and good repair throughout its working life.
- Inspection — where the safety of equipment depends on installation conditions (e.g. a floor-mounted press bolted to a plinth) or where use leads to deterioration over time, the equipment must be inspected at suitable intervals by a competent person, and inspection records must be kept.
Note on inspection intervals: PUWER does not specify universal intervals (e.g. "every 6 months") for general work equipment. The suitable interval depends on the equipment type, intensity of use, and the nature of any deterioration risk. For power presses specifically, PUWER requires that the inspection and testing of guards and protection devices is carried out by a competent person at frequent intervals, and that records of these examinations, inspections and tests are kept. (hse.gov.uk/work-equipment-machinery/puwer-overview.htm) Contrast this with LOLER, which does set minimum statutory intervals for lifting equipment — see the PUWER vs LOLER section below.
PUWER on Training: What "Adequate" Means in Practice
PUWER requires that work equipment is used only by people who have received adequate information, instruction and training. (hse.gov.uk/work-equipment-machinery/puwer-overview.htm)
"Adequate" is not defined by a qualification level or minimum hours. It must be proportionate to the risk. For a low-risk hand tool, brief documented instruction may suffice. For a power press or industrial bandsaw, adequate training requires demonstration of competence in safe operation, guarding checks, and emergency stops.
The training duty under PUWER works alongside regulation 13 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, which requires employers to ensure employees are provided with adequate health and safety training on recruitment, when given a change of responsibilities, when new work equipment is introduced, or when a change respects work equipment already in use. That training must take place during working hours and be repeated periodically where appropriate.
What adequate training records should contain:
- Equipment-specific training delivered (not generic manual-handling awareness)
- Date, duration, and method of delivery
- Name of trainer and their competence
- Evidence that the trainee can operate the equipment safely (e.g. assessment, supervisor sign-off)
- Refresh date where periodic re-training is required
Guarding Dangerous Parts: The Hierarchy Under PUWER
PUWER requires that work equipment is accompanied by suitable health and safety measures — normally including guarding, emergency stop devices, adequate means of isolation from sources of energy, clearly visible markings, and warning devices. (hse.gov.uk/work-equipment-machinery/puwer-overview.htm)
Where dangerous parts of machinery are present, regulation 11(2) establishes a hierarchy of protective measures, each to be used to the extent practicable before dropping to the next:
- Fixed guards — enclosing every dangerous part, where and to the extent practicable.
- Other guards or protection devices — where fixed guarding is not practicable; interlocked guards that stop movement before a person can reach the danger zone are the common example.
- Protection appliances — jigs, holders, push-sticks and similar, where guarding is not practicable.
- Information, instruction, training and supervision — the final tier, never a substitute where a higher tier is practicable.
The hierarchy is a compliance test, not a menu of options. An employer who relies on training and supervision for a machine that could have been fixed-guarded has not met the regulation 11 duty.
Protection Against Specific Hazards
Guarding moving parts is not the end of it. Regulation 12 turns to what the equipment itself might do while working normally — fling material out, burst, let go of a component, catch fire or run hot — and requires the employer to prevent exposure to those specified hazards or, where prevention is not reasonably practicable, control it adequately.
The principle is that controls must tackle the hazard at source. Relying solely on personal protective equipment (PPE) is the last resort, not the default. PPE can be used in combination with other measures but cannot substitute for engineering controls where those controls are practicable.
Mobile Work Equipment and Power Presses: PUWER Parts III and IV
Part III of SI 1998/2306 imposes additional requirements on mobile work equipment — equipment that carries out work while it is travelling or that travels between different locations where it is used (including pedestrian-controlled equipment such as ride-on mowers and pedestrian-operated forklifts). The specific requirements concern stability, protection of operators from roll-over or falling objects where the risk warrants it, and the prevention of pedestrian injury from self-propelled equipment. PUWER requires that other legislation requirements are met alongside Part III duties — for example, the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations apply in relation to workplace risks to pedestrians arising from mobile work equipment. (hse.gov.uk/work-equipment-machinery/puwer-overview.htm)
Part IV of SI 1998/2306 applies specifically to power presses. For power presses, PUWER requires that the inspection and testing of guards and protection devices is carried out by a competent person at frequent intervals, and that records of these examinations, inspections and tests are kept. (hse.gov.uk/work-equipment-machinery/puwer-overview.htm) Separate ACOPs are available covering power presses for working on cold metal.
What Is a PUWER Register? Template and What It Must Record
A PUWER equipment register is not a document named or prescribed by SI 1998/2306, but it is the practical vehicle through which duty-holders demonstrate compliance with multiple PUWER duties simultaneously. Maintaining a register is consistent with PUWER's requirements for inspection records, maintenance records, and the ability to show that training and guarding checks have been carried out.
PUWER Equipment Register Template
The template below maps each asset row to the specific PUWER duty it evidences. Copy this into a spreadsheet; add one row per item of work equipment.
| Column | Field | PUWER duty evidenced |
|---|---|---|
| A | Asset ID (unique reference) | General — links to maintenance log |
| B | Equipment description | — |
| C | Location / department | Reg 4 — suitability in context |
| D | Date of last inspection | Maintenance / inspection duty |
| E | Next inspection due | Maintenance / inspection duty |
| F | Competent person who inspected | Competent person requirement |
| G | Maintenance status (current / overdue / defective) | Maintenance duty |
| H | Inspection record reference (file/document number) | Record-keeping requirement |
| I | Guarding check: last date confirmed in place and functional | Guarding duty |
| J | Training records linked (Y/N + record reference) | Information, instruction and training duty |
| K | LOLER overlap? (Y/N) | Dual-regime flag — see PUWER vs LOLER |
| L | Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regs 2008 — declaration held? (Y/N — new machinery only) | Conformity requirement for new machinery |
| M | Notes / defects / actions outstanding | — |
Minimum record retention: Keep inspection records for the life of the equipment. For power presses, records of guard examination must be retained and be available for inspection.
Download prompt: Use the column headers above to build your register in Excel or Google Sheets. Review and adapt to your specific equipment inventory, site, and risk profile. This template does not constitute legal advice.
PUWER vs LOLER: Where the Duties Overlap and Diverge
Both PUWER (SI 1998/2306) and LOLER (SI 1998/2307) were made under the same parent Act and came into force on the same date. Their application scopes deliberately overlap for lifting equipment, and both impose duties simultaneously.
| Dimension | PUWER (SI 1998/2306) | LOLER (SI 1998/2307) |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment covered | All work equipment | Lifting equipment and accessories only |
| Applies to sellers/suppliers? | No — excluded by regulation 3 | No — same exclusion |
| Inspection intervals specified? | No fixed intervals in the instrument for general equipment; "suitable intervals" and "frequent intervals" for power press guards | Yes: at least every 6 months for equipment used to lift persons or accessories for lifting; at least every 12 months for other lifting equipment — or in accordance with an examination scheme (LOLER 1998, regulation 9) |
| Examination by competent person required? | Yes — for inspection where safety depends on installation or deterioration | Yes — thorough examination before first use, after installation, and periodically |
| Training duty? | Yes | No specific training regulation — PUWER applies |
| Guarding/controls duty? | Yes | No — PUWER applies |
| ACOP supporting both? | Yes — a joint ACOP covers lifting equipment under both regimes | Yes |
The key practical point: A pedestrian-operated forklift in an engineering workshop is subject to both PUWER and LOLER simultaneously. PUWER governs its suitability, maintenance, training of operators, and guarding/controls. LOLER governs the thorough examination schedule for its lifting function. Some work equipment is subject to other health and safety legislation in addition to PUWER: lifting equipment must also meet the requirements of LOLER. (hse.gov.uk/work-equipment-machinery/puwer-overview.htm) LOLER does not replace PUWER; both apply in full.
Worked Scenario: Compliance Walkthrough for a 12-Person Engineering Workshop
Scenario: A 12-person engineering workshop operates three principal machines — a circular saw, a bandsaw, and a pedestrian-operated counterbalance forklift (used to move stock between the workshop floor and a mezzanine storage rack). The workshop owner has recently taken on two new operatives and is conducting a PUWER compliance review.
Circular saw
Regulation 4 — Suitability: The saw is rated for the timber being cut (softwood and hardwood sheet goods). The rating and any original declaration of conformity documentation should be held on file. For machinery placed on the market since 1998, most new work equipment that is machinery will also fall within the scope of the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008, requiring conformity assessment, conformity marking and correct labelling. (hse.gov.uk/work-equipment-machinery/puwer-overview.htm) Check whether the saw has a CE or UKCA marking; if it is older equipment, document a suitability assessment.
Guarding: A circular saw blade cannot be fully enclosed during the cutting operation. This is a case where the guarding hierarchy must be applied carefully: fixed upper blade guards and riving knives are required engineering controls; the portion of blade below the table cannot be guarded during cutting but must be guarded at rest. Removing the riving knife to cut short pieces is a common non-compliance that directly violates the guarding duty.
Training (information, instruction and training duty): Both new operatives must receive equipment-specific training on the circular saw before use — covering safe feed direction, use of push-sticks, kickback risks, and the emergency stop location. Record names, date, trainer, and any assessment outcome.
Maintenance and inspection: Log the last blade change, guard adjustment check, and anti-kickback device inspection. If the safety of the saw depends on correct installation (e.g. it is bolted to the floor with a vibration-dampening mount), an installation inspection record is required.
Bandsaw
Regulation 4 — Suitability: Check the bandsaw's rated depth of cut and blade specification against the actual materials being processed.
Guarding: The blade guides and upper/lower guard are the primary engineering controls. Both must be set correctly for each job (blade guide height adjusted to the workpiece). This is a functional guard check that should be recorded at the start of each shift or job where the setting changes.
Specific hazards: Blade breakage and blade ejection are specific hazards relevant to the bandsaw. The enclosure of the blade path above and below the working area addresses ejection risk. Operators must be trained to recognise blade fatigue signs (cracks at the weld point, deviation in cut) and to follow a defined procedure for blade replacement.
Training: As with the circular saw, both new operatives require documented equipment-specific training before first use.
Pedestrian-operated counterbalance forklift
Dual regime — PUWER and LOLER both apply in full.
PUWER duties:
- Regulation 4: Is the truck rated for the loads being moved and for the mezzanine approach gradient? If the mezzanine approach involves a ramp, the truck's rated gradient capacity must be confirmed.
- Guarding/controls: Deadman controls (presence-sensing handle), horn, and reverse alarm are PUWER-relevant controls. Confirm all are functional at each pre-use check.
- Training: Pedestrian-operated forklift training must be documented. Generic forklift training does not satisfy the duty if the specific truck model has different controls or capacity ratings.
- Mobile work equipment: Because this is mobile work equipment, PUWER Part III requirements on preventing pedestrian injury apply. The workshop must have defined pedestrian routes segregated from the truck's travel path, consistent with the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations' requirements for pedestrian safety alongside mobile work equipment. (hse.gov.uk/work-equipment-machinery/puwer-overview.htm)
LOLER duties (additional, not instead of PUWER):
- The lifting mast, forks, and any fork extensions are lifting accessories subject to LOLER thorough examination. Under LOLER regulation 9, lifting equipment exposed to conditions causing deterioration must be thoroughly examined — for most lifting equipment, at least every 12 months, and for equipment used to lift persons, at least every 6 months — or in accordance with an examination scheme. (LOLER 1998, regulation 9)
- Thorough examination reports must accompany the truck; if obtained from another undertaking, physical evidence of the last thorough examination is required.
PUWER register entry for the forklift: Asset ID, LOLER overlap = Y, last thorough examination date, next due date, training records for each authorised operator, pre-use check log reference.
PUWER Compliance Gap Checklist: 10 Questions to Audit Your Current Position
Answer Yes or No. A "No" answer identifies a compliance gap against the relevant PUWER duty.
| # | Question | PUWER duty |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Does every item of work equipment have a documented suitability assessment for its current location and task? | Suitability (regulation 4) |
| 2 | Is there a written maintenance schedule for each item, and is maintenance up to date? | Maintenance duty |
| 3 | Where equipment safety depends on installation or is subject to deterioration risk, has it been inspected at suitable intervals by a competent person, with records kept? | Inspection duty |
| 4 | Do all guards on dangerous machine parts function as intended, and have guard checks been recorded? | Guarding duty |
| 5 | Has every operator received equipment-specific information, instruction, and training — documented with dates and trainer details? | Information, instruction and training duty |
| 6 | Are emergency stops, isolation points, and energy isolation procedures in place and tested on every relevant machine? | Controls and stops duty |
| 7 | For work equipment that presents ejection, rupture, fire, or overheating risks — are engineering controls in place to address those hazards at source, not solely PPE? | Specific hazard protection duty |
| 8 | For mobile work equipment, are pedestrian exclusion zones or segregation measures in place and communicated to all workers? | Mobile work equipment (Part III) |
| 9 | For power presses, are guard and protection device inspections carried out by a competent person at frequent intervals, with records retained? | Power press guard inspection duty |
| 10 | For lifting equipment, is LOLER compliance (thorough examination schedule and records) maintained separately from and in addition to PUWER? | Dual-regime (PUWER + LOLER) |
How RamsDocs Supports PUWER Compliance
Managing PUWER inspection schedules, training records, and guarding check logs across a multi-machine environment manually — via spreadsheets — creates a significant risk of missed renewals. When renewal dates are tracked without automated reminders, inspections lapse and defective equipment can remain in service undetected.
RamsDocs provides:
- Equipment register management: Structured asset records with the column fields mapped to PUWER duties shown in the template above.
- Automated inspection scheduling: Reminder workflows triggered by your chosen inspection intervals, configurable per asset and per regime (PUWER maintenance vs LOLER thorough examination).
- Training record linkage: Operator training records linked to specific equipment, so a gap audit takes seconds rather than hours.
- Audit-ready documentation: Exportable inspection logs and training records in a format designed to support PC or HSE review.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is PUWER a legal requirement? Yes. PUWER is a statutory instrument (SI 1998/2306) made under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. It imposes legally enforceable duties on employers, relevant self-employed persons, and persons who have control — to any extent — over work equipment or its use.
Who does PUWER apply to? PUWER applies to employers (in respect of equipment used by employees), to relevant self-employed persons, and to any person who has control over work equipment, a person using it, or the way it is used — to the extent of that control. It does not apply to persons who supply equipment by way of sale or hire-purchase. (regulation 3)
What does PUWER regulation 4 require? Regulation 4 requires every employer to ensure that work equipment is constructed or adapted to be suitable for the purpose for which it is used or provided. In selecting equipment, the employer must have regard to working conditions, existing risks, and any additional risks posed by the equipment. "Suitable" means suitable in any respect which it is reasonably foreseeable will affect health or safety. (PUWER 1998, regulation 4)
What does PUWER say about training? PUWER requires that work equipment is used only by people who have received adequate information, instruction and training. (hse.gov.uk/work-equipment-machinery/puwer-overview.htm) "Adequate" is determined by reference to the risk; it must be equipment-specific and documented.
What is a PUWER register and what must it contain? A PUWER register is a record of all work equipment used within an organisation, documenting suitability, maintenance status, inspection records, guarding check dates, training linkages, and — where applicable — LOLER overlap. PUWER does not prescribe a specific register format, but inspection records must be kept and available. The template in this guide maps each column to the relevant PUWER duty.
What is the difference between PUWER and LOLER? PUWER applies to all work equipment; LOLER (SI 1998/2307) applies additionally to lifting equipment and accessories. Both apply simultaneously to lifting equipment — LOLER does not replace PUWER. LOLER specifies statutory intervals for thorough examination (at least every 6 months for equipment lifting persons; at least every 12 months for other lifting equipment, or per examination scheme). PUWER does not set fixed universal inspection intervals for general equipment; the interval must be suitable for the equipment and its deterioration risk.
Which regulations did PUWER 1998 replace? PUWER 1998 replaced the original PUWER 1992 regulations. The main change was in coverage of mobile work equipment, woodworking equipment, and power presses — allowing the repeal of the 1965 Power Press Regulations and a number of older regulations, including those on woodworking machinery. (hse.gov.uk/work-equipment-machinery/puwer-overview.htm)
What does PUWER's Part IV cover regarding power presses? Part IV of SI 1998/2306 imposes specific requirements for power presses. These include the requirement that guard and protection device inspection and testing is carried out by a competent person at frequent intervals, and that records of examinations, inspections, and tests are kept. (hse.gov.uk/work-equipment-machinery/puwer-overview.htm) A dedicated ACOP covers power presses for working on cold metal.
Disclaimer: This guide is intended to support understanding of PUWER 1998 and must not be treated as legal advice. All equipment registers, inspection schedules, training records, and compliance procedures must be reviewed and adapted to your specific site, tasks, equipment inventory, and workforce by a competent person with relevant knowledge of your operations. RamsDocs documentation is designed to reduce PUWER-related rework and support audit-readiness; it does not guarantee compliance and does not remove the need for site-specific competent review.
Sources Used
This guide is checked against official source material. Verify current legal duties against the live legislation and HSE guidance before relying on the content for a live project.
- Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, regulation 3 (legislation.gov.uk)
- Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (legislation.gov.uk)
- Managing risks and risk assessment at work (HSE)
- Planning for construction work (HSE)
Put This Guide To Work
Use the related templates, trade hubs and practical tools below to turn the guidance into a site-specific RAMS workflow.