1.2 Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER 1998)
Key Takeaways
- PUWER 1998 has a very broad scope for work equipment used at work and forms the baseline machinery-safety layer; LOLER adds lifting-specific duties where lifting equipment is within scope.
- Regulation 4 mandates that work equipment must be constructed or adapted to be suitable for its intended purpose and environmental conditions, taking ergonomic factors into account.
- Regulation 5 and 6 require work equipment to be maintained in an efficient state, efficient working order, and good repair, and subjected to regular inspections where safety depends on installation or deterioration factors.
- Regulations 8 and 9 require employers to provide adequate health and safety information, written instructions, and comprehensive training to equipment operators, supervisors, and managers.
- Regulations 11 through 24 establish strict hardware and operational controls, including guarding dangerous parts (Reg 11), emergency stops (Reg 16), energy isolation (Reg 19), stability (Reg 20), and safety markings/warnings (Reg 23/24).
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER 1998)
The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER 1998) (Statutory Instrument 1998 No. 2306) set out the core statutory duties for employers and duty holders regarding all work equipment supplied or used in UK workplaces. While the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER 1998) contain specialized requirements for lifting loads, PUWER has a very broad scope for work equipment used at work, subject to the Regulations' stated territorial and sector exclusions—including hand tools, ladders, power presses, woodworking machinery, motor vehicles, overhead travelling cranes, hoists, winches, and rigging accessories.
1. Scope, Definition, and the PUWER–LOLER Relationship
Definition of Work Equipment
Under Regulation 2(1), "work equipment" is defined as any machinery, appliance, apparatus, tool or installation for use at work (whether provided exclusively by the employer or brought to work by employees).
- "Use" is defined extremely broadly: it encompasses starting, stopping, programming, setting, transporting, repairing, modifying, maintaining, servicing, and cleaning equipment.
The PUWER and LOLER Inter-Relationship
A common area of confusion in lifting engineering examinations is the legal boundary between PUWER and LOLER.
- All lifting equipment is work equipment, but not all work equipment is lifting equipment.
- PUWER forms the foundation layer of machinery safety (suitability, maintenance, operator training, controls, guarding, isolation).
- LOLER acts as an additional, specialized layer that applies specifically to lifting equipment and lifting accessories (strength/stability, positioning, lifting persons, planning lifting operations, 6/12 month thorough examination).
- Exam Rule: An overhead crane or lever hoist must satisfy both PUWER 1998 and LOLER 1998 simultaneously. If a hoist has adequate strength (LOLER Reg 4) but lacks an emergency stop button or energy isolator (PUWER Reg 15 & 19), it breaches UK law!
2. Key Operational Regulations under PUWER 1998
PUWER contains 39 individual regulations. Regulations 4 through 24 represent the core engineering and management standards relevant to lifting appliances.
Regulation 4: Suitability of Work Equipment
- Employers must ensure that work equipment is constructed or adapted to be suitable for the purpose for which it is provided or used.
- When selecting work equipment, employers must pay due regard to the working conditions and health and safety risks existing in the workplace (e.g., offshore saltwater corrosion, explosive ATEX atmospheres, extreme ambient temperatures in steel foundries).
- Work equipment must be used only for operations for which, and under conditions for which, it is suitable.
- Lifting Example: Using an indoor electric chain hoist outdoors exposed to torrential rain without appropriate IP weather sealing breaches Regulation 4.
Regulation 5: Maintenance
- Employers must ensure that work equipment is maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order, and in good repair.
- "Efficient state" means that the equipment operates safely as designed by the manufacturer, with all protective devices (switches, brakes, clutches, overload limiters) fully functional.
- Where equipment has a maintenance log, the log must be kept up to date.
Regulation 6: Inspection
Where the safety of work equipment depends on installation conditions, or where equipment is exposed to conditions causing deterioration that could lead to dangerous situations, employers must ensure it undergoes:
- Initial Inspection: After installation or assembly at a new site, before being put into service for the first time.
- Periodic Inspections & Testing: At suitable intervals to ensure health and safety conditions are maintained and deterioration detected and remedied.
- Note on Inspection overlap: For lifting equipment, PUWER inspection and LOLER thorough examination are related but distinct duties; one activity may contribute evidence for both only when its scope is adequate for both requirements.
Regulation 7: Specific Risks
Where the use of work equipment involves a specific risk to health or safety (e.g., operating a tower crane, performing non-destructive testing, replacing wire ropes), the employer must restrict its use, maintenance, repair, or servicing to designated, specially trained, competent persons.
Regulation 8 & 9: Information, Instruction, and Training
- Regulation 8 (Information & Instruction): Employers must provide all persons who use, supervise, or manage work equipment with adequate health and safety information and written instructions (including manufacturer manuals, safe load charts, operating limits).
- Regulation 9 (Training): Employers must ensure that all users, supervisors, and managers have received adequate training for purposes of health and safety, including methods of using equipment, risks involved, and precautions to take.
- Key Exam Point: Training must cover not only the operatives using the crane or sling, but also the supervisors and managers who direct the work!
Regulation 10: Conformity with Community Requirements
Employers must ensure that work equipment complies with relevant UK product safety legislation when first placed on the market or put into service (e.g., Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 / UKCA or CE marking requirements).
3. Hardware, Controls, and Machinery Safety (Regulations 11–24)
Regulation 11: Dangerous Parts of Machinery
Employers must take effective measures to prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery or stop the movement of dangerous parts before access is gained. Regulation 11 specifies a strict hierarchy of protection measures:
- Fixed Enclosing Guards: (Best practice) Solid metal or mesh covers requiring tools to remove (e.g., covers over crane hoist gearing, wire rope drum guards, motor cooling fan cowlings).
- Other Guards / Interlocking Guards: Movable guards connected to interlock switches that cut power when opened.
- Protection Devices: Light curtains, pressure mats, trip bars, two-hand control devices.
- Jigs, Holders, Push-Sticks: Handheld aids to keep hands clear of hazard zones.
- Information, Instruction, Supervision, and PPE: (Lowest tier in hierarchy).
Regulation 14, 15, 16, 17, 18: Controls and Control Systems
- Start Controls (Reg 14): Starting, restarting, or changing operating conditions (speed, pressure, direction) must require a deliberate action on a control. Equipment must not restart automatically when power is restored after a stoppage!
- Stop Controls & Emergency Stops (Reg 15 & 16):
- Every machine must have one or more readily accessible controls that bring it to a safe condition or complete stop in a safe manner (Reg 15), operating in priority to any start control.
- Emergency Stop (Reg 16): Work equipment must be fitted with one or more readily accessible emergency stop controls (unless unnecessary given the nature of the hazard and the stopping time). Emergency stop controls operate in priority to normal stop controls and bring moving parts to an immediate, safe halt.
- Controls (Reg 17): All controls must be clearly visible and identifiable, positioned so the operator is not exposed to risk and, so far as practicable, can ensure no person is in a danger zone before the equipment starts.
- Control Systems (Reg 18): Control systems must be safe and chosen with due allowance for expected failures, faults, and constraints: a fault or loss of energy supply must not create additional risk, and the control system must never impede the operation of stop or emergency stop controls (Reg 15 & 16).
Regulation 19: Isolation from Energy Sources
Work equipment must be provided with clearly identifiable, accessible means to isolate it from all energy sources (electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, mechanical potential). The isolation arrangement and safe system must prevent dangerous reconnection; where people could be exposed during maintenance, lock-off is a common and robust control.
Regulation 20, 21, 22, 23, 24: Operational Safety Factors
- Stability (Reg 20): Equipment must be stabilized by bolting, clamping, or outriggers to prevent tipping or shifting.
- Lighting (Reg 21): Suitable and sufficient lighting provided at work equipment areas.
- Maintenance Operations (Reg 22): Equipment must be designed so that maintenance can be carried out while equipment is stopped or isolated. Where maintenance must be done with parts moving, safe working procedures and specialized protective devices must be used.
- Markings & Warnings (Reg 23 & 24): Work equipment must be clearly marked in a visible place with health and safety markings (e.g., SWL, rotation arrows, voltage warnings) and equipped with clear warning devices (e.g., crane travel horns, flashing beacons).
4. Summary Table: Core PUWER 1998 Regulations Relevant to Lifting Equipment
| PUWER Regulation | Title / Theme | Essential Requirement for Lifting Appliances |
|---|---|---|
| Reg 4 | Suitability | Lifting equipment must be suitable for its intended duty, environment, and load capacity. |
| Reg 5 | Maintenance | Equipment must be kept in an efficient working state, efficient order, and good repair. |
| Reg 6 | Inspection | Initial inspection after installation; periodic inspections to detect safety-critical wear. |
| Reg 8 & 9 | Information & Training | Written manuals provided; formal training for operators, slingers, and supervisors. |
| Reg 11 | Dangerous Parts | Hierarchy of guards and trip devices to prevent access to rotating gears, drums, and sheaves. |
| Reg 14–18 | Controls & E-Stops | Deliberate-action start controls; priority stop and emergency stop controls; safe, fault-tolerant control systems. |
| Reg 19 | Energy Isolation | Lockable isolators to disconnect electrical, hydraulic, or pneumatic power during servicing. |
| Reg 20 | Stability | Crane structures, gantries, and winches must be securely bolted, anchored, or outrigged. |
| Reg 23 & 24 | Markings & Warnings | Clear capacity markings, direction labels, audible horns, and visual warning signals. |
Which statement correctly describes the legal relationship between PUWER 1998 and LOLER 1998 regarding an overhead electric travelling crane?
According to Regulation 11 of PUWER 1998, what is the top priority in the statutory hierarchy of measures for preventing access to dangerous parts of machinery (such as open crane drive gears)?
Under Regulation 19 of PUWER 1998, what feature must be provided on work equipment to ensure safe maintenance and servicing operations?