Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER)
PUWER 98 Risk Assessments
MCGEEVER Ltd was founded in 2019 based on nearly 40 years of mechanical engineering experience resulting in Chartership with the IMechE. With experience from hands on design, systems integration and leading engineering teams on systems for worldwide clients, MCGEEVER Ltd can be your valued partner.
Working with associate Certified Machinery Safety Experts © (CMSE) we offer the full PUWER 98 assessment service to provide you with the legal feedback for hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical and safety related control systems.
Once we have visited site and observed how your operators use the machinery, we can work with you to develop an action plan for you to follow.
The HSE do visit business premises from time to time to check the suitability of machinery for the task they are designed for and will highlight machinery that does not comply. If your machinery does not comply you may, as a minimum, receive a formal Written Caution, Improvement Notice (IN) or a Prohibition Notices (PN) depending on the HSE's view on the level of risk appertaining to the machines or systems they find as unsuitable to remain in use. As well as being a chargeable exercise for their time, they can also stop you from operating the machines if the risk is deemed too high.
If you have an engagement with a certified competent person or company who will help to put things in place to satisfy the legal requirements of PUWER 98 with a plan of action and defined budget, you will be working towards compliance in a much more positive way than doing nothing at all. Everyone deserves to go to work and come home safe, everyday.
These Regulations, often abbreviated to PUWER, place duties on people and companies who own, operate or have control over work equipment. PUWER also places responsibilities on businesses and organisations whose employees use work equipment, whether owned by them or not.
PUWER requires that equipment provided for use at work is:
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suitable for the intended use
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safe for use, maintained in a safe condition and inspected to ensure it is correctly installed and does not subsequently deteriorate
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used only by people who have received adequate information, instruction and training
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accompanied by suitable health and safety measures, such as protective devices and controls. These will normally include guarding, emergency stop devices, adequate means of isolation from sources of energy, clearly visible markings and warning devices
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used in accordance with specific requirements, for mobile work equipment and power presses
Some work equipment is subject to other health and safety legislation in addition to PUWER. For example, lifting equipment must also meet the requirements of LOLER, pressure equipment must meet the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations and personal protective equipment must meet the PPE Regulations.
