Overview
PUWER Machinery Assessment
With respect to UK health and safety laws and European Directives, companies and organisations have a legal obligation to ensure that essential health and safety requirements are complied with in order to minimise risks.
The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) requires that any risks to people’s health and safety from equipment used at work, is prevented or adequately controlled.
The regulations require that equipment provided for use at work is:
- Suitable for the intended use
- Safe for use
- Maintained in a safe condition and, in certain circumstances inspected to ensure this remains the case
- Used only by people who have received adequate information, instruction and training; and accompanied by suitable safety measures, eg protective devices, markings and warnings
In the case of litigation or official inquiry, evidence may need to be provided to demonstrate that health and safety matters have been appropriately managed or dealt with and also for those in positions of responsibility (duty holders) to prove that all due diligence has been applied.
This can be achieved by assessing the risks posed to the health and safety of employees, users and others, by the use or deployment of any system, including plant, machines, equipment or appliances.
We identify and minimise risks
We carry out on site PUWER machinery assessments in order to assess the current level of risk to health and safety for operators, maintenance personnel and others.
We create a ‘Remedial Action List’ that can be utilised in order to prioritise non-conformities or other issues that may give rise to danger. Safety audits and reports are confidential, unless otherwise stated by the client.
Our audits consist of various stages and the technical requirements or criteria are based on a range of relevant statutory/non-statutory regulations.
Generally, the process is as follows:
- Initial onsite assessment – Determine the type, scale of the MES, safety consequences and considerations of any previous safety audits
- Propose MES safety assessment – Dates, duration, physical access, personnel, safety issues, limitations, objectives, methods, documentation and outcomes and cost
- Conduct safety audit on MES – Inspect and gather document evidence of current compliance with all relevant legislation and standards and identify significant hazards and mitigation
- Create draft safety report – Submit for initial review
- Finalise safety report – Arrange meeting(s) to discuss and explain report implications and possible options for risk mitigation
- Request feedback on safety report – Confirm effectiveness of report and any remedial action for risk mitigation
Depending on the complexity and scale of the audit, some steps may take longer than others, and item six may not always be required.
We provide solutions to suit you and your business
Two options are also available for the assessment process.
Option 1
Option 1 consists of a visual assessment in order to note the status of conformity. Enclosures may be opened, however, disruption to operations is minimal.
Option 2
Option 2 also consists of a visual assessment in order to note the status of conformity. However, with this option, enclosures will be opened to note and verify conformity, safety devices may be activated and greater access may be required for more detail. Therefore, disruption to operations is very likely as it requires greater time resource.
With permission, option 2 can be applied at the assessor’s discretion, depending on the extent or level of non-conformity with safety requirements.
Keeping you safe and compliant
After the initial assessment, the information provided should assist all relevant duty holders to decide the best course of action and the most suitable, appropriate and proportional risk reduction strategies.
Duty holders that are assigned to implement any remedial actions must be deemed competent to carry out the work or alternatively be adequately supervised.
If any remedial actions are implemented, we advise that the machines are re-assessed to ensure that they now meet all the relevant requirements in terms of safety compliance.
We strongly advise that all information relating to any safety assessment process are retained so that there is evidence of safety compliance and due diligence, should they be required in case of an official inquiry or any possible case of litigation.
Book a Site Visit
Need advice, support and assistance with your electrical equipment? Arrange a free site visit to discuss your machinery requirements. After our initial assessment we will then generate a proposal based on the necessary works needed to comply with PUWER.
Please contact us on 0800 980 8150 to arrange your visit, or complete the enquiry form below and a member of the team will be in touch.