PUWER inspection requirements explained
One of the most misunderstood parts of PUWER: which equipment must be inspected, how often, and how that differs from a service or a LOLER thorough examination. Applies in Great Britain (the Northern Ireland 1999 Regulations set the equivalent duty).
When inspection is required
PUWER requires inspection where the safety of the equipment depends on the installation conditions, or where it is exposed to conditions causing deterioration liable to result in a dangerous situation. Where that applies, the equipment should be inspected after installation and before first use (or after assembly at a new location), at suitable intervals, and whenever exceptional circumstances could affect its safety. It is risk-based — not every item needs a formal inspection regime.
How often
There is no single fixed interval in PUWER. You determine suitable intervals from the risk: how quickly the equipment could deteriorate to a dangerous state, how heavily and how often it is used, and the environment it works in. That judgement is why a register with clear review dates and history is so useful — it turns "suitable intervals" into something you can actually manage and evidence.
Inspection vs maintenance vs LOLER examination
Maintenance keeps equipment in good working order. PUWER inspection is a risk-based safety check by a competent person, recorded, to catch deterioration before it becomes dangerous. The LOLER thorough examination is a separate, statutory independent examination for lifting equipment on set frequencies. A forklift can need all three — see PUWER vs LOLER.
What to record
Keep a record of PUWER inspections showing what was inspected, when, by whom, what was found and any action taken — and keep it available until the next inspection is recorded. A clear, current record is what lets you show an inspector that safety-critical equipment is being kept in a safe condition.
Put PUWER inspections on a schedule
Complys holds your work-equipment register, sets risk-based inspection intervals, records each inspection and its outcome, and turns defects into tracked actions.
PUWER compliance software →FAQs
When does PUWER require inspection?
Where the safety of work equipment depends on the installation conditions, or where it is exposed to conditions that cause deterioration liable to result in dangerous situations. In those cases it must be inspected after installation (or assembly at a new site) and at suitable intervals, and each time exceptional circumstances could jeopardise safety. Not every item needs formal inspection — it is risk-based.
How often is a PUWER inspection needed?
PUWER does not set a fixed universal interval. The frequency comes from the risk — how quickly the equipment could deteriorate to a dangerous state, how it is used and how often. You set suitable intervals based on that risk (which is why a well-kept register with review dates matters).
Who can carry out a PUWER inspection?
A competent person — someone with the necessary knowledge and experience for that equipment. Depending on the equipment and risk, that can be a suitably trained member of staff; for more complex or higher-risk equipment it may need a specialist.
Related: what is PUWER, PUWER vs LOLER, and LOLER thorough examination. General information, not legal advice.