What is PUWER? The work equipment regulations explained
If your people use equipment to do their work — and almost everyone does — PUWER applies to you. Here is what it is, what it covers, and what it asks of an employer.
What PUWER is
PUWER is the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. In Great Britain it places duties on employers (and the self-employed, and anyone who controls work equipment) to make sure the equipment people use at work is safe. In Northern Ireland the equivalent duties are set by the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999.
What counts as "work equipment"
The definition is deliberately wide: almost any machinery, appliance, apparatus, tool or installation used at work. That takes in hand tools, ladders and access equipment, power tools, machines, vehicles used as work equipment, lifting equipment, and more. It covers a very wide range of work equipment; where a particular item or use is unusual, check the specific scope and exclusions rather than assuming.
The core duties
Suitability. Equipment must be suitable for the work and the conditions it is used in, and only used for what it is designed for.
Maintenance. It must be maintained in an efficient state, in working order and in good repair — with a maintenance log where appropriate.
Inspection. Where safety depends on the installation or on conditions that could deteriorate and cause danger, equipment must be inspected by a competent person at suitable intervals, and the results recorded. (This is distinct from routine maintenance — see PUWER inspection requirements.)
Specific risks, controls and guarding. Access to dangerous parts must be prevented (guarding), controls and emergency stops must be suitable, and specific hazards (for example mobile equipment and power presses) have their own requirements.
Information, instruction and training. People who use, supervise or manage the equipment must have adequate information, instruction and training.
How PUWER relates to LOLER
PUWER covers all work equipment. LOLER sits on top of it with extra duties for lifting equipment specifically — so for a hoist or a forklift, both apply. We cover the split in PUWER vs LOLER.
Keep your PUWER records in order
Complys holds your work-equipment register, inspection and maintenance schedules, defects and evidence — so nothing is missed and it can be shown on request.
PUWER compliance software →FAQs
What does PUWER stand for?
PUWER is the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. It applies in Great Britain; Northern Ireland has its own equivalent, the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999.
What counts as work equipment?
Very broadly, almost any machinery, appliance, apparatus, tool or installation used at work — from a hand drill or ladder to a photocopier, a circular saw, a forklift or a production line. PUWER covers a very wide range of work equipment; where a particular item or use is unusual, it is worth checking the specific scope and exclusions.
Is PUWER the same as LOLER?
No, but they overlap. PUWER covers all work equipment; LOLER adds extra duties specifically for lifting equipment. A forklift, for example, is work equipment under PUWER and lifting equipment under LOLER, so both apply. See our PUWER vs LOLER guide.
Related: what is LOLER, PUWER vs LOLER, and PUWER inspection requirements. General information, not legal advice.