Safety, Health & Environment Section FM SHE 039 A Guide to the Provision and Use of Workplace Equipment Regulations (PUWER) 1998 July 2014 Version 4.0 Document review due: July 2016 Please Note :This is a controlled document, please ensure you are using the most recent https://intranet.uclan.ac.uk/ou/fm/Pages/Health-and-Safety-Work-Equipment.aspx 1 A Guide to the Provision and Use of Workplace Equipment Regulations (PUWER) 1998 1. Introduction The Provision and Use of Workplace Equipment Regulations (PUWER) 1998 and its associated Approved Code of Practice (ACoP) replace a number of former legal requirements relating to the use of a variety of work equipment. The Regulations aim to reduce risks to people's health and safety from equipment provided for use at work. PUWER applies to all work equipment including lifting equipment but the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER) applies over and above the general requirements of PUWER in respect of all lifting equipment. Failure to comply with the requirements of PUWER is a criminal offence and liable to lead to enforcement action or prosecution by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). In general the Regulations require that any equipment provided for use at work is: suitable for its intended use and for the conditions it is to be used in; safe for use; maintained in a safe state of repair to ensure that people's health and safety is not exposed to risk; regularly inspected (where required) by a competent person to ensure that the equipment continues to be safe for use; fitted with all necessary suitable safety measures or protective devices e.g. guarding, protection devices, markings, warning devices, emergency stops and personal protective equipment; implementation of procedural measures e.g. safe systems of work, provided for use to persons who have received adequate information, instruction and training in the equipment's operation/use. ‘Equipment’ and ‘Use’ Definitions The definition of 'work equipment' is very broad and literally means any equipment provided for use at work including: machines such as circular saws, drilling machines, photocopiers, motor vehicles, mowing machines, tractors, dumper trucks and power presses; hand tools such as screwdrivers, knives, hand saws, hammers, lifting equipment such as lift trucks, elevating work platforms, vehicle hoists, lifting slings and bath lifts; other equipment such as ladders, water pressure cleaners, apparatus such as laboratory apparatus e.g. bunsen burners. Substances, livestock, structural items (e.g. walls, stairs, roofs, etc.) and private motor vehicles are not items of work equipment and are not covered by PUWER. If members of staff bring their own equipment from home for use at work this will also be covered by PUWER and the University has a duty to make sure it complies with the Regulations. Though not being used for ‘work’ purposes any equipment brought into the University by students to be used on University premises must also comply with the requirements of PUWER. The definition of the 'use of equipment' includes starting, stopping, repairing, modifying, servicing, maintaining, cleaning and transporting. 2 How to ensure compliance with PUWER Assess all the equipment in use, decide what can cause risks, and how; Identify all existing control measures; Consider what measures can be introduced to prevent or reduce risks further; Implement identified measures. Risk Assessing Equipment When identifying the risks, consider: all the work which has to be done with the equipment during normal use and also during setting-up, maintenance, repair, breakdowns and removal of blockages; who will use the equipment, including inexperienced workers, workers with language difficulties, new starters, people who have changed jobs within the company or those who may have particular difficulties, e.g. those with impaired mobility or poor readers; young people, who may be inexperienced and lack knowledge or awareness of existing or potential risks; workers who may act foolishly or carelessly or are likely to make mistakes; whether guards or safety devices are poorly designed and inconvenient to use or are easily defeated (this could encourage workers to risk injury); the type of power supply, e.g. electrical, hydraulic or pneumatic - each type has different risks and ways to control them. Example risks associated with work equipment using the wrong equipment for the job, e.g. ladders instead of access towers for an extended job at high level; not having adequate guards on machinery, leading to accidents caused by entanglement, shearing, crushing, trapping or cutting; not fitting adequate controls, or the wrong type of controls, so that equipment cannot be turned off quickly and safely, or starts accidentally; not properly maintaining guards, safety devices, controls etc so that machines or equipment become unsafe; failure to provide adequate information, instruction and training for those using the equipment; not fitting roll-over protective structures (ROPS) and seat belts on mobile work equipment where there is a risk of roll over (Note: this does not apply to quad bikes); not maintaining work equipment or carrying out regular inspections and thorough examinations; not providing the personal protective equipment needed to use certain machines safely, e.g. chainsaws, angle grinders. The General Requirements of PUWER Work equipment must be suitable for the purposes for which it is used. Regard should be given to the working conditions when selecting work equipment. Regulation 5 Work equipment must be properly maintained. If a maintenance log is kept then it must be kept up to date. During internal safety audits or during inspections by the enforcing authorities duty holders may be required to produce maintenance logs for inspection. Regulation 6 If the use of work equipment creates a specific risk to health and safety then the use of that work equipment should be restricted to those persons given the task of using it. Repairs, modification or maintenance of such equipment must be restricted to designated trained persons. For example abrasive wheels must only be changed by designated persons who have been properly trained and who are competent to do so. 3 Regulation 7 Users and supervisors of work equipment should be given adequate information, instruction and training for health and safety purposes. Employers should provide information, instructions and training not only to those who actually use work equipment, but also to employees supervising or managing its use. Regulations 8 & 9 All work equipment put into use after December 1992 must comply with all relevant EC Community Directives. The duty of ensuring compliance rests with the employer, so CE marks should be sought wherever possible when purchasing equipment. Competent equipment suppliers should be able to advise purchasers. Regulation 11. Dangerous Parts of Machinery It is an absolute duty to prevent persons coming into contact with dangerous parts of the machinery or any rotating stock-bar. Where practicable this should be through the use of fixed guards which are properly fastened and require tools to remove them. If regular access to parts of the machine is required and a fixed guard is not practicable, use an interlocked guard, this will ensure that the machine cannot start before the guard is closed and will stop if the guard is opened while the machine is operating. On equipment such as guillotines devices such as photoelectric systems or automatic guards may be used instead of fixed or interlocked guards. Where guards cannot give full protection from identified hazards, jigs, holders, push sticks etc, should be used to move the work piece. Whatever guards / control measures are used they must suitable, of good construction, be maintained, allow the machine to be cleaned and maintained safely, not give rise to an increase in risk, not be easily bypassed or disabled and be situated at a suitable distance from the danger zone. Note: For machinery used in engineering, woodworking and agriculture, the Health & Safety Executive have produced more detailed guidance. Contact the SHE Section for further advice. Regulation 12 Protection against Specific Hazards Regulation 12 of PUWER requires employers to take measures to ensure that the exposure of a person using work equipment to any risks to their health and safety from any hazard given below is either prevented, or, where that is not practicable, adequately controlled: any article or substance falling (e.g. from a scaffold or ejected (e.g. swarf ejected from a machine tool) from work equipment; rupture or disintegration of work equipment (e.g. parts breaking off and being thrown off such as an abrasive wheel bursting, a scaffold collapsing, etc.); work equipment overheating or catching fire (e.g. through friction burning out, cooling system failure, etc.); the unintended or premature discharge of any gas, dust, liquid or vapour or other substance from work equipment(whether produced, used or stored in the work equipment); the unintended or premature explosion of work equipment or of any substance or article used or stored in it electric motor Note: Prevention should be achieved as far as possible other than by the provision of personal protective equipment, information, instruction, training and supervision. 4 Protection Against Temperature Extremes Measures must be taken to ensure that people are protected from work equipment or substances used, produced or stored in work equipment which are at extremes of temperature (Regulation 13). Control Systems PUWER sets minimum objectives for the fitting of control devices to work equipment. Where appropriate work equipment should be: Fitted with start and governing controls (Regulation 14); Fitted with one or more stop buttons (Regulation 15); Fitted with an accessible emergency stop button (Regulation 16). Regulation 18 All controls on work equipment should be clearly visible and identifiable and, if needs be they should be marked (Regulation 17). All control systems should be, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe. Regulation 19 Where appropriate work equipment should be provided with a means to isolate it from its power source. Steps should be taken to prevent reconnection causing danger to other persons. Regulation 20 Where necessary for health and safety work equipment or any part of work equipment shall be stabilised by clamping or otherwise. Regulation 21 Suitable and sufficient lighting should be provided at any place where a person uses work equipment. Regulation 22 Work equipment should be so constructed to ensure that, as far as is reasonably practicable, maintenance operations can be carried out without risk to health. Regulation 23 Work equipment should be clearly marked as appropriate for reasons of health and safety. Regulation 24 Work equipment should incorporate warnings or warning devices as appropriate. Such devices shall only be appropriate if the warnings that they give are unambiguous, easily perceived and easily understood. Mobile Work Equipment Part 3 of PUWER relates to mobile work equipment such as fork-lift trucks. The University must ensure that where such equipment is used for carrying people it is suitable for such use. Action must be taken to reduce risks to the passenger(s). Power Presses Part 4 of PUWER relates to power presses. Power presses and any guarding or protection devices must be thoroughly inspected at regular times and checked on a daily basis to ensure safety operation. Inspections are to be conducted by a competent person who must keep records. Conformity Purchasers must ensure that any products they buy comply with any legal requirements implementing any Directives applicable to the product. In general, this has been achieved when a product displays a 'CE Marking'. In respect of machinery, adequate operating instructions needs to be provided with the equipment in addition to information about residual hazards (i.e. noise, vibration etc.). 5 If equipment is supplied second hand it is the duty of the supplier to make sure it is safe and that there are instructions to enable safe use. Second hand equipment may not always have CE marking. DO YOU USE WORK EQUIPMENT THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE HARM? ARE YOU SURE IT COMPLIES WITH PUWER? IF NOT ASK FOR HELP References HSE - Work equipment and machinery HSE - Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) HSE – Mobile work equipment HSE. (1998). Safe use of work equipment. Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. Approved Code of Practice and guidance L22 (Second edition). HSE. (1999). Simple guide to the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 Leaflet INDG291. HSE. (1998). Safe use of woodworking machinery. Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 as applied to woodworking machinery. Approved Code of Practice and guidance L114. HSE. (1998). Safe use of lifting equipment. Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998. Approved Code of Practice and Guidance L113 Buying new machinery: A short guide to the law and some information on what to do for anyone buying new machinery for use at work. Leaflet INDG271 HSE. (1998). Hiring and leasing out of plant: application of PUWER 98, Regulations 26 and 27 MISC156. HSE. (2001). PUWER 98: Retrofitting of braking to woodworking machines HSE information sheet Woodworking Sheet No 38 HSE - How to reduce your hand knife injuries (PPS12) HSE - Do you use a steam / water pressure cleaner? HSE - Health and safety in engineering workshops HSE - Health and safety in motor vehicle repair HSE - Chainsaws at work (INDG 317) 6 PUWER: Equipment Safety Checklist This checklist should be used for all potentially hazardous equipment other than ‘mobile work equipment (e.g. fork-lift trucks, tractors, etc.) for which a separate checklist is available 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. Equipment Suitability Yes Equipment is suitable for its intended use by design, construction or adaptation? New equipment is CE Marked, a copy of the EC Declaration of Conformity and operating instructions have been obtained from supplier? Where applicable equipment is stable (e.g. by bolting, clamping or tying, etc.)? The equipment is used in an appropriate environment (consider e.g. ventilation, damp or flammable conditions)? Information, Instruction and Training Comprehensible written instructions, a safe system of work and risk assessments are provided to users? Users have access to the written instructions provided by the manufacturer? (a) Equipment users have been given adequate training in use, risks, controls and precautions? (b) Written training records signed by user are kept? The equipment is being used in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, written safe system of work? There are appropriate clear warning notices or markings (e.g. to wear personal protective equipment, restrictions on use, a list of authorised users, etc)? Maintenance There are appropriate intervals for inspecting: (a) electrical safety; (b) any safety devices. If inadequate maintenance could cause the equipment, guards, or other protection to fail in a dangerous way, there is a system of planned preventive maintenance in place, including where appropriate the periodic replacement or refurbishing of items before they reach the end of their usual life Clear maintenance instructions have been given to those responsible for maintaining the equipment? There is an up-to-date maintenance log for the equipment? Maintenance is undertaken by competent persons? The equipment and system of maintenance is designed to minimise the risks which may arise during maintenance? The equipment can be securely isolated from power supply to prevent inadvertent reconnection: (a) by removing a plug from a socket easily visible to the person at risk? (b) by locking it off? If equipment has been adapted or modified are changes suitable and safe? In the case of pressurised equipment, there is a written scheme of examination? Control Measures No N/A 7 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27 28. 29. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. (a) Are start and stop controls are readily accessible clearly marked and operational? (b) Are other operating controls clearly marked and operational? Can machinery only be started when a specific labelled start ‘device’ is used? Does the start device require to be activated to restart the machine if either the power fails or when a control or safety device fails or trips out? Where necessary, is there a prominent and easily accessible emergency stop device? When power is isolated does the machinery come to rest safely without the possibility of access to dangerous parts? Are all dangerous parts of machinery adequately guarded or otherwise suitably protected? All guards are in good working order and allow an adequate view of the work? Guards and other protective devices are not easy to bypass or disable? Is protection adequate in relation to: (a) items falling from the equipment? (b) items being ejected? (c) overturning? (d) collapse? (e) overheating or fire? (f) disintegration? (g) explosion? If the equipment produces/releases gas fume or dust when used is there: (a) a local exhaust ventilation (LEV) system? Is it tested annually? (b) a COSHH specific assessment in place? Is there sufficient general and (where necessary) local lighting? Is there appropriate protection against contact with hot/very cold temperatures? Specific Issues - Woodworking Machinery Circular saw benches, dimension saws, powered and hand fed cross-cut saws, single-end/double-end tenoning machines are all fitted with automatic braking devices? Are narrow band-saws, re-saws, vertical spindle mounting machines, hand fed routing machines, thicknessing machines, planning/thicknessing machines and surface planning machines fitted with automatic braking devices? The safe working speed is marked on the machine? Diameter of the smallest saw blade that can be used is marked on the machine? Specific Issues - Abrasive Wheels (a) Is the maximum rotation speed of the wheel marked on the wheel or on a noticed fixed in the workroom? (b) is the power-driven spindle governed to prevent rotation speed exceeding this figure? Is adequate guarding provided to contain wheel fragments that might fly off? 8 33. Is adequate information/training handing/mounting of wheels? General Comments: given in the correct Actions to be taken in order of priority: Date for review: Assessed by: ______________________________ Date: 9