What is PUWER?

What is PUWER?                                                                                                       

Puwer stands for the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (199) in (Northern Ireland). The regulations deal with the work equipment and machinery used every day in workplaces and aims to keep people safe wherever equipment and machinery is used at work. PUWER replaces the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1992, carrying forward the existing requirements with a number of changes and additions.

What does PUWER do?                                                                                                 

Put simply, the PUWER Regulations aim to make working life safer for everyone using and coming into contact with machinery and equipment, including employers, employees, contractors, suppliers, and anyone else who might use or have access to machinery in the workplace. The regulations aim to ensure that all equipment is:

·         suitable for its intended purpose

·         regularly maintained to ensure safety

·         only used by people who have received adequate training

·         inspected by a competent worker.

Who does PUWER apply to?                                                                               

 PUWER regulations apply to work activities throughout the whole of Great Britain and also to offshore installations such as oil rigs and gas supply platforms. The groups covered by PUWER include:

• employers
• self-employed people and the equipment they control or use
• those who are employed to supervise or manage the use of equipment