A date sticker can show that somebody looked at a machine. It does not prove the right parts were inspected, the interval suits the risk or defects were acted on. The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) require inspection in defined circumstances, but not a universal annual certificate for every item.
PUWER covers far more than factory machinery
PUWER applies to employers and others who control work equipment. HSE defines it broadly as any machinery, appliance, apparatus, tool or installation for use at work. That can include a bench saw, vehicle lift, mixer, pallet truck, access equipment or a worker's own tool allowed for work.
The duty is proportionate. Not every low-risk item needs a formal periodic inspection. HSE says that a quick visual check before use may be enough in many cases. A formal inspection becomes necessary where significant risk could arise from incorrect installation, deterioration or another event that could affect safety.
The three inspection triggers in regulation 6
First, equipment whose safety depends on installation conditions must be inspected after installation and before first use, and after assembly at a new site or location. This may include plant whose alignment, stability, guarding and services depend on correct installation.
Second, equipment exposed to conditions that cause deterioration liable to result in danger must be inspected at suitable intervals. The interval should reflect wear, environment, intensity of use, safety-critical parts, failure history and the manufacturer's recommendations. A wet yard, abrasive process, multiple shifts or frequent transport may justify closer attention than clean, occasional use.
Third, inspect after exceptional circumstances liable to jeopardise safety. HSE examples include a major modification, known or suspected serious damage and a substantial change in use. A collision, overload, flood or long period out of use may also require consideration. Do not wait for the next calendar date.
There is no universal 12-month PUWER inspection certificate
PUWER says suitable intervals, not automatically every 12 months. An annual external visit can be a sensible part of some regimes, but it is not a default legal answer for every item. One machine may need operator checks each shift, a weekly safety-device check and a deeper examination at a longer interval. Different safety-critical features on the same machine may need different frequencies.
Set the interval through risk assessment, using the manufacturer's instructions, conditions, defect history and relevant industry guidance. Record why it is suitable and review it after a defect, near miss, change in use or faster-than-expected deterioration. A report is evidence of an inspection; it is not a statutory PUWER certificate.
Pre-use checks, inspections and maintenance do different jobs
A pre-use check helps an operator spot an obvious problem such as a damaged cable, missing guard, leaking hose or ineffective brake. HSE says records are not normally required for the simplest checks, although workers need to know what to check and what to do if something is wrong.
A PUWER inspection examines safety-related parts needed for continued safe operation and may involve testing, measurements or dismantling. Maintenance services, adjusts, repairs or replaces components. Servicing is not automatically an inspection, and an inspection report does not replace planned maintenance.
HSE: maintenance of work equipment ↗ · Related guide: making risk assessments reach the workplace →
Decide what needs checking, by whom and how often.
HR + SAFETY can review your work-equipment register, inspection triggers, competent-person arrangements and defect controls, then set out a proportionate action plan.
Discuss a PUWER inspection reviewChoose a competent person and define the inspection scope
The inspection must be carried out by a competent person. They need knowledge and experience matching the equipment, plus the ability to recognise defects and judge their significance. An in-house person may suit straightforward checks; complex machinery, control systems or specialist testing may need external expertise.
Give the inspector a defined scope covering the machine, configuration, safety-critical parts, guarding, interlocks, emergency stops, isolation and any testing required. Provide instructions, previous reports, modifications and defect history. They also need authority to stop unsafe use.
Record the result and control defects
HSE says the result should be recorded and kept at least until the next inspection. Identify the equipment, date, person, scope, condition, defects, action and next due date or trigger. Avoid 'checked and OK' where it does not show what was examined.
Classify defects by the action needed. An immediate danger requires the equipment to be isolated, labelled and prevented from use until made safe. Other defects need a responsible person and a realistic completion date, with interim controls where appropriate. Close the action only when repair and any necessary re-inspection have been confirmed. Repeated defects should trigger a review of the interval, use, training, maintenance and suitability of the equipment.
Hired equipment and equipment used away from your site
Hiring equipment does not remove the user's responsibilities. Confirm it is suitable, safe and accompanied by adequate information. Where equipment requiring inspection leaves or is obtained from another undertaking, physical evidence of the last inspection must accompany it. That may be a report, tag or reliable coding system.
Hire-company evidence does not answer every site question. Check transport damage, assembly, suitability for the task and anything changed since inspection. For a longer hire, agree who completes ongoing checks and how defects are reported and quarantined.
PUWER works alongside equipment-specific duties
PUWER is the broad work-equipment framework. Other regulations can add more specific examination duties. Lifting equipment may also require thorough examination under LOLER; qualifying pressure systems may need a written scheme and examination under the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations; electrical systems and protective equipment have their own requirements. A PUWER inspection does not replace those duties.
Likewise, a conformity mark and Declaration of Conformity concern product supply requirements. They do not remove the employer's responsibility to select suitable equipment, check for obvious defects, install it correctly and manage its safe use throughout its working life.
Eight decisions for a workable PUWER inspection regime
For a North East engineering firm, care provider, warehouse or contractor, the useful output is not a larger spreadsheet. It is a regime that tells operators what to check, inspectors what to examine, managers when equipment must stop and everyone how a defect is closed.
- List work equipment by location, owner and responsible manager.
- Identify which items need formal inspection and record the reason.
- Define installation, periodic and exceptional-event inspection triggers.
- Specify safety-critical parts, checks, tests and acceptance criteria.
- Set risk-based intervals and separate them from routine maintenance dates.
- Appoint competent people for each level of inspection.
- Create a clear stop-use, repair, verification and escalation process.
- Review trends after defects, near misses, changes and repeated breakdowns.
Decide inspection needs from the equipment and the risk, not from a blanket annual reminder. Cover installation, deterioration and exceptional events; use competent people; keep meaningful records; and prevent defective equipment returning to use before it is safe.
This guide provides general information for UK employers. It is not legal advice and should not replace advice based on the facts of a specific matter.