What are the specific risks for work equipment and machinery?

‘Work equipment’ is a term applied to equipment, machinery, tools, appliances, and apparatus for use in work environments. ‘Work equipment’ also includes items of equipment which are the personal property of staff for their own use at work.

‘Work equipment’ must be suitable for the purpose for which it is being used and be maintained in a good state of repair with users having received appropriate training in the safe use of the equipment including checks and inspections before and after its use.

Dependent on the type of work equipment there are requirements to carry safety markings, for there to be means to stop, start, and control the equipment and to carry appropriate conformity markings.

Where there are specific risks from the use of work equipment, a ‘Provision and Use of Work Equipment’ (PUWER) risk assessment will be necessary, identifying the specific risks from the use of the work equipment, for example, any dangerous parts or moving parts, stored pressure, emissions. The assessment should address the maintenance of any equipment controls, training, maintenance and inspection requirements.

See the Work Equipment Policy for the university's requirements on the selection, use, maintenance and disposal of work equipment.

The statutory requirements for work equipment are addressed in the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER).

There is also a homepage that lists the range of Health and Safety risks identified as relevant to the University's activities and facilities, together with information on the University's policies and arrangements on how these risks are to be managed and controlled.