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The
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998
The Regulations
pull together and tidy up the laws governing equipment used at work.
They place general duties on employers and list minimum requirements
for work equipment to deal with selected hazards whatever the industry.
- 'Work equipment'
is broadly defined to include everything from a hand tool, through
machines of all kinds, to complete plant such as a refinery.
- 'Use' includes
starting, stopping, programming, setting, transporting, repairing,
modifying, maintaining, servicing and cleaning.
The general duties
require employers to:
- take into
account the working conditions and risks in the workplace when
selecting equipment;
- make sure that
equipment is suitable for the use that will be made of it and it is
properly maintained; and
- give adequate
information, instruction and training. Specific requirements cover:
- protection from
dangerous parts of machinery;
- maintenance
operations;
- danger caused by
other specific hazards;
- parts and
materials at high or very low temperatures;
- control systems
and controls;
- isolation of
equipment from power sources;
- stability of
equipment;
- lighting; and
- warnings and
markings.
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