PUWER in one paragraph
The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 apply to almost everything on a site that does work: excavators, dumpers, saws, generators, ladders, hand tools. The equipment must be suitable for the job, maintained in efficient working order, and inspected where its safety depends on installation conditions or on deterioration. Where an inspection is required, the result is recorded and kept until the next one is done.
Unlike LOLER, PUWER sets no fixed interval. That is the part most fleets get wrong: with no date printed on a certificate, nothing prompts anyone, and the check quietly stops happening.
Where PUWER and LOLER meet
A telehandler is work equipment under PUWER and lifting equipment under LOLER. It needs a six or twelve monthly thorough examination by a competent person, and it needs routine inspection and maintenance under PUWER in between. The two live on the same machine, so they should live on the same record — a fleet that keeps them in separate systems ends up with machines that look current on one list and lapsed on the other.
A 12-point weekly check
Adapt this to the machine and to the manufacturer's guidance. Each item is marked OK, defect or not applicable, and anything marked as a defect should either be fixed or take the machine out of use.
- 1Guards, covers and interlocks in place and working
- 2Emergency stop and isolation tested
- 3Warning devices: horn, beacon, reversing alarm
- 4Hydraulic hoses and rams — leaks, chafing, damage
- 5Tracks, tyres and wheel fixings
- 6Fluid levels: engine oil, coolant, hydraulic
- 7Brakes and steering response
- 8Lights, mirrors and camera systems
- 9Seat, seatbelt and operator restraint
- 10Structure and attachment pins for cracks or wear
- 11Fire extinguisher and first aid provision present
- 12Data plate, SWL marking and certificate in date
Making the record worth having
A PUWER record is evidence, so it needs a machine, a date, a name and a signature. Defects need an outcome — repaired, monitored, or taken out of use — and a machine flagged out of use should be visibly out of use on the register, not just noted in a comment column. Keep the history: the value of a year of weekly checks is the pattern they show, not the latest sheet.
The test is the same as for LOLER. Someone standing at the machine, with no signal, should be able to see whether it has been checked and whether it is fit to use.
Frequently asked questions
What does PUWER actually require?
PUWER 1998 requires work equipment to be suitable for its use, maintained in efficient working order, inspected where safety depends on installation or deterioration, and used only by people who have been trained. Where inspection is required, the result must be recorded and kept until the next one.
How often should a PUWER inspection be done?
There is no fixed interval in the regulations. It is set by risk, manufacturer guidance and how hard the machine works, which is why most plant fleets run a weekly operator check plus a periodic formal inspection. The interval should be recorded per asset rather than assumed fleet-wide.
Is a PUWER inspection the same as a LOLER thorough examination?
No. A LOLER thorough examination is carried out by a competent person at set intervals for lifting equipment and accessories. A PUWER inspection is broader in scope, applies to all work equipment, and is usually carried out in-house. Lifting plant needs both.
Who can carry out a PUWER inspection?
Someone competent for that equipment — the knowledge and experience to spot defects that matter. For routine weekly checks that is often a trained operator or plant fitter; for more complex equipment it may need an external specialist.
What should a PUWER record contain?
The machine and its serial number, the date, who carried out the check, what was checked, any defects found, and what was done about them. A signature matters: it is the difference between a record and a list.
This guide is general information about record keeping, not legal advice. Refer to PUWER 1998 and HSE guidance for the requirements that apply to your equipment.
Run these checks in Conformiq
- Weekly LOLER/PUWER checklists with a digital signature
- Defects flag the machine on the register straight away
- Full check history against each asset, included in PDF packs
- Scan the QR on the machine to complete a check on site