Work equipment

The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) 1998 was introduced to ensure safety when working with any work equipment, including power presses. It applies to employers, self-employed and employees – the owners and users of work equipment.

How can we help your business comply

Zurich is able to first help you identify work equipment that requires a risk assessment and then carry out risk assessments, for all types of work equipment. Our risk assessment will:

• Identify general risks associated with the safe use of work equipment


• Determine whether periodic in-service inspection is required


• Determine the scope and frequency of the in-service inspection as required.

Real-life examples:

The risks associated with not managing the safety of work equipment are illustrated by the following incidents, which are real and taken from our records and those of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

• A dumper truck driver was killed when he was crushed beneath the dumper as it overturned forward when going down a steep slope. No risk assessment had been carried out (HSE).


• An employee climbed over the barrier at the top of an inclined conveyor feeding a compactor/baler to unblock its feed hopper. While clearing the blockage, he fell into the compactor chamber and suffered fatal injuries when he was crushed by the compression ram (HSE).