The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1992
These Regulations pull together and tidy up the laws governing equipment used at work. Instead of piecemeal legislation covering particular kinds of equipment in different industries, 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.
The measures relating to the design and construction and to the placing on the market and putting into service, of machinery are contained in the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 1992. By confirming with these regulations, machinery qualifies for the EC mark and can be placed anywhere on the European market.
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