SCOTTISH BORDERS

SAFETY FORUM

WORKING SAFELY WITH

WORK EQUIPMENT
Compiled by Donald A Mackay

Provision and Use of

Work Equipment
Regulations 1998

Background

The general requirements contained in the

Regulations applied from 1st January 1993 to
all equipment regardless of its age.

Objectives of the Regulations

The regulations provide a set of requirements

ensuring the provision of safe work
equipment and its safe use, irrespective of
age or place of origin.

Definitions

Work Equipment: This includes any machinery,

appliance, apparatus or tool. Examples include:
Hammers, knives, ladders, drilling machines, power
presses, dumper truck, computer, lift truck, overhead
projector.

Use: This means any activity involving work equipment.

This includes starting, stopping, erecting, installing,
dismantling, programming, setting, using, transporting,
repairing, modifying, maintaining, servicing and
cleaning.

Definitions

Danger Zone: Means any zone in or around

machinery in which a person is exposed to a
risk to health and safety from contact with a
dangerous part of machinery or a rotating
stock-bar.

Main Regulations

Regulation 5: Suitability of work equipment

Regulation 6: Maintenance

Regulations 8 & 9: Information, instruction and training

Regulation 10: Conformity

Regulation 11: Dangerous parts of machinery

Main Regulations

Regulation 12: Protection against specified

hazards

Regulations 14 -18: Controls and control systems

Regulation 22: Maintenance operations

Regulation 23 & 24: Markings and Warnings

Suitability of Work Equipment

Under Regulation 5 the employer is required
to:
Ensure that work equipment is suitable for the
purpose for which it is used.
Selection of work equipment must have regard
to working conditions and any additional risks
posed by the use of work equipment.
The equipment must only be used for operations
for which it is suitable.

Maintenance

Regulation 6 requires the equipment to be properly

maintained, and have an up to date maintenance log
where one is kept.

Regulation 22 states as far as reasonably practicable,

maintenance operations are to be done while the work
equipment is stopped.

If not, other protective measures are to be taken, unless

maintenance people can do the work without exposure to
a risk to health and safety.

Information, Instruction &

Training

Under Regulation 8 users and supervisors of

equipment must be given adequate health &
safety information, and where appropriate,
specified written instructions relating to the
use of work equipment.
Regulation 9 covers user and supervisor
training, including work methods, risks and
precautions.

Conformity

All equipment must bear a CE

mark and a copy of the EC
Declaration of Conformity
must be obtained before using
the equipment (Regulation
10).

The supplier of the equipment

has a legal duty to CE mark
the equipment.

Specific Requirements
Specific requirements are designed to reduce the
risk to employees from dangerous parts of
machinery under Regulation 11. This includes
measures to prevent access to dangerous parts of
machinery and to stop movement of any dangerous
part before someone enters the danger zone.
These measures must consist of guards or
protection devices as far as is reasonably
practicable, and detailed requirements relating to
them are established.

Preventative Measures
In selecting preventative measures the
regulations set out a hierarchy on four levels,
these are:
Fixed, enclosing guards to the extent
practicable, but where not Other guards or protection devices to the
extent practicable, but where not Protection appliances (jigs, pushsticks etc)
to the extent practicable,
Provision of information, instruction, training
and supervision and PPE.

Machinery Guarding
Guards and devices are to be:
Suitable for the purpose
Of good construction, sound material and
adequate strength
Adequately maintained, in good repair and
efficient working order
Not the source of additional risk to health &
safety
Not easily bypassed or disabled

Machinery Guarding
Guards and devices are to be:
Situated at sufficient distance from the danger
zone
Not unduly restrictive of any necessary view
of the machine
Constructed or adapted to allow maintenance
or part replacement without removing them

Specified Hazards
Exposure of a person to specified hazards must be
prevented by the employer as far as reasonably
practicable or adequately controlled where it is not
(Regulation 12).
The specified hazards are:

Ejected or falling parts

Rupture or disintegration of parts of the work

equipment

Specified Hazards

Fire or overheating of the work equipment

The unintended or premature discharge or

ejection of any article or any gas, dust,
liquid, vapour or other substance
produced, used or stored in the work
equipment.

The unintended or premature explosion of

the work equipment or any material
produced, used or stored in it.

Controls and Control

Systems

Specific requirements relate to the provision, location,

use and identification of control systems and controls
on work equipment (Regulations 14-18). These
relate to:

Stop controls
Emergency stop controls
Controls in general and control systems
Starting or making a significant change in operating
conditions

Warnings

Employers must ensure that all work

equipment has clearly visible markings where
appropriate (Regulation 23) and any
warnings or warning devices appropriate for
health and safety (Regulation 24).

Warnings will be inappropriate unless they are

unambiguous, easily perceived and easily
understood.

Employees Duties

Employees should follow a simple system for

checking work equipment before they start
using it. This check will enable them to
ensure that any faults found are rectified
before use.

Summary
These regulations outline the general
duties that management must comply
with to fulfill health and safety
responsibilities.
Failure to comply with these regulations
could lead to serious injury to employees
or visitors or damage to machinery or
equipment.
Failure to comply may also result in
prohibition or improvement notices being
issued, fines and in extreme cases
imprisonment.

Thank you for your attention.

ANY
QUESTIONS?