Work Equipment and Machinery: Legislation
This page gives information on the legislation concerned with work equipment
and machinery..
The Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations
1992 as amended by the Supply of Machinery (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations
1994 (SMSR)
These regulations place duties upon those who supply machinery and safety
components, including manufacturers, importers and others in the supply
chain. They set out the essential requirements which must be met before
machinery or safety components may be supplied in the UK.
There are basically three steps to dealing with the requirements:
- The responsible person should ensure that machinery and safety components
satisfy the relevant essential health and safety requirements of the Supply
of Machinery (Safety) Regulations and that, where appropriate, relevant
conformity assessment procedures have been carried out;
- The responsible person must issue a declaration of conformity (or a
declaration of incorporation) which is issued with the finished product
so that it is available to the user. This will contain various details
such as the manufacturer's address, the machinery type and serial
number, and the harmonised European, or other standards, used in design;
and
- When the first two steps have been satisfactorily completed, the responsible
person or person supplying or assembling the final product should affix
the CE marking if they are satisfied it is safe.
The HSE is responsible for enforcing these Regulations in relation to machinery
supplied for use at work. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) have
the policy responsibility for these Regulations. More detailed information
can be sought from the Department of Trade and Industry Business in Europe
Hotline Tel : 0870 1502500, and two guides [17, 18] are also available from DTI.
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Provision and Use of Work Equipment
Regulations 1998 PUWER
In general terms, PUWER requires that equipment provided for use at work
is:
- suitable for the intended use;
- safe for use, maintained in a safe condition and, in certain circumstances,
inspected to ensure this remains the case;
- used only by people who have received adequate information, instruction
and training; and
- accompanied by suitable safety measures, eg protective devices, markings,
warnings.
Full details of the requirements of PUWER are contained in the supporting
Approved Code of Practice [1]. Requirements for
power presses and woodworking machinery are dealt with in two separate Approved
Codes of Practice [2, 3]; NB also [5], [7], [14].
Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment
regulations 1998 LOLER
In general, LOLER requires that any lifting equipment used at work for
lifting or lowering loads is:
strong and stable enough for particular use and marked to indicate safe
working loads;
positioned and installed to minimise any risks;
used safely, ie the work is planned, organised and performed by competent
people; and
subject to ongoing thorough examination and, where appropriate, inspection
by competent people.
Full details of the requirements of LOLER are contained in the supporting
Approved Code of Practice [4]; NB also [6],
[8].
