PUWER Awareness for Work Equipment Users provides awareness of the regulations and their legal requirements. End users understand how to ensure work equipment is operated safely throughout its lifecycle.
PUWER places legal duties on employers and organisations that own, operate or control work equipment. They must ensure equipment is suitable and used safely. To ensure safe use, equipment operators must be provided with adequate information, instruction and training.
PUWER applies to every sector where the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 applies. This includes in factories, offices, shops, schools and universities, and places of entertainment.
All work equipment and machinery is subject to PUWER. The regulations cover pens and paper in an office to heavy plant and machinery in an industrial environment.
There were 142 worker fatalities and 441,000 injuries in the UK. Non-fatal injuries also caused a loss of 4.7 million working days.
Employers have a legal, financial and moral duty to prevent workplace accidents and injuries. Training workers to comply with PUWER and operate equipment in line with regulations is vital to ensure their safety.
This course develops PUWER awareness and how it relates to equipment users’ routine work. It provides guidance on equipment safety and how to operate machinery in line with PUWER best practice.