LRD guides and handbook July 2018

Health and safety law 2018

Chapter 7

Work Equipment ACOPs



[ch 7: pages 125-126]

The Safe use of work equipment: Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, Approved Code of Practice and guidance (L22) can be downloaded from the HSE website (www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/l22.pdf).



The Safe use of power presses: Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (as applied to power presses), Approved Code of Practice and guidance (L112) can be downloaded from the HSE website (www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/l112.pdf).



The Safe use of woodworking machinery: Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (as applied to woodworking machinery), Approved Code of Practice and guidance (L114) can be downloaded from the HSE website (www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/l114.pdf).



In 2008, the Court of Appeal found in favour of a tube driver who was injured by the “dead man’s handle” brake on trains. The Court found that London Underground failed to carry out a risk assessment and to train rail union RMT member Latona Allison, as set out in PUWER (Allison v London Underground Ltd [2008] IRLR 440). The case provided important guidance on the duty to ensure that workers who use work equipment receive adequate health and safety training. It established that the duty to provide training is mandatory.



Part III of PUWER requires employers and other duty-holders to ensure that equipment is safe to use by preventing or controlling risks.



This could involve, for example, fitting roll-over protective structures (ROPS), falling object protective structures (FOPS), seat restraints (seat belts, lap belts and so on) and driver visibility aids such as mirrors.