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Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (SI 1998/2306)

PUWER 1998: Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations

PUWER places duties on employers and others who control work equipment. 'Work equipment' is any machinery, appliance, apparatus, tool or installation used at work, which in a dental practice includes chairs and treatment units, compressors, suction plant, handpieces and workshop tools alike.

Jurisdiction
England
Last verified
9 September 2026
Next review
9 March 2027
Version
1

In plain English

PUWER places duties on employers and others who control work equipment. 'Work equipment' is any machinery, appliance, apparatus, tool or installation used at work, which in a dental practice includes chairs and treatment units, compressors, suction plant, handpieces and workshop tools alike.

The regulations require that equipment is suitable for its intended use and the conditions it is used in; that it is maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair; that it is inspected where its safety depends on installation conditions or where deterioration could lead to danger; and that people using it have adequate information, instruction and training.

PUWER does not prescribe intervals or methods. It sets outcomes and leaves the employer to decide how to achieve them, normally by following the manufacturer's instructions and keeping records of what has been done. HSE's Approved Code of Practice and guidance L22 explains the regulations in detail.

Who does what

Your responsibility as the provider

The practice, as employer, is the duty holder. That includes:

  • Selecting equipment that is suitable for the work and the environment
  • Maintaining it so it stays safe, and keeping any maintenance log up to date (Regulation 5)
  • Deciding whether an item needs inspection under Regulation 6, and arranging it by a competent person
  • Making sure staff have the information and training to use the equipment safely
  • Guarding dangerous parts, controlling stored energy and providing emergency stops where the risk assessment calls for them
  • Taking defective equipment out of use until it is repaired

What Dynamo Dental delivers directly

Dynamo Dental maintains chairs and treatment units, compressors, suction systems and amalgam separators. We help practices organise relevant maintenance records and identify next actions within the agreed scope. The practice remains responsible for ensuring its regulatory duties are met.

For that equipment, Dynamo Dental:

  • Carries out planned maintenance to the manufacturer's schedule and records it against the asset
  • Repairs faults and reports what was found and what was done
  • Installs equipment and confirms it operates as the manufacturer intended before handover
  • Points out visible safety concerns on the equipment we work on, such as damaged guards, cables or controls, and records them in the report
  • Provides a maintenance log entry the practice can keep with its PUWER records

Verified specialist competence, or a specialist partner

  • Whether a particular item needs a formal Regulation 6 inspection, and at what interval, is a decision for the practice's risk assessment, with advice from a competent person where needed
  • Pressure systems have their own regime under PSSR 2000, which sits alongside PUWER and is dealt with by a competent person for examination
  • Lifting equipment (for example patient hoists) falls under LOLER 1998 and needs a competent person for thorough examination
  • Equipment outside our categories (decontamination, radiography, workshop machinery) needs its own competent maintainer

Outside our scope

  • Writing the practice's risk assessments or PUWER policy
  • Training clinical staff in the use of equipment beyond a handover briefing on equipment we install
  • Inspection or maintenance of equipment we do not look after
  • Certifying that equipment or the practice complies with PUWER

Questions

Questions on this topic

Is a routine service the same as a PUWER inspection?

Not necessarily. Routine servicing (maintenance under Regulation 5) keeps equipment in working order. Inspection under Regulation 6 is a separate requirement that applies where safety depends on installation conditions or where deterioration could lead to danger; the practice decides whether it applies to a given item and who is competent to carry it out. Our service reports record maintenance. If an inspection is also required, it should be recorded as such.

Does PUWER apply to equipment owned by a self-employed associate?

PUWER applies to employers, the self-employed and anyone who has control of work equipment. Ownership arrangements do not remove the duty; they affect who holds it. Check the current HSE guidance and agree in writing who maintains what.

Other topics

Not sure what records you should have?

The Practice Engineering Survey establishes what exists and what is missing, without claiming to be an audit.

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