Equipment and machinery are responsible for a significant proportion of UK workplace fatalities and serious injuries each year. Employers have a legal duty under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) to ensure all work equipment is suitable, maintained, inspected and operated by trained personnel. This training hub covers the key equipment safety areas affecting UK workplaces: PUWER, LOLER, IPAF, PASMA, abrasive wheels, ladder safety, CPCS plant operations and electrical safety. Flexible classroom, online and e-learning options are available for individuals and organisations of all sizes.
Training areas
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998
Covers employer duties for equipment selection, maintenance, inspection, guarding and safe operation. Applies to all work equipment from hand tools to complex machinery across every industry.
Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998
Covers the safe use, inspection and thorough examination of lifting equipment including cranes, hoists, fork lifts, patient hoists and lifting accessories. LOLER requires all lifting equipment to be inspected at least every 6 or 12 months depending on its use.
Work at Height Regulations 2005 / PUWER 1998
Covers the safe operation of Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs) including scissor lifts, boom lifts and static booms. IPAF certification is the internationally recognised standard for MEWP operators and is required by most principal contractors.
Work at Height Regulations 2005 / PUWER 1998
Covers the assembly, use, inspection and dismantling of mobile access towers. PASMA certification is the industry standard for tower scaffold users and is required on most construction and maintenance sites.
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998
Covers the safe mounting, use and inspection of abrasive wheels including angle grinders, bench grinders and cutting discs. PUWER requires abrasive wheel operators to be trained — incorrect mounting is one of the most common causes of serious injury.
Work at Height Regulations 2005 / PUWER 1998
Covers the safe selection, use, inspection and storage of ladders and stepladders. Falls from ladders remain one of the leading causes of workplace fatalities in the UK. Ladder Association accreditation is increasingly required by contractors and facilities managers.
PUWER 1998 / Construction Plant Competence Scheme
The Construction Plant Competence Scheme (CPCS) is the recognised standard for plant operators in the UK. CPCS cards are required by most principal contractors and demonstrate competence in the safe operation of specific plant categories.
Electricity at Work Regulations 1989
Covers electrical hazards, safe isolation procedures, PAT testing awareness and electrical safety management. The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require all electrical systems to be maintained to prevent danger and all work near or on electrical systems to be carried out safely.
Who should attend
Why equipment safety training matters
Legal duty
PUWER, LOLER and the Electricity at Work Regulations impose explicit duties on employers regarding equipment safety. Non-compliance can result in HSE prosecution, unlimited fines and prohibition notices.
Prevent serious injury
Equipment-related incidents account for a significant proportion of UK workplace fatalities and major injuries each year. Trained operators are significantly less likely to cause or suffer equipment-related accidents.
Meet contractor requirements
IPAF, PASMA and CPCS cards are required by most principal contractors before operatives are permitted on site. Training ensures your workforce meets site access requirements.
Demonstrate due diligence
Documented equipment safety training provides evidence of due diligence during HSE inspections, insurance audits, civil claims and procurement tender processes.
Protect equipment & reduce downtime
Properly trained operators are less likely to misuse or damage equipment, reducing maintenance costs, unplanned downtime and the operational disruption that follows equipment failures.