Existing production machinery
Review older, modified or relocated equipment where the original safeguarding basis is incomplete, outdated or no longer reflects current use.
Machinery safety assessment
PUWER machinery assessments for safer, usable equipment.
A PUWER assessment should identify practical actions for the machine as it is installed and used—not produce a generic compliance score. We review hazards, guarding, access, controls, maintenance tasks and evidence so your team can prioritise proportionate improvements.
Customer outcomeSafe access · reliable production
- Base
- Oxfordshire
- Coverage
- Great Britain
- Contact
- 01865 416840
Direct answerWhat is included in a PUWER assessment?
What is included in a PUWER assessment?
A PUWER assessment is a structured review of work equipment against the relevant duties in the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. For machinery, the work normally examines suitability, condition, dangerous parts, controls, isolation, stability, maintenance, information and the way people actually operate or intervene. The output should separate urgent risk controls from planned improvements and clearly define any further design, testing or specialist work required.
Where this solution is used
Designed around the machine and the work people perform.
The scope is developed from actual access, process and maintenance needs rather than a standard panel count.
Imported or newly purchased equipment
Check how the machine is installed, instructed and safeguarded before routine production begins, including access and control interfaces created on site.
Post-incident or change review
Reassess equipment following a near miss, process change, guarding alteration, new product format or changed maintenance method.
Engineering decisions
What must be resolved before manufacture or modification.
These decisions interact. A change to stopping, door use, material flow or maintenance can alter the complete safeguarding concept.
- 01
Scope and equipment use
Agree the machines, operating modes, users, environment and production tasks covered by the assessment.
- 02
Dangerous parts
Review access to moving parts, ejection, crushing, entanglement, cutting, drawing-in and other foreseeable hazards.
- 03
Safeguarding condition
Examine fixed and movable guards, openings, fasteners, interlocks, locking, protective devices and opportunities for defeat.
- 04
Controls and restart
Review stop functions, emergency stops, mode selection, reset positions, isolation and prevention of unexpected restart.
- 05
Inspection and maintenance
Consider wear, alignment, damaged panels, accumulated changes and the inspection regime needed to keep controls effective.
- 06
Action plan and evidence
Record findings with risk-based priorities, photographs, ownership and a clear route from assessment to completed action.
Site and application review
Information we assess.
- Production and maintenance access
- Cleaning, clearing and changeover tasks
- Existing manuals and drawings
- Guard openings and safety distances
- Control-system response and reset
- Isolation and stored-energy controls
- Operator competence and instructions
- Evidence of previous modifications
Typical project scope
What Oxford Machine Guarding can provide.
Deliverables are agreed before work starts. We can support a defined component or take responsibility from site survey through design, installation and documented handover.
Authoritative reference: HSE: Safe use of work equipment (L22). Project conclusions remain specific to the equipment and agreed scope.
- Machine-by-machine PUWER assessment record
- Photographic evidence and observed conditions
- Prioritised action schedule
- Identification of immediate controls where required
- Recommendations for guarding or control modifications
- Defined need for further design, testing or validation
- Management summary for programme planning
- Optional follow-on guarding project scope
