Periodic inspection of work equipment is mandatory under the Regulation on Health and Safety Requirements for the Use of Work Equipment. Simply inspecting the equipment explicitly listed in the regulation at the maximum permitted intervals is not a sufficient approach. The regulation's broader requirements for safe equipment operation must also be understood and applied.
An inspection does not remove the business's responsibilities; it fulfils only one of its duties. Inspection reports, maintenance and repair records, and near-miss records should be brought together in an equipment register. This record should inform equipment-specific rules. Operating instructions and conditions, maintenance arrangements and inspection frequency should take account of equipment type, age, frequency of use, environment and operator-related factors.
The Employer's Responsibilities for Safe Equipment Use:
Article 5 in Part Two of the Regulation on Health and Safety Requirements for the Use of Work Equipment requires employers to take all necessary measures to ensure that workplace equipment is suitable for the task and does not harm employees' health or safety.
Hiring equipment or using it only for a short period does not remove the employer's responsibility.
What Should You Consider When Arranging Periodic Inspections?
When selecting an inspection provider, consider the following:
First establish whether the organisation is capable of providing the service. Check its accreditation, staffing levels, personnel qualifications under the relevant legislation and experience in the sector. Professional indemnity insurance is important to cover financial losses arising from an accident attributable to the inspector. The scope of the work and the available budget must also be adequate.
Measuring and testing instruments must be suitable for the equipment, regularly maintained and calibrated, and subject to interim verification at appropriate intervals. A calibration certificate alone does not prove that an instrument is measuring correctly. A technically competent person must evaluate deviation and uncertainty values to decide whether it remains suitable for use. The business should verify instrument suitability before the inspection.
Accreditation provides confidence that these criteria have been assessed and monitored by the accreditation process.
Accreditation strengthens confidence in the provider, but the business must still be satisfied that the inspection is safe and correct. This requires attention to the inspector's decisions, selection and application of methods, understanding of the equipment and instructions given during the work.
Thorough inspections are primarily needed to prevent accidents, and the business should monitor their quality carefully. A report describes the equipment's condition on the inspection date; it does not guarantee that no accident will occur before the next inspection or transfer all responsibility to the inspector. If a defect that should have been detected is missed, causes an accident and can be supported by evidence, responsibility may be shared with the inspector. Otherwise, responsibility remains with the business.
Having an inspection report is beneficial, but it does not by itself prove that the inspection was complete and properly performed.
A report does not remove the employer's responsibility where daily inspection limits were exceeded, site attendance records are unavailable, calibration documents cannot be produced or incorrect methods were used. The employer must provide the conditions needed for proper inspection. Article 7(4) of the amending regulation requires the employer to carry out or arrange the preparations specified by authorised inspectors and, when requested, ensure that the equipment's authorised service provider attends the inspection.
The employer is therefore responsible for providing the site arrangements, organisation, funding and other resources needed for the inspection.
Failures to fulfil these responsibilities can result in both financial loss and human consequences. Businesses should select inspection services on competence and merit, rather than cost alone.
Kind regards,