Statutory inspections guidance
Workplace statutory inspections are periodic inspections that ensure that owned or operated plant and equipment, including lifting equipment, passenger and goods lifts and pressure systems, meet the required health and safety standards.
PUWER, LOLER and PSSR are key regulations to prioritise safety for work equipment and ensure compliance. They centre on preventing serious injury and ensuring all risks are covered. Our engineers provide support and resources to demonstrate compliance with regulatory and statutory obligations.
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER)
What is PUWER?
PUWER places responsibility on people and companies who own, operate or control work equipment. It ensures suitability for intended use, maintenance of safe condition and inspection, accompanied by health and safety measures.
What equipment is covered by PUWER?
The regulation applies to all work equipment, whether new or used, and whether it’s owned or hired. Always assume that PUWER applies to equipment in your workplace. Lifts, escalators, hoists and cherry pickers are identified as equipment under PUWER regulations.
Why are PUWER inspections necessary?
PUWER inspections are required to check that equipment can be operated, adjusted, and maintained safely. It also helps to identify and address deterioration, defects, damage, or general wear and tear. The frequency of your PUWER inspections depends on risk assessments, but pre-use checks are essential. Any equipment that poses significant health and safety risks needs regular formal inspections.
Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER)
What is LOLER?
LOLER places duties on people and companies who own, operate or control lifting operations with lifting equipment. Regulations place responsibility on a competent person to plan operations and carry them out safely with appropriate supervision.
LOLER applies to a wide range of lifting equipment in diverse workplaces such as construction sites, offices, residential properties, care homes, hospitals and factories. This includes goods/passenger lifts, overhead cranes, vehicle tail lifts, forklifts and patient hoists.
What are LOLER thorough examinations and inspections?
LOLER thorough examinations and inspections are required by the law to ensure safety, performance, and compliance. They manage risks to avoid injury/accidents or damage caused by faulty or un-serviced lifts.
LOLER requires a six-monthly examination of passenger lifts and annual inspections of other types, including goods and service lifts. We advise what needs to be examined and when to comply with current legislation to ensure you fulfil statutory obligations.
When is supplementary testing required?
The competent person can call for supplementary testing when concerns arise regarding the equipment’s condition. The tests can support a thorough examination of lift assets and establish the equipment's suitability for safe continued use.
Safety Assessment Federation (SAFed) provides guidance on supplementary testing to help maintain workplace safety.
Failure to complete the supplementary tests may prevent the completion of subsequent examinations, resulting in the lift being taken out of service.
Our LOLER expertise
Our Lift Engineers deliver lift maintenance services to ensure the safety and compliance of lifting equipment.
- Qualified inspections for a full range of lifts, including:
- Passenger lifts
- Stairlifts
- Disability access and wheelchair lifts
- Goods lifts*
- Service lifts/dumb waiters*
*Require annual inspections. All others require six-monthly inspections.
- Asset management using our BHI LOLER activity management tool to plan all LOLER activities
- Dedicated third-party supplementary tests across all types of lifts referenced by SAFed.
Pressure System Safety Regulations 2000 (PSSR)
Pressure systems are complex, and understanding how to adhere to regulations can be challenging. We can assist you in meeting compliance requirements while providing peace of mind that your pressure systems are safe to use to support a secure working environment.
What are pressure systems?
Pressure system comprise one or more pressure vessels of rigid construction, any associated pipework, and protective devices. They contain a relevant fluid defined as steam at any pressure and compressed/liquified gas at more than 0.5 bar above atmospheric pressure, for example, boilers and steam generators.
What is PSSR?
PSSR aims to prevent serious injury from the hazard of stored energy resulting from the failure of a pressure system or one of its component parts.
Under PSSR, a written scheme of examination (WSE) is required for most pressure systems to demonstrate that you know the safe operating limits. Exempted systems are listed in the regulations.
A competent person should draw up (or be certified as suitable) the written scheme. The user of an installed system and the owner of a mobile system is responsible for ensuring it is in place. You must not allow your pressure system to be operated (or hired out) until you have a WSE and ensure the system has been examined.
Our PSSR expertise
Our experts conduct thorough inspections of your pressure systems to identify potential hazards. We guide you to enhance workplace safety and ensure compliance.
Our capabilities for PSSR involve developing a WSE for and inspection of (but not limited to):
- Compressed gas systems (air, nitrogen, biogas, oxygen and more, low and high pressure)
- Refrigeration plants
- Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment
- Wind turbine gas-loaded hydraulic accumulators
- Coffee machines
- Industrial steam boilers
- Industrial and tabletop autoclaves
- Our bespoke compliance management software BHI allows you to monitor asset compliance with a simple login.
- Any recommendations for improving compliance are recorded in the software.
