3. Equipment

The Health and Safety Executive definition of 'work equipment' is:

'...any machinery, appliance, apparatus, tool or installation for use at work.'

The use of work equipment is also very widely interpreted and means:

'...any activity involving work equipment'

When using handling equipment you will need to be aware of the law and be able to complete safety checks.

The specific legislation dealing with equipment used at work is the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER). PUWER says all equipment needs to be:

• Suitable for its intended use.
• Regularly maintained to ensure safety.
• Only used by people with adequate and appropriate training.

Not using the equipment properly, using equipment that is poorly maintained and not having adequate/appropriate training could increase the risk of injury.

Equipment should be checked and tested prior to taking and using with the patient. Users of any equipment should know how to identify if isn't functioning fully and how to replace it or get it fixed. Users shouldn’t try and fix or adapt equipment themselves.