PUWER
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations
The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 cover the suitability, maintenance and safe use of work equipment in Great Britain. For an electrician this can include tools, test instruments and access equipment. Checks and training must fit the equipment and task; a damaged tool should not be treated as safe because it still runs.
Using PUWER in context
Updated
Identify the duty and the task
A law, a risk assessment and a method statement do different jobs. Identify the duty, who is responsible and what controls the task needs. Training supports understanding; it does not remove the legal duty or replace a suitable plan for the work.
Questions to take further
- How can I revise PUWER beyond the definition?
- Explain what PUWER describes, compare it with a related term and use it in a topic question. State any assumptions and what evidence you would need before applying the idea to real work.
Sources
- HSE: electricity and the law — How electrical work sits alongside workplace legislation; follow the specific law and guidance for the task.
Where PUWER fits in the learning path
The Sparks Basics section covers these units:
- Working Safely
Curriculum mapping: C&G 2365 Unit 201.
See this section in the full curriculum
This section is on the free path. Lesson availability depends on content review and your learning path.
Read, practise, return
1. Read it in context
- 110 V Site Power ToolsSparks Basics
- GS38 Test Leads and ProbesSparks Basics
2. Try recalling, then explore practice
Use the memory prompt below to connect the vocabulary.
- Safe Isolation — quiz previewFree · Sparks Basics
3. Return to the meaning
After reading or practising, explain the idea in your own words, then check what you remembered.
Recall a related term
Which term fits this definition? Say it to yourself, then reveal it. This is a memory prompt, with no score or saved result.
The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 set legal duties for electrical systems and work activities in Great Britain. They apply to employers, workers and others with control of electrical work, with the aim of preventing danger. They are law; a training lesson or a test result does not remove those duties.
Compare related terms
Open a meaning to compare its role with PUWER, or follow its full entry.
EAWR — Electricity at Work Regulations
The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 set legal duties for electrical systems and work activities in Great Britain. They apply to employers, workers and others with control of electrical work, with the aim of preventing danger. They are law; a training lesson or a test result does not remove those duties.
Read the EAWR entryGS38
HSE guidance on electrical test equipment used on low-voltage systems. It covers choosing and maintaining suitable instruments, probes and leads, including insulation, finger barriers and limiting exposed metal. Describing equipment as GS38-compliant is not a guarantee about its condition or use: the whole test arrangement and working method must suit the task.
Read the GS38 entryLOLER — Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations
The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 address workplace lifting equipment and lifting operations in Great Britain. They matter when heavy plant or materials are lifted into position on site. A lifting plan, suitable equipment and competent supervision are separate from the electrical checks made after installation.
Read the LOLER entryA definition is a start. Using it in a real question is where it sticks.