Image

PUWER Assessments

Discuss all things health and safety.

Moderator: Moderators

Post Reply
User avatar
Penfold
Crikey DM
Crikey DM
Posts: 6373
Joined: Fri Jun 11, 2004 12:27 pm
19
Occupation: Badger Sniffer or H&S Manager
Location: Plymouth born and bred
Has thanked: 33 times
Been thanked: 116 times

PUWER Assessments

Post by Penfold »

I'm undertaking a review of our PUWER Policy and want some advice from on here.

At present when a machine is purchased the manager completes a checklist/risk assessment (though in reality its not a risk assessment but just a checklist!!) to confirm it meets all the requirements under the PUWER regulations. For info this is not for all equipment e.g. a stapler but for ones that could cause serious harm, requires guarding etc.

They then complete task specific risk assessments for the work to be done e.g. producing widget A using this machine and all the significant hazards associated to that activity.

From what I'm finding managers in some areas (despite training and support) fill out one of the forms but not both or mix them up.

I'm dealing with the training and competence side of things but want to know how others manage any checklist and or risk assessment for dangerous equipment so its easy for people to use and allows a meaningful process rather than a tick box exercise?

Thanks

Penfold
"If you can't beat them, arrange to have them beaten."
User avatar
grim72
Anorak Extraordinaire
Anorak Extraordinaire
Posts: 686
Joined: Fri Aug 20, 2010 3:53 pm
13
Twitter: goodtogosafety
Industry Sector: Safety inspection systems
Location: UK
Has thanked: 4 times
Been thanked: 79 times
Contact:

Re: PUWER Assessments

Post by grim72 »

Feel free to test out our app to see if it might help at all? You can create your own checklists or use the ones we provide as standard. You get a week's free trial so no harm in giving it a go to see how it could improve on the current system in place? If you want the link to find out more just let me know (didn't want to post it here - there is a post on the forum about it https://www.healthandsafetytips.co.uk/f ... im#p354226
Grim72
Good to Go Safety - Providing you with a safer workplace

Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in his shoes. That way, when you criticize him, you're a mile away and you have his shoes
User avatar
Penfold
Crikey DM
Crikey DM
Posts: 6373
Joined: Fri Jun 11, 2004 12:27 pm
19
Occupation: Badger Sniffer or H&S Manager
Location: Plymouth born and bred
Has thanked: 33 times
Been thanked: 116 times

Re: PUWER Assessments

Post by Penfold »

Thanks Grim, its more how people manage the forms and when I'm after. Great looking app you have there!
"If you can't beat them, arrange to have them beaten."
User avatar
grim72
Anorak Extraordinaire
Anorak Extraordinaire
Posts: 686
Joined: Fri Aug 20, 2010 3:53 pm
13
Twitter: goodtogosafety
Industry Sector: Safety inspection systems
Location: UK
Has thanked: 4 times
Been thanked: 79 times
Contact:

Re: PUWER Assessments

Post by grim72 »

It does store all completed forms/checklists in your management dashboard - so gives full visibility with a paperless system (you can print off the completed checklists/reports too if required). Once you attach a QR code to the equipment it essentially creates an asset register too. Just in case that helps :-)

You could even create a checklist for the risk assessment itself (in addition to the PUWER ckeck) and get each operative to complete it, setting a renewal date for when they need to refresh? We created a new one today for DSE assessment which is a similar kind of thing I guess (I gave myself an advisory based on the fact my desk looks like a bomb went off and my coffee cup is empty) :-)

We are finding more and more people using the app for equipment and procedures we'd never considered (or heard of in some cases) and are discovering through them that it offers even more opportunity than we had first considered (which is nice).

PS I'm not trying a hard sell here - won't mention it any more lol
Grim72
Good to Go Safety - Providing you with a safer workplace

Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in his shoes. That way, when you criticize him, you're a mile away and you have his shoes
User avatar
Blackstone
Grand Shidoshi
Grand Shidoshi
Posts: 1335
Joined: Mon Mar 07, 2011 11:17 am
13
Industry Sector: Refrige / Oil & Gas / Pharma / Aerospace
Occupation: Deputy SHE Manager
Location: Kent
Has thanked: 50 times
Been thanked: 199 times

Re: PUWER Assessments

Post by Blackstone »

Penfold wrote: Fri Mar 29, 2019 10:59 am Thanks Grim, its more how people manage the forms and when I'm after. Great looking app you have there!
We had our 18001 Surveillance audit recently and have had a new CNC machine installed since his last visit.
He asked for the PUWER assessment. I showed him the Risk Assessment. He then asked again for the PUWER assessment.

I give him a puzzled look .scratch Somehow I had completely missed the requirement for PUWER assessments. :roll: Even though my last company had many machines, they did not have PUWER assessments either in a reasonably mature system when I took over so id never seen a PUWER assessment and somehow missed it when reading the regs.

We had a good discussion and I now have 2 templates to use to get PUWER assessments done on all the machines we have.

Back to the original question, I plan on doing the PUWER assessments myself and not necessarily involving the workforce with them, unless I find an issue. Each machine has a pack with LOTO instructions, RAMS and will now include the PUWER assessment. I'll make everyone is aware that they are there but not necessarily involve them. As most of our machines are old it should just be a paper exercise (famous last words!).

Glen
Last edited by Blackstone on Tue Apr 02, 2019 10:39 am, edited 1 time in total.
'Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough that they don't want to!' - Richard Branson
User avatar
Penfold
Crikey DM
Crikey DM
Posts: 6373
Joined: Fri Jun 11, 2004 12:27 pm
19
Occupation: Badger Sniffer or H&S Manager
Location: Plymouth born and bred
Has thanked: 33 times
Been thanked: 116 times

Re: PUWER Assessments

Post by Penfold »

Thanks for the reply Glen
"If you can't beat them, arrange to have them beaten."
joaorosa80
Jnr Member
Jnr Member
Posts: 164
Joined: Sat Aug 02, 2014 1:09 am
9
Has thanked: 11 times
Been thanked: 7 times

Re: PUWER Assessments

Post by joaorosa80 »

Penfold wrote: Thu Mar 28, 2019 7:52 am I'm undertaking a review of our PUWER Policy and want some advice from on here.

At present when a machine is purchased the manager completes a checklist/risk assessment (though in reality its not a risk assessment but just a checklist!!) to confirm it meets all the requirements under the PUWER regulations. For info this is not for all equipment e.g. a stapler but for ones that could cause serious harm, requires guarding etc.

They then complete task specific risk assessments for the work to be done e.g. producing widget A using this machine and all the significant hazards associated to that activity.

From what I'm finding managers in some areas (despite training and support) fill out one of the forms but not both or mix them up.

I'm dealing with the training and competence side of things but want to know how others manage any checklist and or risk assessment for dangerous equipment so its easy for people to use and allows a meaningful process rather than a tick box exercise?

Thanks

Penfold
Is the manager's main focus the competition of these check-list/assessments?
I believe that everyone should get involved, however, there exists the practicability of the things.

When looking for numbers, I just use a scorecard and leading indicators, when looking for a suitable and sufficient assessment, I prefer to take the lead.
joaorosa80
Jnr Member
Jnr Member
Posts: 164
Joined: Sat Aug 02, 2014 1:09 am
9
Has thanked: 11 times
Been thanked: 7 times

Re: PUWER Assessments

Post by joaorosa80 »


We had our 18001 Surveillance audit recently and have had a new CNC machine installed since his last visit.
He asked for the PUWER assessment. I showed him the Risk Assessment. He then asked again for the PUWER assessment.
What do you mean with PUWER Assessment? I don't see the reason why the conformity assessment will not be considered within the assessment that you already hold, if practicable.
Post Reply

 

Access Croner-i Navigate Safety-Lite here for free

HSfB Facebook Group Follow us on Twitter Find us on Facebook Find us on on LinkedIn

Terms of Use Privacy Policy