Page 30 - Health and safety

4.11 Work Equipment

Employees will, during their work, use a variety of cleaning equipment including the following key
items:-
• Vacuum cleaners
• Floor Scrubbers
• Floor washers

To minimise the risk of injury and ill health and to comply with the relevant legislation the following
key principles will be observed.
• All work equipment will be purchased or hired from reputable hirers and suppliers.
• An inventory of plant and equipment is maintained.
• All work equipment will be suitable for the job it is to do.
• All work equipment will be subject to a program of appropriate inspection including where
necessary an inspection by the user before use.
• Where necessary statutory checks will be carried out and records kept e.g. PAT testing
• Risk assessments will consider the use of all work equipment and identify all essential
safeguards to be employed to minimise the risk of injury.
• All employees will be provided with appropriate training for the safe use of work equipment
that they are authorised to use. This will include the safe use, cleaning and inspection of
equipment. Training will be recorded on training matrix.
• All work equipment will be subject to a program of maintenance and repair. Where equipment
is found to be damaged and unsafe to use it will be withdrawn from use immediately and sent
for repair or disposed of. Repairs may be carried out by trained and authorised staff within the
company or sent to competent repair companies. Hired equipment will be returned to the hire
company.

Relevant Legislation: -
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1999

Relevant Guidance: -
L22 Safe Use of Equipment – PUWER 99

Document Health and Safety Policy 2020 Page | 30