PUWER training: safe use of work equipment

PUWER is the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. It is the law that covers almost all equipment used at work in Great Britain, from hand tools to forklifts and plant. It requires that equipment is suitable for the job, maintained, inspected where needed, and used only by people who have had adequate information, instruction and training.

Employers, the self-employed, and anyone who has control over how work equipment is provided or used. It covers the people who operate equipment and the supervisors and managers responsible for them.

PUWER requires that everyone who uses, supervises or manages the use of work equipment has received adequate training. The regulations do not name a specific course, but recorded training from a recognised provider is a clear way to show you have met that duty.

PUWER covers all work equipment. LOLER (the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998) adds extra duties for lifting equipment, such as thorough examinations and planning lifts. Forklifts, telehandlers and lorry loaders are covered by both.

Yes. PUWER has a section on mobile work equipment that covers roll-over protection, seat belts and carrying people. Operator training such as our RTITB forklift and NPORS plant courses shows operators are competent on a specific machine.

Since 2001. Nithcree grew out of a family haulage business and opened its Dumfries training centre that year. We opened in Perth in 2021 and became a registered NPORS plant training centre in 2024. Read our 25-year story.

90% of candidates who train with Nithcree pass. Our instructors have more than 300 years of industry experience between them, and two are DVSA reverse examiners. See how we do it.

Possibly. Scottish funding, No One Left Behind employability support and English schemes can cover some or all of a course, depending on where you live and your circumstances. See funding options or ask us to check before you book.

Every course runs at our Dumfries centre in Heathhall. LGV and B+E courses also run at our Perth centre.

Yes. We train individuals and whole teams, from complete beginners to experienced staff who need refreshers, Driver CPC hours or an NPORS experienced worker test. Call us to plan training around your work.

Call 01387 256528 or send an enquiry. Tell us what you want to drive or operate and your experience, and we will recommend the right course and check funding before you commit.