Overview

This presentation shares practical experience and regulatory insight to build your confidence in understanding what duty holders should do to ensure machinery and work equipment are safe. Using real-world context and accident data, we will explore the standards that must be achieved and how these translate into everyday workplace practice.

The session will begin by examining machinery and work equipment accident statistics to understand how and why incidents occur. It will then outline the standards duty holders are expected to meet, and how to determine whether equipment is suitable for its intended task.

We will explore the hierarchical approach to guarding, the importance of reach distances in preventing access to danger zones, and what a suitable and sufficient risk assessment should include. Practical solutions will be discussed throughout, including maintenance expectations, training requirements, and the documentation that should be available to demonstrate compliance.

By the end of the presentation, you will have a clearer understanding of how accidents happen, what controls are required, and how effective risk management can prevent harm.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:

• Understand the key causes and trends in machinery and work equipment accidents.
• Identify the standards that duty holders are expected to achieve.
• Determine whether work equipment is suitable and appropriate for the task.
• Explain what constitutes a suitable and sufficient risk assessment.
• Describe the hierarchical approach to guarding and why it is essential.
• Understand the importance of reach distances in preventing access to hazardous parts.
• Recognise what effective maintenance arrangements should look like.
• Identify the training requirements for work equipment users.
• Outline the documentation that should be available to demonstrate compliance.
• Apply practical solutions to reduce risk and prevent accidents in the workplace.

What will you gain?

Delegates will gain a clearer understanding of how duty holders should manage work equipment risks.  In turn, this will highlight issues relevant to breach of duty to consider for personal injury claims involving equipment.