Maintenance legislation - Healthy Working Lives
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Maintenance of equipment

Maintenance of equipment or facilities are inspected, maintained and protected before break down or other problems occur.

Understand your responsibilities for keeping work equipment in good working order, how often you need to do it and where you can keep a record of it.

You need to carry out maintenance to ensure the workplace structures, equipment, machines, furniture and facilities are in good working order and operate properly and safely.

The lack of adequate maintenance can lead to dangerous situations, accidents and health problems.

It includes many tasks such as

  • repairing
  • replacing
  • servicing
  • inspecting
  • testing.

There are two main types of maintenance work.

Routine or preventative maintenance

Is planned and includes scheduled inspections repairs and replacement to make sure everything continues to work.

Corrective maintenance

Is needed when things go wrong or breakdowns occur. This demands a reactive, unplanned action to be taken to get things up and running again.

  1. Planning maintenance of equipment
  2. How often should we maintain equipment
  3. Maintenance legislation

3. Maintenance legislation

These are some of the pieces of legislation related to maintenance.

Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 outlines the general responsibilities for employers to maintain a safe place of work, safe systems of work and safe work equipment.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has guidance on all maintenance related legislation.

Visit the HSE site for information about the Health and Safety at Work Act

Workplace Health, Safety and Welfare Regulations

The Workplace Health, Safety and Welfare Regulations 1992 states that employers must maintain their workplace and equipment in an efficient state, good working order and in good repair.

Visit the HSE site for Workplace Health, Safety and Welfare Regulations

Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998

The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 explain that employers must ensure that work equipment is maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair.

Visit the HSE site for Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations

Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require employers to do a suitable and sufficient risk assessment also applies to maintenance work – this assessment must be carried out before maintenance work is undertaken, even when it is reactive and production demands requires a fast response.

Visit the HSE site for Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations

PreviousHow often should we maintain equipment

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