Regulations apply

If you are an employer or self-employed person and
you provide equipment for use at work, or if you have
control of the use of equipment, then the Regulations
will apply to you.

They do not apply to equipment used by the public, for
example compressed air equipment used in a garage
forecourt. However, such circumstances are covered
by the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (HSW
Act).

While your employees do not have duties under
PUWER, they do have general duties under the HSW
Act and the Management of Health and Safety at Work
Regulations 1999 (MHSWR), for example to take
reasonable care of themselves and others who may be
affected by their actions, and to co-operate with
others.

The Regulations cover places where the HSW Act
applies - these include factories, offshore installations,
offices, shops, hospitals, hotels, places of
entertainment etc. PUWER also applies in common
parts of shared buildings and temporary places of
work such as construction sites. While the
Regulations cover equipment used by people working
from home, they do not apply to domestic work in a
private household.