Procurement and Specification Of Work Equipment

Purchase of safe equipment

Anyone buying new equipment (or acquiring second hand) is responsible for:

ensuring its safety (i.e. its safe to use in terms of its initial integrity, as well as suitable for its intended purpose- considering the place where it will be used and the purpose for which it will be used)
checking that it has been designed and constructed to comply with all relevant standards.

Biology Stores are responsible for:

Adding any equipment that is greater in value than £500 and all fridges and freezers to the University asset register, Planon. However, if equipment is not processed by Biology Stores (e.g. large items delivered directly to the place of use) it is the responsibility of the purchaser of specific equipment to ensure the item is added to the asset register.

CE marking:
Most new work equipment should have a CE mark when purchased. CE marking is a statement by the manufacturer that the work equipment is safe and that they have met ‘supply’ law (Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 1992). The purchaser / user is still required to check that the equipment is safe. A CE mark is not a guarantee of safety and the CE mark only applies to those products that come under one of the relevant European product supply Directives e.g. machinery, PPE, low voltage electrical equipment, equipment for use in potentially explosive atmospheres.

Selecting equipment:
When selecting work equipment, purchasers should select the least hazardous type of equipment that can adequately perform the task. For example, preference should be given to equipment that reduces health and safety risks to users to as low as is reasonably practicable. Safety features such as the following, should be selected whenever possible:

• Low noise or vibration levels
• Low voltage electrical equipment lightweight (reducing manual handling risks)
• Adjustable dimensions (improving ergonomic fit for individual workers)

Accepting delivery of equipment

When accepting delivery:

ensure that the CE mark and a copy of the ‘Declaration of Conformity’ has been provided and that a set of clear instructions on how the work equipment should be used has been provided
Does it look like the catalogue/brochure photographs/demonstration model or the sample?
Does it have the sorts of guards you were expecting?
Do any parts look dangerous?
Do you understand the controls?
Could fumes/dust escape from the equipment?
Is it excessively noisy or is there excessive vibration?
Does any part get very hot or cold?
Are there any live electrical parts exposed?
Are the manufacturer’s instructions clear and comprehensive?
Does the equipment contain a laser or radioactive source that will require registering?

It is also important to consider the following:

If the work equipment delivered is not safe, DO NOT USE IT. Contact the manufacturer and discuss any concerns.

Answers to the above questions are normally relatively simple and straightforward when buying a standard piece of ‘off-the-shelf’ work equipment from a recognised manufacturer. Things may be more complex if working with a designer to create custom-built pieces of work equipment.

Further details on the provision of work equipment is covered in the University Policy & Management Procedure for Work Equipment.

Work equipment inventory

On delivery, all work equipment over £500 in value must be added by Biology Stores to the departmental work equipment inventory.

Statutory inspections

Where necessary (as identified in the instructions provided) work equipment must be inspected after installation and before being put into use, and where statutory inspections are required (for example on pressure systems, lifting equipment or local exhaust ventilation systems) departmental Operations Team must register the equipment on their own database, or with the Estates Services, so that relevant scheduled inspections can be arranged and recorded.