Anyone buying new equipment (or acquiring second hand) is responsible for:
Biology Stores are responsible for:
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)
When accepting delivery:
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.
On delivery, all work equipment over £500 in value must be added by Biology Stores to the departmental work equipment inventory.
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.