School New Machinery Commissioning and Acceptance Checklist

Use this checklist when the school acquires, installs, assembles or commissions new machinery or other work equipment. This checklist is for maintained and academy primary or secondary schools in England and not independent schools.

Record the equipment name, model or identifier, location, intended purpose, where and how it will be used, and who will use it.

Check that the purchase or specification records address where and how the equipment will be used, its intended purpose, the people who will use it, the health and safety risks arising from its use, and how those risks are controlled.

Check that the order or specification records the requirement for the equipment to be safe, meet relevant product safety legislation, have appropriate conformity marking where required, and be correctly labelled.

Check that the machinery is accompanied by the relevant Declaration of Conformity and that it covers the relevant product safety legislation where required.

Check that English instructions are available and state how the machinery should be used and maintained.

Record the available evidence that the machinery was installed or assembled in accordance with the relevant requirements, including the responsible installer or supplier where recorded.

If the equipment is lifting equipment and it was assembled on site, depends for safety on how it was installed, or requires assembly or installation before use, do not accept it for use until a competent person has examined it after assembly or installation and before use at the relevant location. Record the examination evidence.

Check the machinery for missing guards or other obvious omissions that could make it unsafe for the way it will be used and maintained.

Inspect the machinery for obvious defects or unsafe conditions in light of the intended use and maintenance arrangements.

Record any defect, missing guard, missing document, installation issue or other outstanding action identified during the checks.

Check that the risks arising from the way the machinery will be used and maintained have been assessed and that the assessment reflects the equipment, location, intended users and operating arrangements.

Record the risk-assessment reference and the person or role responsible for its completion.

Select the status supported by the checks and evidence recorded in this checklist.

Record the name and role of the person authorising the acceptance decision, together with the date and any conditions or required follow-up actions.