School Work Equipment Selection and Conformity Procedure

This procedure applies conditionally to maintained and academy primary and secondary schools in England that provide or use work equipment, including equipment used in classrooms, workshops, laboratories, kitchens, grounds or maintenance activities.

1. Responsibility and scope

The person responsible for equipment selection and conformity checks is [equipment owner role]. Use this procedure when selecting or providing work equipment, and when new machinery or other work equipment within relevant product-supply requirements is supplied for work use.

Work equipment may include machinery, appliances, apparatus, tools and installations used by workers or under the school's control. The equipment must be selected and provided so that risks to health and safety arising from its use are prevented or controlled.

2. Define the intended use

Before selecting equipment, identify where and how it will be used, what it will be used for, who will use it, and the health and safety risks that may result from its use.

Consider the workplace conditions and the health and safety risks at [school name] when deciding whether equipment is suitable for its intended purpose.

For complex or custom-built equipment, discuss the school's requirements with potential suppliers so that available options and the control of relevant risks can be considered.

3. Select suitable equipment

Select and provide equipment that is suitable for the job and for the conditions in which it will be used. When comparing manufacturers or suppliers, consider how effectively the available equipment controls the health and safety risks identified for the intended use.

When placing an order, specify in writing that the equipment must be safe, meet all relevant product safety legislation, including appropriate conformity marking where applicable, and be correctly labelled.

Equipment must be used only for suitable purposes. Local instructions must restrict use that is outside the equipment's intended or suitable purpose.

4. Check new equipment before use

Before new machinery or other relevant work equipment is put into use, check that it conforms with the essential requirements of any relevant product-supply law.

Check that the equipment has appropriate conformity marking and is labelled with the manufacturer's details.

Check that the equipment is accompanied by a Declaration of Conformity where required, and by instructions in English. For machinery, the English instructions must state how the machinery should be used and maintained.

Assess whether the equipment is obviously unsafe in light of how it will be used and maintained. Examples include missing guards. Do not put equipment into use while an obvious defect or missing required information remains unresolved.

5. Confirm suitability and use controls

Confirm that the equipment is suitable for its intended purpose, taking account of workplace conditions and health and safety risks. Confirm also that the planned use is within the purposes for which the equipment is suitable.

Provide the relevant local instructions and controls for the equipment, including restrictions on unsuitable use. Where the equipment is not suitable for the intended task or conditions, do not provide it for that use.

6. Acceptance for work use

The equipment may be accepted for work use only when the suitability decision has been made and the applicable conformity marking, manufacturer's details, Declaration of Conformity, English instructions and obvious-defect checks have been considered.

The person responsible for the decision is [equipment owner role]. Any unresolved concern about suitability, conformity information or an obvious defect must be referred to [responsible referral role] before the equipment is used.