Do conveyors need a PUWER inspection?
Yes, in most cases they do. Conveyors are work equipment under PUWER, and Regulation 6 requires inspection wherever wear could make them dangerous. No law sets the interval, so you base it on use and the manufacturer’s instructions. Fire shutters or curtains where a conveyor passes through a fire wall need their own checks under fire safety law.
Conveyors look harmless - They’re slow, they’re quiet, and the people working next to them stop noticing them... And that’s exactly why they hurt people. HSE’s analysis of the food and drink industries found conveyors were involved in about 30% of machinery accidents in that sector, more than any other type of machine. Most of those injuries came from well-known hazards, during normal work such as clearing a blockage. This post covers what the law asks for and what an inspection should look at.
Which law covers conveyors?
PUWER, the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. A conveyor is work equipment, so the employer, and anyone else who controls it, has to make sure it’s suitable, maintained in good repair, inspected where needed, and used by trained people. The regulations that matter most for conveyors are:
Regulation 5: keep it maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair
Regulation 6: inspect it at suitable intervals where it’s exposed to conditions that cause deterioration that could become dangerous, and keep a record
Regulation 11: stop people reaching dangerous parts, using fixed guards first, then other guards or protection devices, then jigs and push-sticks, plus information and training
Regulations 14 to 18: start, stop and emergency stop controls, and the control system behind them
Regulation 19: a way to isolate the conveyor from its power supply
Regulation 22: maintenance done with the conveyor shut down where possible
LOLER doesn’t normally apply. HSE’s LOLER guidance lists a conveyor belt as an example of equipment that isn’t lifting equipment. A separate goods lift or hoist that moves loads between floors as part of the system is a different matter, and may need a LOLER thorough examination. See LOLER vs PUWER.
Fire safety law covers the shutters, doors or curtains that close the gap where a conveyor runs through a fire-resisting wall or floor. There’s more on those below...
If you want the bigger picture of who PUWER applies to, see PUWER regulations explained.
How often should a conveyor be inspected?
PUWER doesn’t give a number. HSE expects you to set the interval from your risk assessment, the manufacturer’s instructions, and how the conveyor is used. Things that shorten the interval:
it runs on every shift, or around the clock
it carries heavy, sharp or abrasive loads
it works in dust, damp, heat, cold or washdown areas
guards are removed often for cleaning or clearing jams
it has a history of breakdowns or near misses
A light-use roller conveyor in a stockroom needs less attention than a powered belt line in a parcel hub or a food factory. Whatever you decide, write down the interval and why you chose it, and inspect again after any damage, modification, or long period out of use.
Between formal inspections, the people who use the conveyor should do a quick check at the start of each shift. Are the guards on, do the emergency stops work, and is anything damaged or noisy?
What should a conveyor inspection check?
What to check | PUWER regulation | What good looks like |
In-running nips between the belt and drums, rollers or idlers | Regulation 11, dangerous parts | Fixed guards in place, secure, and only removable with a tool |
Drives, chains, sprockets and shafts | Regulation 11, dangerous parts | Fully enclosed, with no gaps a hand or clothing could reach through |
Trapping points at transfers and between moving and fixed parts | Regulation 11, dangerous parts | Gaps closed off or guarded, or rollers designed to lift out rather than trap |
Interlocked guards | Regulations 11 and 18 | The conveyor stops when the guard opens and won’t restart until it’s closed |
Emergency stops and pull-wires | Regulation 16, emergency stops | Within easy reach along the whole length, tested regularly, and resetting doesn’t restart the conveyor |
Start controls and warnings | Regulations 14 and 24 | Start needs a deliberate action, with a warning where the operator can’t see the full length |
Isolation for maintenance and clearing jams | Regulations 19 and 22 | A clearly marked isolator that can be locked off |
Belt, rollers, tracking and structure | Regulation 5, maintenance | No serious wear, damage, misalignment or loose fixings |
Fire shutters, doors or curtains where the conveyor passes through a fire wall | Fire Safety Order 2005, article 17 | Closes fully when tested, with nothing in the way and the release mechanism working |
You should get a written record of what was checked, what was found and what needs doing, with anything dangerous flagged for action before the conveyor runs again.
Clearing jams safely
HSE found that most conveyor accidents happen during normal, foreseeable work, and clearing blockages comes up again and again. A jam is when people are tempted to reach in with the conveyor still running. Your inspection is a good time to check the system around it:
Is there a written safe system for clearing jams, and do people follow it?
Can the conveyor be stopped and isolated close to where jams usually happen?
Are interlocked guards fitted where people need regular access, such as for hygienic cleaning in food sites?
Have any guards been “temporarily” removed and never put back?
Conveyor fire shutters and fire curtains
Where a conveyor passes through a fire-resisting wall or floor, the opening breaks the fire compartment. It’s usually protected by a fire-rated shutter, door or curtain that closes when the fire alarm or a local detector triggers it, often after the conveyor has stopped and cleared the opening.
These barriers are fire safety equipment. Under article 17 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the responsible person must make sure they’re “subject to a suitable system of maintenance” and kept “in efficient working order and in good repair”.
What that looks like in practice:
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for testing and servicing.
For fire curtains, BS 8524-2 recommends regular operation tests on site, a monthly test of the release mechanism, and a professional inspection by a competent engineer at least once a year.
BS 9999 recommends a formal agreement with the installer, or the installer’s representative, for the regular inspection and testing.
Check the opening stays clear. Product, pallets or a conveyor that stops in the wrong place can stop the barrier closing. That defeats the whole point.
Keep the test records with your fire risk assessment.
Who’s responsible?
The employer whose staff use the conveyor. If someone else controls it, they share the duty to the extent of their control. That could be a landlord who owns a conveyor system in a leased warehouse, or a main contractor on a site. Where more than one business is involved, agree in writing who handles maintenance, inspection and the fire barriers.
Conveyor inspections across the East Midlands
I’m based in Nottingham and inspect work equipment for warehouses, distribution centres, manufacturers and food businesses across Nottingham, Derby, Leicester, Loughborough, Lincoln, and thr Midlands.
How I work:
I carry out and sign every inspection myself - I’ve been doing this for 14 years.
PULO doesn’t sell, install or repair conveyors, so there’s no reason for me to find faults that aren’t there.
You get a reminder before each inspection is due.
Once I’ve quoted, the price is fixed for all your ongoing inspections.
PULO holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001, and CHAS Advanced.
In a warehouse I can usually cover the rest of your equipment on the same visit, including forklifts, pallet trucks, goods lifts and roller shutters and dock levellers. See what a PUWER inspection involves and PUWER inspection costs.
A start-of-shift conveyor check
This only takes a couple of minutes. If anything fails, don’t run the conveyor, and report it.
Guards: all in place and fixed, with nothing removed or propped open.
Emergency stops: buttons and pull-wires not damaged or obstructed. Test one if that’s part of your routine.
Belt and rollers: no tears, fraying, loose or seized rollers, or belt running off line.
Noise and smell: no new grinding, squealing or burning smell once it starts.
Area: walkways clear, nothing stored under or against the conveyor.
Fire barriers: the opening through any fire wall is clear of product and pallets.
Frequently asked questions
Do conveyors need a PUWER inspection?
Conveyors are work equipment, so PUWER applies. Regulation 6 requires inspection where a conveyor is exposed to conditions that cause deterioration that could become dangerous, which covers most conveyors in daily use. Guards, emergency stops and isolation also have to meet PUWER regulations 11 to 19.
How often should conveyors be inspected?
PUWER does not set an interval. You decide it from your risk assessment and the manufacturer’s instructions, based on how much the conveyor runs, the conditions it works in and how quickly parts wear. Busy production conveyors need more frequent checks than a light-use roller conveyor in a stockroom.
Are conveyors covered by LOLER?
Not normally. HSE’s LOLER guidance lists a conveyor belt as an example of equipment that is not lifting equipment. Conveyors are covered by PUWER instead. A separate lift or hoist that raises goods between floors as part of a conveyor system may be lifting equipment.
What are the main hazards on a conveyor?
Most conveyor injuries come from well-known hazards: in-running nips between the belt and drums or rollers, drives and transmission parts, and trapping points between moving and fixed parts. HSE found that most of these accidents happen during normal work, including clearing blockages.
How often should conveyor emergency stops be tested?
There is no fixed legal interval. Emergency stops and pull-wires should be tested regularly as part of your routine checks, at the frequency the manufacturer and your risk assessment set, and again after any maintenance or change to the conveyor.
What is a conveyor fire shutter or fire curtain?
It is a fire-rated barrier that closes the opening where a conveyor passes through a fire-resisting wall or floor. When the fire alarm or a local detector triggers it, it closes, often after the conveyor has stopped and cleared the opening, to stop fire and smoke spreading.
Who should maintain conveyor fire shutters and curtains?
A competent person, in line with the manufacturer’s instructions. Article 17 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires fire safety equipment to be maintained in working order. For fire curtains, BS 8524-2 recommends regular tests on site and a professional inspection at least once a year.
Who is responsible for conveyor safety?
The employer whose staff use the conveyor, and anyone else who controls it, such as a landlord who owns a conveyor system in a leased warehouse. If more than one business is involved, agree in writing who handles maintenance, inspection and the fire barriers.
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