What is ACOP for PUWER?

What is ACOP?

ACOP is the acronym which is widely used for ‘Approved Code of Practice’ and describes the recommended methods that should be used (or standards to be met) to comply with Health and Safety legislation. The Health and Safety at Work Act impose these regulations and duties, and it is advised that the Code (which relates to your H&S area) should be followed in order to comply with the law.

There are many ACOP’s, and each one is approved by the Health and Safety Executive. Each Code gives detailed information and advice on how to comply with the law and has it’s own legal status. If you are prosecuted for breaching Health and Safety Law, and it is proved you didn’t follow the relevant provisions within the relevant Code, then you will be found at fault ( unless you are able to prove you have used equally effective methods which have complied with the law in some other way).

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) website holds information on all ACOP’s.

Who are they for?

ACOP’s exist so that organisations can access guidance to ensure they are complying with Health & Safety Law, as set out by the Health and Safety at work Act.

Without this guidance, another effective method would need to be undertaken to ensure you comply within the law. As all ACOP’s have a special legal status, it is strongly advised you follow them to avoid a breach of the law.

What is ACOP for PUWER?

The Provision of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) 1998 has its own ACOP. This ACOP defines what is needed to comply with PUWER, and is aimed at duty holders, employers and anyone else who is responsible for the safe use of work equipment. This may also include managers and supervisors.

PUWER ’98 regulations places duties on people and companies who own, operate and have control over work equipment. It also places responsibilities on organisations whose employees use work equipment regardless of whether they own them or not.

Spiers Engineering Safety have extensive experience with the PUWER ACOP and we have developed our services and training to ensure your compliance with it. We have the most recent Safe Use of Work Equipment – PUWER ACOP guidance in our resource centre in ‘Related Resources’

We offer PUWER training for duty holders and other relevant people starting at entry level and developing up in to the Certified PUWER Assessor (CPA) qualification for PUWER practitioners.

To learn more about PUWER read our Guide: The ultimate guide to PUWER