Work Equipment Maintenance Records — What the Law Actually Says

"We maintain our equipment." Excellent. Can you prove it? Because under PUWER, maintenance isn't just about doing the work — it's about having records that demonstrate the work has been done.

And yet, maintenance records are one of the most commonly missing pieces of evidence we find when assessing workplaces. The equipment gets serviced, parts get replaced, breakdowns get fixed — but the paper trail ranges from sketchy to non-existent.

Here's what the law actually requires.

The PUWER Requirement

Regulation 5 of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 states that every employer shall ensure work equipment is maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair. Where a maintenance log is required, it must be kept up to date.

The phrase "where a maintenance log is required" is important. PUWER doesn't mandate a maintenance log for every single piece of equipment. But it does require one where the equipment's safety depends on the maintenance being carried out. In practice, that covers most equipment that poses any significant risk — machinery with moving parts, power tools, lifting equipment, pressure systems, vehicles, and anything with safety-critical components like guards, interlocks or emergency stops.

What Good Maintenance Records Look Like

A proper maintenance record for a piece of work equipment should include identification of the equipment (type, make, model, serial number, asset tag or location reference), the date of each maintenance activity, what was done (inspection, service, repair, replacement of parts), who carried it out (name, qualification or competence where relevant), findings (condition of safety-critical components, any defects identified), actions taken (repairs, replacements, adjustments), and the date of the next scheduled maintenance.

For equipment subject to statutory inspection (lifting equipment under LOLER, pressure systems under PSSR), the inspection reports have specific legal requirements and must be kept for defined periods.

The Three Types of Maintenance

Maintenance isn't one thing — it's three:

Planned preventive maintenance is the scheduled servicing and inspection of equipment at defined intervals. This is proactive: changing filters, lubricating bearings, checking belt tensions, testing safety devices, replacing worn components before they fail. This should be documented in a maintenance schedule that specifies what's done and how often.

Corrective maintenance is what happens when something breaks or a defect is found. This is reactive: replacing a failed motor, repairing a damaged guard, fixing a faulty interlock. Each corrective maintenance action should be recorded with the date, the fault found, the repair carried out, and confirmation that the equipment was safe to return to service.

Condition monitoring is ongoing surveillance of equipment condition using techniques like vibration analysis, thermal imaging, oil analysis or visual inspection. This provides early warning of developing faults and allows planned intervention before a failure occurs.

The Records Gap

In practice, what we usually find is that large or expensive equipment gets properly maintained and documented — the CNC machine has a full service history, the forklift has its LOLER inspection certificates. But smaller equipment gets overlooked. Hand tools, portable power tools, workshop equipment, guards, safety devices and controls often have no maintenance records at all.

This creates a problem when things go wrong. If an accident occurs and the HSE investigates, one of the first things they'll ask for is evidence of maintenance. "We service it regularly" without supporting records is difficult to defend.

A Practical System

You don't need expensive software to maintain good records (although it helps for larger operations). A simple system works:

Create an equipment register listing every significant piece of work equipment, with identification details and a unique reference number. Establish a maintenance schedule for each item, based on manufacturer recommendations, risk assessment findings and operational experience. Record every maintenance activity against the equipment register, whether it's a planned service, a repair or an inspection finding. Review the register periodically to check that scheduled maintenance is actually happening and that equipment in poor condition is being addressed.

For small businesses, a spreadsheet and a filing system for service reports is adequate. The key is consistency — recording every activity, every time, for every piece of equipment.

The Insurance Connection

There's a practical business benefit beyond legal compliance. Insurance companies increasingly ask for evidence of maintenance when processing claims. If a piece of equipment fails and causes damage, injury or business interruption, the insurer will want to see maintenance records. Poor or absent records can lead to disputed claims or increased premiums.

Equipment leasing companies also typically require maintenance records as a condition of the lease. Returning poorly maintained equipment can result in additional charges.

The Bottom Line

Maintenance records aren't just bureaucracy — they're evidence. Evidence that you've met your legal duty under PUWER, evidence that your equipment is safe, and evidence that can protect you if something goes wrong.

If your maintenance records have gaps, now is the time to close them.

Need your equipment maintenance assessed? Book a PUWER Assessment →

York Green Safety Partners assesses work equipment maintenance arrangements as part of every PUWER assessment. Based in Cheshire, covering the whole of the UK.