Posted By Ross Stirton
I have been reading PUWER '98: Open Learning Guidance, and must admit I'm now more confused than when I started!
Specifically, the Reg 16 (Emergency stop controls) Case Study: Chemical Industry, refers to the failure of an emergency stop button controlling a heating system boiler.
I would not previously have considered a boiler to be 'work equipment'. Is the message that all emergency stop controls are work equipment?
Similarly, the Case Study for the Petrochemical Industry refers to markings on switches for process pumps on the panels in the Central Control Room as being work equipment.
Can anyone offer any personal experiences about where (or if) there is any distinction between process plant and 'work equipment' as caught by PUWER?
Or do I have to review my plant for PUWER assessments, over and above the HAZOPs/HAZIDS/ENVIDs that have been done to support COMAH.......

Posted By Robert K Lewis
You need to look carefully at regs 16 and 15 together. Emergency stops are needed if they prevent danger but not if the work equipment will come to a halt safely in some other way. This requires an assessment of the individual system. The control panel itself is part of the w.e. not w.e. in itself. The answer is yes there is a need to assess but I suspect most process items such as boilers, even domestic, have the necessary control through the flame failure devices and fuel shut off valves. Your other assessments already done must have touched this area if correctly completed
Bob