Testing work equipment

Work equipment such as tools, machines, and installations should not be dangerous to work with for your employees. Therefore, you must maintain this work equipment regularly and have it inspected on a regular basis. If you have machine safety in order, you reduce the risk of accidents in the workplace.

Maintenance of work equipment

Work equipment must always be in their original and good condition. You must therefore ensure good maintenance. Often the manufacturer’s user manual describes how to do this. You must also keep records of the maintenance, for example in a maintenance log. You can use this log to show the Netherlands Labour Authority that the maintenance of your work equipment is in order.

Inspection of work equipment

There are 2 types of inspection:

• Inspection before first use: you check if you have installed the work equipment properly and if it works safely and well. Do you dismantle the work equipment or do you install it in another place? You have to perform an inspection before first use again.
• Periodic inspection: this is required when the use or outside influences can lead to wear and tear, ageing or damage. You decide yourself how often this is necessary. It depends on the equipment and how often you use it. In general, it is considered safe to have the inspection carried out once a year.

Who tests work equipment?

You decide who will carry out the inspection. The inspection must be carried out by an expert or institution. For example:

• an independent inspection company
• the supplier's maintenance service
• your own technical service department

Some types of work equipment (in Dutch), for example mobile cranes, pressure equipment, or containers, must be inspected by a certified company. Employers are responsible for checking which inspection obligations apply to their equipment.

Proof of inspection

You must have proof of the inspection. For instance, a sticker or other written proof which shows the date of the last inspection and the next inspection. This way you can show the Netherlands Labour Authority that you comply with the inspection duty.