{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/provision-and-use-of-work-equipment-regulations-1998/regulation-4",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/provision-and-use-of-work-equipment-regulations-1998/regulation-4.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/1998/2306",
  "legislation_title": "The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/provision-and-use-of-work-equipment-regulations-1998",
  "path": "regulation/4",
  "kind": "regulation",
  "number": "4",
  "heading": "Suitability of work equipment",
  "text": "(1) Every employer shall ensure that work equipment is so constructed or adapted as to be suitable for the purpose for which it is used or provided.\n(2) In selecting work equipment, every employer shall have regard to the working conditions and to the risks to the health and safety of persons which exist in the premises or undertaking in which that work equipment is to be used and any additional risk posed by the use of that work equipment.\n(3) Every employer shall ensure that work equipment is used only for operations for which, and under conditions for which, it is suitable.\n(4) In this regulation “suitable”–\n(a) subject to sub-paragraph (b), means suitable in any respect which it is reasonably foreseeable will affect the health or safety of any person;\n(b) in relation to–\n(i) an offensive weapon within the meaning of section 1(4) of the Prevention of Crime Act 1953 provided for use as self-defence or as deterrent equipment; and\n(ii) work equipment provided for use for arrest or restraint, by a person who holds the office of constable or an appointment as police cadet, means suitable in any respect which it is reasonably foreseeable will affect the health or safety of such person.",
  "extent": "E+W+S",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Reg. 4(4) substituted (14.4.1999) by The Police (Health and Safety) Regulations 1999 (S.I. 1999/860), regs. 1, 5(1)"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I1",
      "text": "Reg. 4 in force at 5.12.1998, see reg. 1"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1998/2306/regulation/4",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T11:18:31.554452+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}