PUWER or the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations applies to all machinery, tools and equipment.  So be it a 40 tonne excavator or a 3 tread step ladder, you have a duty to inspect the equipment for faults and defects to make sure that it is safe to use.  Our free PUWER Safety Checklist/Template can be used to make a record of these inspection to help you demonstrate to third parties that you have a formal inspection regime in place.  Obviously some inspections are far more straight forward than others and certain equipment will be subject to more stringent inspection by suitably qualified competent persons.