27/10/2026
A machine guard that fails a PUWER inspection can cost more than one that was never fitted. ⚠️
Here's why. Most procurement decisions treat machine guarding as a one-time capital cost, signed off once and forgotten. The timing of that spend matters as much as the amount.
HSE enforcement data for 2023/24 shows manufacturing prosecutions averaging £150,000+ in fines where machine guarding was a cited factor. Improvement notices escalate to prohibition notices and prosecution when guarding deficiencies are found after a near-miss or failed inspection. For SME manufacturers, those Section 33 fines run into six figures.
That reframes the decision. The real question is about timing. Fitting compliant guarding ahead of an inspection avoids the far heavier cost that follows a line stop. ✅
We fabricate machine guarding to your exact spec. Where fit is critical, our technicians measure on site, problem-solve awkward layouts, and install directly, so the guard that goes in is the guard that passes.
Get it in place ahead of the inspection. 🔧
Come visit us at www.sndsolutions.co.uk and see if we can help!