Whether your team uses angle grinders, bench grinders or cut-off saws, understanding abrasive wheel training requirements is essential for maintaining safety and compliance in the workplace.
The use of abrasive wheels carries inherent risks, and UK law places clear responsibilities on employers to ensure that anyone using, mounting or maintaining abrasive wheels is trained and competent.
Here we talk about abrasive wheel training requirements, detailing the legal framework, key elements of effective training, and how your organisation can ensure ongoing competence and compliance with health and safety legislation.
Is abrasive wheel training a legal requirement?
It is an employer’s legal duty to provide training for all work equipment, including abrasive wheels under Regulation 9 of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) which state:
“Every employer shall ensure that persons who use work equipment have received adequate training for the purposes of health and safety.”
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reinforces this training requirement:
“Employers must ensure that work equipment is used only by people who have received adequate information, instruction and training.”
The HSE’s publication, HSG17:Safety in the Use of Abrasive Wheels, expands on this by stating:
“In relation to abrasive wheels, PUWER 98 requires … that employees, including those using, mounting and managing the operation of abrasive wheels, are fully informed and properly trained in their safe use.”
For more information about an employer’s legal duties, please see, Abrasive wheels regulations – a quick guide.
What are the abrasive wheel training requirements?
In HSG17: Safety in the Use of Abrasive Wheels, the HSE is clear that:
“There is no substitute for thorough practical training in all aspects of the mounting and use of abrasive wheels.”
To comply with abrasive wheel training legal requirements, training should cover theoretical and practical knowledge, ensuring operators can safely select, mount, use and maintain abrasive wheels. According to HSG17, training must include:
- Legal duties under PUWER and HSG17: Understanding the employer’s responsibility to provide safe equipment and training, and the employee’s duty to follow procedures and use wheels correctly.
- Types of abrasive wheels and their markings: Identifying wheel types, markings, and maximum operating speeds in accordance with BS EN 12413 and BS EN 13236.
- Inspection, storage and handling of wheels: Learning to check for cracks or damage, carry out ring tests, and store wheels properly to prevent deterioration.
- Mounting and balancing procedures: Understanding correct mounting techniques, flanges, blotters, and bushes, and conducting safe test runs before use. HSG17 warns that “the danger of an abrasive wheel bursting is considerably increased if it is not properly mounted”.
- Safe operating speeds, guards and PPE: Applying correct safety measures, ensuring machines are properly guarded, and using appropriate personal protective equipment.
- Common hazards and risk control measures: Recognising hazards such as wheel breakage, entanglement, dust exposure and noise, and applying control measures to reduce risk.
The goal of training is to ensure operators have the skills and confidence to work safely and protect themselves and others.
Why are abrasive wheel training legal requirements essential?
When used incorrectly, abrasive wheels can cause severe or life-changing injuries. Operating at extremely high speeds, abrasive wheels can eject fragments and debris with tremendous force if a wheel shatters or fails.
A study published in the Journal of Orthopaedic Case Reports revealed that over 5,000 documented injuries occur every year as a result of angle grinder use, with the majority caused by abrasive wheels shattering during operation. The study also references data from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Accident Surveillance Systems, which ranked angle grinders as the third most dangerous tools in the UK.
Real-world incidents demonstrate the devastating consequences of poor training and unsafe working practices. In one notable case, H.I. Quality Steel Castings Ltd was prosecuted after an abrasive disc exploded, sending a shard that struck a worker in the mouth and caused fatal injuries. The company was fined £150,000 for failing to provide adequate training, supervision and guarding measures.
Abrasive wheel tasks can also expose workers to harmful levels of noise, dust, and hand–arm vibration. The HSE notes that vibration transmitted through tools such as grinders “can cause a range of disabling health complaints that are known collectively as hand–arm vibration syndrome (HAVS)”. Choosing the right grinding wheel for a task and using it correctly can greatly reduce exposure to dust, vibration, and other health risks.
By meeting abrasive wheel training legal requirements, employers help to ensure that everyone who uses, mounts, or maintains abrasive wheels is properly trained and competent which reduces the risk of serious injury in the workplace.
How often should abrasive wheel training be refreshed?
While the law does not specify specific intervals for training, the HSE advises that training should be reviewed and refreshed periodically to maintain competence, particularly where risks are high or equipment is complex.
In practice, refresher training should be provided when:
- New types of abrasive wheels or machinery are introduced, requiring different mounting or safety procedures.
- Work processes or environments change, potentially altering the risk profile.
- A near miss or incident occurs, indicating a lapse in safe working practices.
- Competence has declined over time, which may be identified during supervision or performance reviews.
Many organisations choose to refresh abrasive wheel training every two to three years as a matter of best practice, or sooner if any of the above triggers occur. Regular refresher sessions demonstrate that you are maintaining operator competence and fulfilling your ongoing duty under PUWER to provide adequate and up-to-date training.
Who needs abrasive wheel training?
Any person who uses, mounts, maintains, or manages the use of abrasive wheels must be properly trained and competent.
Employees and contractors
Employees who must receive abrasive wheel training include:
- Operators who use equipment such as angle grinders, cut-off saws, bench grinders, pedestal grinders, and precision grinding machines. These are classed as high-risk tools due to the potential for wheel breakage, ejected fragments, and noise and vibration hazards.
- Maintenance and workshop personnel who are responsible for mounting, dressing, or replacing wheels, as incorrect fitting is one of the leading causes of wheel failure and injury.
- Apprentices and new employees who are new to the task or have limited practical experience. They must be trained and supervised until competence is proven.
- Contractors who carry out grinding operations on site, as employers have a duty under PUWER Regulation 12 to ensure that any person using work equipment provided by them is properly trained and competent.
Supervisors and managers
Supervisors and managers require training to understand abrasive wheel training legal requirements and ensure that safe systems of work are maintained. The HSE’s guidance HSG17: Safety in the Use of Abrasive Wheels states that training should be provided for:
“All persons who select and mount abrasive wheels, and those responsible for managing their use.”
Managers and supervisors should therefore understand:
- The risks associated with abrasive wheel use.
- The legal duties under PUWER and the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
- How to assess competence and identify when refresher training is needed.
- The importance of providing appropriate PPE, guarding, and maintenance systems.
Demonstrating competence
Employers should keep training records and competency assessments for everyone involved in abrasive wheel operations. These serve as evidence that the organisation is complying with PUWER and maintaining a competent workforce.
Meet your legal duties with Abrasive Wheels Training
At Praxis42, we help organisations meet abrasive wheel training legal requirements through expert-led, practical courses.
Our experienced health and safety consultants offer Abrasive Wheels Training which can be tailored to your organisation’s equipment and processes. Training can be delivered via eLearning, in a live virtual classroom, or face-to-face at a venue of your choice.
Find out about Abrasive Wheels Training on our website, or contact our friendly team on 0203 011 4242 / info@praxis42.com
Adam Clarke
Managing Director (Consulting)
