6 FARM NEWS
DEC/JAN 2018 • farmers-mart.co.uk
Legal
requirements
for farm
machinery
inspections
Farmers are being urged to
ensure they are meeting their
legal requirements for inspection
of agricultural equipment, to
reduce the risk of accidents and
possible criminal proceedings.
FARMING has one of the
highest fatal injury statistics
of any industry in the UK,
with figures suggesting
almost one person a week,
over the last ten years,
has been killed as a direct
result of agricultural work.
However much expe-
rience an employer and
operator may have, acci-
dents can still happen and
specifically those relating
to machinery failure.
Not only will a qualified
inspection ensure the farm-
er meets the legal require-
ments, but it also reduces
potential for accidents.
A real life and tragic, yet
avoidable, accident involv-
ing a safe load indicator
failure demonstrates this
most tangibly.
Had an inspection been
performed on the tele-
handler, it would have
highlighted three key faults.
The safe load indicator was
not functioning, the load
chart in the cab was un-
readable and the extension
markers on the boom were
missing.
Sadly, the lethal com-
bination of unchecked
equipment resulted in an
innocent lorry driver being
left permanently disabled
and the farmer incurring
a £20,000 fine plus £1891
court costs. Following
the changes to personal
injury law, with a new law
passed back in March 2017
which is set to see lump
sum awards dramatically
increase, a similar incident
could see a significantly
higher fine.
The law change, which
has been applied ret-
rospectively to current
claims, as well as new
incidents, could lead to
significant increases in
court awards, so it is not
just prudent but essential
to take all precautions to
limit exposure to risk.
If a vehicle requiring an
inspection certificate is
involved in an accident or
causes injury, courts will
take into account the fact
that the machine held a
valid certificate, and that
could mean the difference
between having a criminal
record and fine, or not.
F&M’s engineering division
provides inspections de-
signed not only to identify
performance compromising
issues with the potential
to become dangerous, but
also to provide each ma-
chine with a comprehensive
service history.
From an insurance
perspective if a machine
is stolen or involved in
an accident, the reports
produced will provide
evidence as to its general
condition, operating hours
and any advisory issues
that have been acted upon,
and will help therefore
to establish its true val-
ue. F&M hold inspection
reports electronically,
meaning they are available
whenever and wherever
required.
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