Employee wanting to borrow machinery

Fendt

Member
Our farm employee wants to borrow our JCB to help his Dad put some roof trusses up on a new shed he's building at home.
Don't want to be miserable and say he can't use it, not bothered about the fuel or the hours of use etc. I just really want to make sure we're right with insurance. Massive liability to us if something were to go wrong while he was doing something outside of the business use. Any thoughts?
 

David.

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
J11 M40
You would be better off to pay for a hire machine for him.
If anything goes wrong and HSE are involved, and your machine is in any way found wanting, or to be a contributing factor, I suspect you will be in the sling.
It will 99% likely be fine, only you know how safe the lad is...
 

David.

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
J11 M40
Yes except machine will not be under OPs control if it's working away. Has it got a certified man cage, etc.
Dont wish to be the H&S snowflake, but putting up DiY sheds will have a higher risk of injury than most farm work.
 

Hereward

Member
Location
Peterborough
Its not worth the hassle, your employee is trying to save money whilst asking you to take a big risk.

This is not being mean, just sensible.

There are not many days the telehandlers isn't needed here and I wouldn't want it off site even without the risks involved.
 

Still Farming

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
South Wales UK
Yes except machine will not be under OPs control if it's working away. Has it got a certified man cage, etc.
Dont wish to be the H&S snowflake, but putting up DiY sheds will have a higher risk of injury than most farm work.
Telehandler certificate , loler certification, non agri work ,white diesel ,insurance ,safety harness and tickets , cement sheets, crawling boards , lists go on and on and on and when you think you got it all a clip board weilding fanatic comes out of the wood work ?
 

kfpben

Member
Location
Mid Hampshire
Our bloke has been building his own house recently and he has used the JCB a fair bit at the weekends instead of getting a bonus last Christmas. Haven’t had any problems.
He has some kit we use in the workshop occasionally too so hopefully it evens out. We also benefit from his entire family (mum, dad, 2 kids, gran) helping move our stock down/across roads when needed.

If he’s an employee surely he’s insured to drive your kit with your permission? I don’t really see it as any different to doing a contracting job.
 

Highland Mule

Member
Livestock Farmer
Our bloke has been building his own house recently and he has used the JCB a fair bit at the weekends instead of getting a bonus last Christmas. Haven’t had any problems.
He has some kit we use in the workshop occasionally too so hopefully it evens out. We also benefit from his entire family (mum, dad, 2 kids, gran) helping move our stock down/across roads when needed.

If he’s an employee surely he’s insured to drive your kit with your permission? I don’t really see it as any different to doing a contracting job.

Indeed. Could you rent it to him for £1?
 

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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