HSE inspections

[ollie989898]

Ha Ha Ha... I have not laughed as much in ages so thank you for that. Just picturing NeilO chewing on a piece of straw like a real dunger then being led away to a police car with WalterP arriving to give him legal advice in the interview room.... Fudge me I think I'd rather stay in jail.

 

[kiwi pom]

When they turn up make them wear high vis,safety Goggles and a hard hat around the farm

Lol As long as that's what you're wearing of course, otherwise you'll be breaking your own rules

 

[ollie989898]

So, Mr....errr.. NeilO, do you have the appropriate certificate of competence for this piece of farm machinery, and are the protective guards in place and in good order?

 

[Phil P]

Are the HSE self funding now like VOSA?

 

[Bramble]

Watch out for their charges!!

If they find anything wrong (no seatbelt in a 30 year old telehandler that is hardly used in our case) and you get an invoice for their time. If I’d known that I wouldn’t have spent 45 mins giving him tea and biscuits. Got a bill for £260.

If they find nothing wrong then it’s a free visit I believe but might be worth asking before they arrive.

 

[icanshootwell]

I was hoping the advice on using a quad bike helmet would be my bit of training that I could nod about, and thank him profusely for his wise words......

Would a chainsaw helmet be good enough for quad riding, i have one of those.

 

[tepapa]

When they turn up make them wear high vis,safety Goggles and a hard hat around the farm

Uncomforatable goggles

 

[tepapa]

Or before you let them set foot across your property threshold ask to see their specific risk assessments and method statements for their inspection of your property and insist on sight of their insurance to do so... oh hang on it’s HSE and they can do as they please....

And then give them a full day safety induction to your farm. You can ask them at the end if you've missed anything out.
Edit, i was thinking an induction in a dark drafty out building with hard seats with plenty of breaks to waste time and only water for refreshments

 

[Martyn]

Yes having an inspection is a pain, but its no bad thing if it pulls standards up. Nothing to fear if sensible business being operated. lets face it. far to many injuries and deaths in farming

 

[Bobthebuilder]

If you had been bothered to go to the safety roadshow you probably would’ve learned quite a lot by the sounds of it [emoji849] and by signing in to say you had been then there’s a good chance that you wouldn’t have got a visit, 1 man band or employing 100 people safety is safety on farms and you really should be taking advice and doing as much as practically possible to stay safe, only take a split second to have an accident that can be life changing for you or your family

 

[nick...]

I’ve been trying to find a shads course but had no reply from he’s via email and last course shown in my area was a bury st Edmunds in Feb 2018 and no updates since then
Nick...

 

[TripleSix]

Had a neighbour borrow my quad helmet for an inspection.

May be wrong but my take on it is they aren't law on the road, you see the lads on trikes without a skid lid, but should legally? have one on you while on farm.
Should really have one on all the time....

You don't legally need to wear a helmet on the road, but anyone using a quad when "at work" does legally need to wear a helmet for HSE regs.

 

[H200GT]

Having had a few visits over the years within the industry I work, most without warning, the best advise I could give is to be pleasant, approachable, and understanding. Nothing will get a HSE inspectors back up more than someone who is awkward, obstructive and argumentative, and they will go out of their way to make these peoples day equally unpleasant.

You have been lucky in the fact you have been given prior warning, so I would make sure the obvious is right. Machinery will be looked at, PTO guards will probably be targeted. Make sure that you repair any broken ones, or remove them from the machine into the workshop for repair.

They are self funding now, and usually a breach will incur a fee. If they go down this route, remain pleasant, answer any questions promptly. They charge by the hour, so longer they are on site the more it will cost, just remember that.

 

[H200GT]

Having had a few visits over the years within the industry I work, most without warning, the best advise I could give is to be pleasant, approachable, and understanding. Nothing will get a HSE inspectors back up more than someone who is awkward, obstructive and argumentative, and they will go out of their way to make these peoples day equally unpleasant.

You have been lucky in the fact you have been given prior warning, so I would make sure the obvious is right. Machinery will be looked at, PTO guards will probably be targeted. Make sure that you repair any broken ones, or remove them from the machine into the workshop for repair.

They are self funding now, and usually a breach will incur a fee. If they go down this route, remain pleasant, answer any questions promptly. They charge by the hour, so longer they are on site the more it will cost, just remember that.

Just to add, HSE inspectors i have met have been mostly pretty good overall

 

[nick...]

I’m sure all of these people are fine but just have a bit of a reputation.hmrc strike the fear of god into lots of people bit like the vat man but they are very helpful when you need them.im affraid we all fear the worse.
Nick...

 

[Bobthebuilder]

If you look like your making an effort to keep things safe/ clean/tidy and well maintained it’ll be a lot easier but if they come on to a farm where buildings are in bad repair, vehicles going around where you can hardly see out the windows and broken lights, tractor/forklift with tools/string all over the floor and your feeder wagon with guards hanging off be prepared to get hammered

 

[Gav]

I’ve had a few trainees on courses recently who have had visits from HSE, completely unconnected with their attendance. They have had nothing but praise for HSE and their attitudes during the inspection, they are coming round with a view to advise rather than prosecute and help you comply with the rules so nothing to worry about....unless of course you have something there that blatantly breaks all common sense ideas of being safe.

Helmets on quads are mandatory under HSAW act, we had to get this clarified for slug pelleter training as people were refusing to wear them. Looking at around £50 for the logic one.

 

[Landrover]

I had them in a few years ago as one was driving past while we were moving sheep along the road, quad bike took his interest as we had no helmets, I'm sure at the time he said it wasn't a law to have them tho, it may have changed ! He came back to the yard and had a coffee, nice chap but the two post car lift got him excited in the workshop and once I'd told him that we only use it on our own vehicles and don't employ anyone he seemed alright with ! I can remember when I was small dad hiding the more "interesting" things before a safety man visit tho !

 

[matthew]

When they turn up make them wear high vis,safety Goggles and a hard hat around the farm

Friend has been to one of these meetings and taken ALL on board.
Hi vis waistcoats around the yards, available for visitors and a vistors log. The main thing was cover-your-ass warning notices. That shifts 'blame' from you to the person doing daft things. Or put another way, you have warned of possible danger.
Fragile roof, fuel store, cattle grid, livestock , chemicals, no unauthorised entry ... their farm bristles now with notices. But is HSE compliant. Apparently.
She's printed off a copy of the HSE bible for me, and I'm collecting signs...

 

[Grass And Grain]

Friend has been to one of these meetings and taken ALL on board.
Hi vis waistcoats around the yards, available for visitors and a vistors log. The main thing was cover-your-ass warning notices. That shifts 'blame' from you to the person doing daft things. Or put another way, you have warned of possible danger.
Fragile roof, fuel store, cattle grid, livestock , chemicals, no unauthorised entry ... their farm bristles now with notices. But is HSE compliant. Apparently.
She's printed off a copy of the HSE bible for me, and I'm collecting signs...

I struggle to decide if hi-vis vests are a good idea or not. I think it would increase the risk of cattle attacking me. Therefore, with few staff on the farm, i have decided that the increased dangers of wearing high-vis outweighs their advantages.

Happy to listen to any opposing arguments though.