Evening all, so I was wondering, I have held a full driving licence for 4 years now and since then have used multiple telehandlers. I've driven on the road and round yards. However I do not hold a telehandler certificate. I'm a bit confused as so many people I've worked for have said you don't actually need one and that you can drive one on the road without a certificate perfectly legal. However a person I'm working for at the moment is going to possibly put me through my training and test and was talking to him today about it. He said the complete opposite that it's not legal to drive one on the road with just a car licence.... As you can imagine very confused by this so was just wondering what everyone else thinks or knows?
Telehandler legalities
- Thread starter Agri J
- Start date
You aren't insured if you haven't got the ticket with most companies.
An employer is not breaking the law if they are let you drive it for work purposes, on the road or in the yard but if something went wrong, how would they know you were competent to drive one?
www.hse.gov.uk
An employer is not breaking the law if they are let you drive it for work purposes, on the road or in the yard but if something went wrong, how would they know you were competent to drive one?
Telescopic handlers health & safety - Construction
The Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) information and advice regarding safety of telescopic handlers and how to control risk on construction sites
Hesston4860s
Member
- Location
- Nr Lincoln
I haven’t got a ticket but then I own it, I had a ticket but they say its no longer valid even tho it has no expiration date on it !.
Exfarmer
Member
- Location
- Bury St Edmunds
To drive on the road you just need a car licence full stop, no argument
to drive on farm/ site etc . You will need to show competence, possibly
to drive on farm/ site etc . You will need to show competence, possibly
you can drive one on the road with out a operators ticket just need a driving licence
Becomes an OXY MORONYou aren't insured if you haven't got the ticket with most companies.
An employer is not breaking the law if they are let you drive it for work purposes, on the road or in the yard but if something went wrong, how would they know you were competent to drive one?
Telescopic handlers health & safety - Construction
The Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) information and advice regarding safety of telescopic handlers and how to control risk on construction sites
With or without the 'ticket', it is a demonstration of incompetance.
If we are going by the book, have grandfather rights been lost, as with PA1/2 etc?
I have never had a ticket, but was trained informally (ie, told not to do anything stupid or tip it forwards) when bought first machine in about 1991; touch wood, I am still here.
I have never had a ticket, but was trained informally (ie, told not to do anything stupid or tip it forwards) when bought first machine in about 1991; touch wood, I am still here.
Last edited:
Scholsey
Member
- Location
- Herefordshire
Would say a telehandler is easier to drive safely than most big tractors these days. For insurance companies/HSE to threaten a experienced farm worker without a handler ticket yet be fine with a green 17 year old who passed their car test and drives a Toyota aygo in a Fendt 939 with a triple row or 4000 gallon tanker is ridiculous.
Northeastfarmer
Member
- Location
- Cleveland
Have used a telehandler since I was 12 without an operators licence and won’t be changing that
As far as I understand it Hse say everybody should be trained to operate a machine before they use it. This could be done by the boss or salesman but understandably a lot of people including insurance companies prefer to pass that responsibility to one of the training companies.
Think under 21s can't drive articulated machines?
Think under 21s can't drive articulated machines?
Northeastfarmer
Member
- Location
- Cleveland
You won’t be able to wipe your arse before long without undertaking some sort of idiotic cash extracting waste of time course
- Location
- northumberland
It is NOT law to have a certificate but if you had an accident I doubt the insurance would cover you unless you had proven to them that you had sufficient training
Doing it for the kids
Member
It’s basically all about insurance as above.
its all fine till there’s an accident then it gets more interesting..
its all fine till there’s an accident then it gets more interesting..
I was told that grandfather rights were an americanism and have no legal standing in the uk ,dont know if this right or w
rong
Cab-over Pete
Member
- Location
- Kenilworth, Warwickshire
You can legally drive one on the road as long as you are old enough and have a car licence, but use it for its intended purpose of lifting.
You can use a telehandler for work if you have the competence certificate, but that won’t cover you to drive it on the road.
As far as I’m aware, there is no legal requirement to hold a certificate if using it for work, but it has become expected to hold one and I think you would be on a sticky wicket if something were to go wrong.
The road and the farm are totally different things and require totally different licensing.
You can use a telehandler for work if you have the competence certificate, but that won’t cover you to drive it on the road.
As far as I’m aware, there is no legal requirement to hold a certificate if using it for work, but it has become expected to hold one and I think you would be on a sticky wicket if something were to go wrong.
The road and the farm are totally different things and require totally different licensing.
- Location
- North Notts
Has anyone had an incident where insurance has be invalidated I was under the impression you are insured against negligence, any driver could be negligent trained or not.
Tomtrac
Member
- Location
- Penrith cumbria
What happened in 2016
I was led to believe if you kept up your NROSO points PA1-2 were still ok
- Location
- S.E
How about if you have been trained and have a telehandler ticket and tractor road ticket but dont have a car licence?
Exfarmer
Member
- Location
- Bury St Edmunds
Tickets and licences are 2 completely seperate things, they have nothing at all to do with each other.
a licence is required to drive on the road full stop!
a ticket is not compulsory for anyone to drive anything anywhere. However site owners/ operators may insist on a certificate ( ticket ) of proficiency to work any machine at any property they own or manage.
Owners and managers may be required to insist on certificates either by assurance schemes or their own liability insurance.
Not having a ticket will not automatically nullify insurance, particularly in terms of third party. If you do not fulfill the terms of your insurance then the company may and probably will come back on you to cover its losses.