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WITH ONE OF THE HIGHEST fatal injury statistics of any industry in the UK , it has never been more crucial for the agricultural sector to ensure fully qualified engineering inspections are implemented and that they meet HSE regulations , says independent insurance broker Farmer & Mercantile ( F & M ).

In the last decade , almost one person a week has been killed as a direct result of agricultural work . Unwise risktaking is an underlying problem within the industry . However much experience an employer and operator may have , accidents can still happen , specifically those relating to machinery failure .

In the past farmers have bemoaned what has been felt as the futility of engineering inspections as they have been carried out by inspectors with no direct experience of operating or maintaining the machines involved . F & M takes

a different approach : all its engineering inspectors come from farming backgrounds and possess practical knowledge .

Providing PUWER ( Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 ) and LOLER ( Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 ) inspection services , F & M can ensure all lifting equipment complies with HSE regulations . The inspections are designed to identify performance compromising issues with the potential to

become dangerous , and to provide each machine with a comprehensive service history .

If a farmer decides to upgrade a tele-handler , for example , the engineering certificates will be evidence that the machine has been well maintained and that it is in good , safe working order . From an insurance perspective , if a machine is stolen or involved

in an accident , the reports produced by F & M will again provide evidence as to its general condition , operating hours and any advisory issues that have been acted upon , and so help establish its true value .

F & M hold inspection reports electronically , available as and when required . The team also manages inspection schedules , contacting clients when an inspection is due .

Accidents will be investigated by HSE and if any areas of negligence are identified prosecutions and fines will follow . The F & M engineering inspection division can help avoid this situation .

Meet the team at LAMMA 2017 ( Stand 787 ) to find out more .

www . fandmgroup . co . uk