Health & Safety Requirements, processors and young people.

[Alycidon]

I am looking to take on a lad to run my processor on a casual add-hoc basis. Maybe 10 hours a week.

 

I am sure somewhere there are H&S requirements about young people and dangerous equipment, given that he is given proper training in the use of the machine ( JAPA 700) and associated tractors ( MF135) and loader ( JD 4400) and safety equipment is there a minimum age limit that applies?. Got a feeling its 21 but might be wrong.

 

Thanks for your input.

 

A

[Goaty]

18 years old to use a tractor pto shaft, I assume that by extension includes around static pto driven equipment. Like everything in young employment you can't do it until your 16/18 then its a lot to learn.

Plus are you aware of how much time school age kids are suppose to have in bordom/break/rest periods. There is a web page on young employment regs.

[skyhuck]

Are you thinking of leaving him to work alone??

 

If so, this is where you may have a problem, lone working with potentially dangerous machinery is pretty much out lawed now.

 

Its all about the duty of care that you as an employer have to your employee (even the self employed)

 

There as a forester on an estate who was laid off by the estate, because they could not afforded to have a second man with him, the estate consulted the HSE and were told that anything happened they would be liable.

[farmer_ben]

18 years old to use a tractor pto shaft, I assume that by extension includes around static pto driven equipment. Like everything in young employment you can't do it until your 16/18 then its a lot to learn.

Plus are you aware of how much time school age kids are suppose to have in bordom/break/rest periods. There is a web page on young employment regs.

 

Is this bit law? i dont know the actual age but i spent 2008-2010 teaching at Writtle Ag College and during that time instructed 16-17yr olds on basic tractor maintenance and operation, included fitting a pto properly and using a power harrow. They then took this training into a test and if passed, gained a nationally awarded certificate.

 

I'd have a llok at ag colleges local to you and see what tractor courses they do, however basic

[skyhuck]

It would seem strange if a 16 year old can drive a tractor on the road, but not use the PTO

[AA Teccie (Paul)]

Sorry, bit 'rushed' this morning. This would seem to be the crux of the matter taken from HSE 'Chainsaws at WOrk' (below) equating it as very hazardous / dangerous machinery use:

 

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they are supervised by a person competent in the use of a chainsaw for the work being done by the trainee and who, where appropriate, holds the relevant competence certificate or award.

 

Alos see Employing young people | Business Link

 

Good luck..

Paul

indg317.pdf

[Alycidon]

Dont quite know how old this lad is, 17-18 maybe, left school anyway. He would be supervised by another guy in his 30s but he would also need training on the processor. The older guy has formal chainsaw training.

 

Interesting about working alone, I pretty well always use it alone !!. I can see the point though, both people should also ideally be first aid at work qualified.

 

Thanks for your thoughts and input.

 

A

[skyhuck]

Dont quite know how old this lad is, 17-18 maybe, left school anyway. He would be supervised by another guy in his 30s but he would also need training on the processor. The older guy has formal chainsaw training.

 

Interesting about working alone, I pretty well always use it alone !!. I can see the point though, both people should also ideally be first aid at work qualified.

 

Thanks for your thoughts and input.

 

A

 

The duty of care that you owe to your self is far harder to prosecute than that you owe too others, although they will still prosecute the self employed, but you unlikely to sue yourself in the event of an accident.

[Dan Curtis]

I know its not entirely relevant but we've twice had problems on site with a 17 year old. First time was a roadside job, had highways turn up for an on the spot inspection and weren't happy with him being up the tree with a chainsaw. Told us to bring him shown.second time was on a construction site. The foreman made the team leader sign special forms releasing the construction firm from responsibility for the lad and putting him under special supervision of our team. Both times the lad in question was fully qualified. 30,31,38,39 efaw, cscs. But being under eighteen supposedly means his quals are irrelevant

[skyhuck]

I know its not entirely relevant but we've twice had problems on site with a 17 year old. First time was a roadside job, had highways turn up for an on the spot inspection and weren't happy with him being up the tree with a chainsaw. Told us to bring him shown.second time was on a construction site. The foreman made the team leader sign special forms releasing the construction firm from responsibility for the lad and putting him under special supervision of our team. Both times the lad in question was fully qualified. 30,31,38,39 efaw, cscs. But being under eighteen supposedly means his quals are irrelevant

 

This is possibly why our qualifications are seen as being of little worth.

 

The fact that a 17 year old can be "fully qualified" does say a lot.