Health & Safety Hire Policy

We will supply equipment suitable for the agreed purpose, maintained in a safe condition, with relevant safety devices in place. Before hire we will inspect and function-check the machine and attachments, address safety defects and provide operating and safety instructions. We will explain safe controls, isolation and emergency stopping at handover. We retain responsibility for duties that apply to us as the supplier.

Only competent, suitably trained and authorised people may operate the machine. Tell us before booking if you lack training or experience. Do not operate until you can use this model safely for the intended task. Read the instructions, use the seat belt and protective structure as specified by the manufacturer, and wear suitable footwear and any other protection required by the work. No passengers. Do not operate while impaired by alcohol, drugs, fatigue or medication.

Assess the work area and establish a safe method of work. Identify underground services using available plans, suitable locating methods (such as a cable avoidance tool) and safe excavation practices; plans alone are not enough. Identify overhead power lines and arrange safe clearances. Do not begin if services or safe clearances are uncertain. Keep the machine away from unsupported edges, excavations, unstable ground and slopes beyond the manufacturer's limits. Do not undermine structures. Obtain competent advice where needed.

Set up an exclusion area around the machine's travel, swing and working range. Keep children, visitors and other workers clear. Use a competent signaller where visibility requires it, with agreed signals and a safe position. Stop immediately if anyone enters the danger area or you lose sight of the signaller. Never allow anyone beneath a raised boom, bucket or load.

Use the machine only for the agreed work, within the manufacturer's limits and with approved attachments. Do not bypass guards or safety devices. Do not use it to lift people. Suspended-load lifting, demolition, work on a public road and indoor or enclosed-space use require our prior written agreement and appropriate safety arrangements — lifting must be planned by a competent person and the machine must be configured and rated for it. Diesel exhaust remains hazardous even from a low-emission engine. Do not run the digger in an enclosed space without a competent assessment and effective controls.

Before each use, follow the manufacturer's checks, including tracks, leaks, fluid levels, attachments and their locking arrangements, seat belt, guards and safety controls. Report defects immediately. Before leaving the seat, park safely on firm ground, lower the bucket and blade, isolate the controls, stop the engine and remove the key in accordance with the instructions. Immobilise and secure the machine when unattended. Refuel with the engine stopped, away from ignition sources, and deal safely with spills.

Stop work if the machine is damaged, unsafe or behaving abnormally. Lower attachments and isolate it if safe, keep others away and contact us. Do not attempt repairs or continue using a machine with a safety defect. For immediate danger or serious injury call 999. If a buried service or overhead line is struck, stop, keep people away and contact the emergency services and service owner as appropriate. Do not approach damaged services or attempt a repair. Report incidents, damage and theft to us promptly. Where you control the work, certain injuries and dangerous occurrences must also be reported to HSE under RIDDOR.

Do not assume the hire price includes insurance for theft or damage to the digger. Before booking, confirm the insurance arrangement with us and read the loss and damage provisions in your hire agreement. Hired-in plant cover protects your liability for the hired machine; public liability cover serves a different purpose. Any charges must follow the agreed terms and applicable law. Nothing in this information excludes our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, or removes your statutory rights.

Provide safe access and a suitable unloading area. At delivery we will record the machine's condition, demonstrate the relevant controls and complete a handover checklist with you. Tell us about damage, missing items or concerns before use. Keep the machine secure until collected and make it safely accessible. We will record its condition again on return. A signed checklist records the handover; it does not transfer our legal duties to you.

Norwich — Brian 07359 365 679 · Peterborough — Caiden 07387 967 698
Sterlingplantgroup@gmail.com · 51 St Georges Works, 51 Colegate, Norwich, NR3 1DD

HSE guidance on equipment hire and the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER); HSE excavator safety guidance; HSG47 Avoiding danger from underground services; GS6 Avoiding danger from overhead power lines; the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER) and RIDDOR 2013. This information supports safe hire and does not replace the machine instructions or a site-specific assessment.