Hedge-cutting, whether it is carried out for aesthetics, road safety concerns or to maintain hedge integrity, is an important task. It is also a potentially very dangerous task. There are many associated dangers that can lead to a serious injury to the operator or persons in the vicinity of a hedge cutter. For that reason, it is important that the correct insurance cover is in place.
Equally as important as having the correct cover in place, before carrying out any works, is identifying hazards and taking steps to minimise them.
Small steps can go a long way to preventing any accidents or damage. That is why it is imperative a risk assessment is completed before any work is carried out.
The Health and Safety Authority’s (HSA) booklet, Guidance on the Safe Use of Tractors and Machinery on Farms, outlines the key safety concerns that surround the use of hedge cutters and ways to control them.
Special focus: hedge-cutting 2017
There are three key categories that account for the majority of exposure to hazards that result in accidents or damage. They are the equipment, the operator and the public.
The equipment
Key hazards
Safety controls
The operator
Key hazards
Safety controls
The public
Key hazards
Safety controls
The Irish Farmers Journal spoke with Stewart Gavin, agricultural lines product manager at FBD Insurance, to highlight the insurance cover to consider in connection with hedge-cutting.
The recommended minimum insurance for farmers and contractors who are engaged in hedge-cutting is outlined below. In all instances, it is recommended to discuss your individual requirements with your insurance adviser.
Tractor insurance
Public liability
Employers liability
Personal accident
While liability cover protects your liability to third parties, personal accident insurance provides specified financial benefits to a person should he/she be involved in an accident. Weekly benefits can provide an income during the injury period to offset the cost of employing additional labour to do the work normally undertaken by the insured person. The business activities undertaken must be declared to your insurer.
Insurers may request details of activities undertaken to ensure the most appropriate policy is provided to customers such as wage roll, turnover, commercial hedge-cutting or farm only.
Depending on the scale of hedge-cutting undertaken, the cover options above, are available under FBD’s farm multiperil or business multiperil products.*
It is important to check with your insurance provider to review your cover and individual requirements to ascertain if you hold the appropriate protection to carry out hedge-cutting activities.
*Terms, conditions and normal underwriting criteria apply. FBD Insurance plc is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.