Farmers will have 60 days to book courses on the safe use of quad bikes and telehandlers if farm safety inspectors find adequate training has not already been undertaken.

With a new wave of unannounced safety inspections taking place across NI, the Health and Safety Executive (HSENI) has confirmed details on quad bike and telehandler training requirements.

“It applies to all farms across NI and all people operating these vehicles on the farm as part of a work activity,” a HSENI spokesperson told the Irish Farmers Journal.

If adequate training has not been completed, an “improvement notice” will be issued by inspectors which gives a minimum period of 60 days to rectify issues.

Training

“An improvement notice allows the farmer to continue to use the vehicles but in order to comply with the notice they must have received or at least booked the training within the required timeframe,” the HSENI spokesperson said.