Despite the Covid-19 crisis and the several lock-downs we have had over the last year, criminals are still targeting the Countryside and are become more brazen about it. Farmers are having to go to extra lengths to ramp up security and protect their livelihoods.
PSP Group are always looking to help our rural community in any way we can so we have put together some top tips for keeping your farmyards safe and your business running smoothly.
Datatag Machinery
Police often find farm machinery that they think has been stolen but has usually been stripped of its identifying marks. Years ago nearly all agricultural machinery stolen would be found in the same county, but these days it is often destined for abroad. Around £1m worth of farm machinery is stolen from farms every week and is heading straight out of the country making it impossible to recover.
Tractors are being shipped out of the UK not only to Europe but as far afield as Australia and Africa.
Datatag and Cesar use unique layered security markings, which include microdot scattered around the vehicle, this makes it much easier to identify within a very short space of time and reunite it with the owner.
If you are unfortunate enough to have any of your farm machinery stolen you need to report it to the police as quickly as possible and provide as much information as you can including makes and models, colour, registration plate serial number, chassis and engine number and Cesar number.
Farmers that use security marking within Datatag and Cesar schemes, are enabling the true identity of stolen kit to be established and this will go a long way to having it recovered and returned to them.
Fertiliser
Failure to report either missing or stolen batches of ammonium nitrate (AN) fertiliser from your farm could mean prosecuted under anti-terrorism laws. This could lead to up to 3 months in jail or a hefty fine.
To avoid having to deal with a missing or stolen fertiliser you should always store it inside a locked building whenever possible. Make sure it is stored away from and out of view of the public highway and don’t leave it in fields or anywhere there is public access overnight.
Make sure you have a record of any manufacturer code numbers from the bags and a keep note of the resistance test certificate numbers if they are available. Always report any stock discrepancies to the police immediately.
Farmers and Landowners need to be responsible for making sure fertiliser doesn’t get into the wrong hands and they must report anyone who is suspiciously asking to buy fertiliser from them.
Firearms
Farmers have a responsibility for safe gun ownership. There are 1.9m lawfully held firearms in the UK. Farmers whose guns are stolen or lost could face prosecution and have their firearms certificates revoked, if reasonable measure to secure them haven’t been followed. The most common places for firearms to be stolen are from vehicles, while burglary is second.
The Firearms Rules 1998 require all firearm and shotgun certificates to be produced with the statutory condition that firearms and ammunition “must at all times be stored securely so as to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, access by an unauthorised person”.
If you one of your guns is lost, stolen or missing you must report it to the policy immediately, with details of make, model, serial number, bore and the details around how it has gone missing.
Livestock
Keeping Livestock safe is becoming increasingly challenging whether it be from thieves or the general public walking their dogs across farmland, especially if they graze far from your main yard and buildings.
To help protect your livestock from thieves you should regularly check fields with livestock and keep all hedges, fences and gates in good repair. If able then the gates should always be closed and locked, as well as making sure the shed and stockyard gates are also closed and locked.
Always make sure livestock are tagged, identification is essential for proof of ownership and it can help to deter thieves. Things like ear tags, earmarking, tattooing, Freeze branding or microchips can put criminals off staling livestock. Taking photos or videos of valuable animals with the brand or tags clearly visible can also help. Keep recent and accurate records of all your livestock, this will help keep tabs on what is going in and out if the farm.
Dog walkers are becoming an ever-increasing issue with livestock owners. Making sure you have visible signage around your livestock requesting dogs to be kept on leads can make it clear to walkers that it is dangerous for their dogs to be off the lead. Checking livestock regularly that are situated on land that has public footpath access is also a must to keep on top of what is going on.
If you have an incident these should be reported to the police immediately.
Farm Yard and Farm House.
As a farmer your work is your life and often you live on your farm. Having a stranger come on to your property and steal and damage your belongings can affect you psychologically as well as physically. Not only have your belongings been stolen or damage you now don’t feel safe in your own home or at your workplace.
There are some steps you can take to keep your house and farm secure and to deter criminals.
Make sure you invest in some good locks for your doors and widows in your house and around the farm. Make sure gates are always locked when you’re not around. Often placing concrete blocks or rollers in gateways that are not being used regularly deters trespassers.
Be aware of unfamiliar people come and going, driving into or around the farm, stopping and asking unusual questions or trying to sell you machinery. Always report any suspicious activity to the police as soon as possible.
Keep logs of tools around the farm and valuables around the house, this can be descriptions or photographs. This makes it easier if an incident has occurred, to recover items.
Security lights around entrances to building and your property can be a great deterrent for criminals and can often alert you to something going on. CCTV is also a great way to put criminals off entering your property. Technology has evolved and some of the CCTV systems available aren’t too costly and they can alert you via your mobile phone if activity is detected.
Theft by Deception warning
PSP Group NewsThe Motor Trade team have become aware of a significant increase in the use of fraudulent credit cards to acquire motor vehicles.
In the last two weeks alone we have been contacted by 3 clients reporting 4 vehicles paid for by stolen / cloned credit cards.
In two of these cases they were contacted by an alleged ‘motor dealer’ from Bristol.
The credit card company will contact you after the transaction has taken place and simply recover the money from your account but obviously by this time the vehicle has gone!
IMPORTANT NOTE: Please be aware that most Motor Trade Insurance Policies exclude losses caused by “Theft by Deception” and those Motor Trade policies that do provide cover often have significant excesses for this type of loss.
If you have any concerns regarding your policy cover or would like more clarification please call your usual Account Executive.
We would suggest that you exercise extreme caution when processing debit / credit cards and take extra steps to satisfy yourself that the card holder is legitimate.
Alternatively, the safe option is not to take credit cards at all.
Farm Security
PSP Group NewsDespite the Covid-19 crisis and the several lock-downs we have had over the last year, criminals are still targeting the Countryside and are become more brazen about it. Farmers are having to go to extra lengths to ramp up security and protect their livelihoods.
PSP Group are always looking to help our rural community in any way we can so we have put together some top tips for keeping your farmyards safe and your business running smoothly.
Datatag Machinery
Police often find farm machinery that they think has been stolen but has usually been stripped of its identifying marks. Years ago nearly all agricultural machinery stolen would be found in the same county, but these days it is often destined for abroad. Around £1m worth of farm machinery is stolen from farms every week and is heading straight out of the country making it impossible to recover.
Tractors are being shipped out of the UK not only to Europe but as far afield as Australia and Africa.
Datatag and Cesar use unique layered security markings, which include microdot scattered around the vehicle, this makes it much easier to identify within a very short space of time and reunite it with the owner.
If you are unfortunate enough to have any of your farm machinery stolen you need to report it to the police as quickly as possible and provide as much information as you can including makes and models, colour, registration plate serial number, chassis and engine number and Cesar number.
Farmers that use security marking within Datatag and Cesar schemes, are enabling the true identity of stolen kit to be established and this will go a long way to having it recovered and returned to them.
Fertiliser
Failure to report either missing or stolen batches of ammonium nitrate (AN) fertiliser from your farm could mean prosecuted under anti-terrorism laws. This could lead to up to 3 months in jail or a hefty fine.
To avoid having to deal with a missing or stolen fertiliser you should always store it inside a locked building whenever possible. Make sure it is stored away from and out of view of the public highway and don’t leave it in fields or anywhere there is public access overnight.
Make sure you have a record of any manufacturer code numbers from the bags and a keep note of the resistance test certificate numbers if they are available. Always report any stock discrepancies to the police immediately.
Farmers and Landowners need to be responsible for making sure fertiliser doesn’t get into the wrong hands and they must report anyone who is suspiciously asking to buy fertiliser from them.
Firearms
Farmers have a responsibility for safe gun ownership. There are 1.9m lawfully held firearms in the UK. Farmers whose guns are stolen or lost could face prosecution and have their firearms certificates revoked, if reasonable measure to secure them haven’t been followed. The most common places for firearms to be stolen are from vehicles, while burglary is second.
The Firearms Rules 1998 require all firearm and shotgun certificates to be produced with the statutory condition that firearms and ammunition “must at all times be stored securely so as to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, access by an unauthorised person”.
If you one of your guns is lost, stolen or missing you must report it to the policy immediately, with details of make, model, serial number, bore and the details around how it has gone missing.
Livestock
Keeping Livestock safe is becoming increasingly challenging whether it be from thieves or the general public walking their dogs across farmland, especially if they graze far from your main yard and buildings.
To help protect your livestock from thieves you should regularly check fields with livestock and keep all hedges, fences and gates in good repair. If able then the gates should always be closed and locked, as well as making sure the shed and stockyard gates are also closed and locked.
Always make sure livestock are tagged, identification is essential for proof of ownership and it can help to deter thieves. Things like ear tags, earmarking, tattooing, Freeze branding or microchips can put criminals off staling livestock. Taking photos or videos of valuable animals with the brand or tags clearly visible can also help. Keep recent and accurate records of all your livestock, this will help keep tabs on what is going in and out if the farm.
Dog walkers are becoming an ever-increasing issue with livestock owners. Making sure you have visible signage around your livestock requesting dogs to be kept on leads can make it clear to walkers that it is dangerous for their dogs to be off the lead. Checking livestock regularly that are situated on land that has public footpath access is also a must to keep on top of what is going on.
If you have an incident these should be reported to the police immediately.
Farm Yard and Farm House.
As a farmer your work is your life and often you live on your farm. Having a stranger come on to your property and steal and damage your belongings can affect you psychologically as well as physically. Not only have your belongings been stolen or damage you now don’t feel safe in your own home or at your workplace.
There are some steps you can take to keep your house and farm secure and to deter criminals.
Make sure you invest in some good locks for your doors and widows in your house and around the farm. Make sure gates are always locked when you’re not around. Often placing concrete blocks or rollers in gateways that are not being used regularly deters trespassers.
Be aware of unfamiliar people come and going, driving into or around the farm, stopping and asking unusual questions or trying to sell you machinery. Always report any suspicious activity to the police as soon as possible.
Keep logs of tools around the farm and valuables around the house, this can be descriptions or photographs. This makes it easier if an incident has occurred, to recover items.
Security lights around entrances to building and your property can be a great deterrent for criminals and can often alert you to something going on. CCTV is also a great way to put criminals off entering your property. Technology has evolved and some of the CCTV systems available aren’t too costly and they can alert you via your mobile phone if activity is detected.
Avian Flu
PSP Group News, PSP RiskCases of Avian Flu have been detected in Swans in Cornwall and Devon over the last few months and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, (Defra) introduced measures in December to control the spread.
All keepers of birds should register your poultry to be informed if there is an outbreak and to be kept updated.
There is currently an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone in force throughout England, this requires all bird keepers to take biosecurity precautions, including keeping birds indoors except in very specific circumstances.
Avian Flu can transfer to humans and the symptoms are similar to other types of flu, there are precautions you take to avoid the spread.
When working with poultry ensure you wear the correct PPE and be vigilant for signs of the disease within the flock. This can include increase mortality, falling egg production and respiratory distress. If you suspect the disease, ask your vet for advice an inform Animal Health.
Ongoing studies and surveillance is carried out among wild bird populations to monitor the spread of Avian Flu. Do not touch or pick up dead or visibly sick birds that you find in the wild. You should report any dead wild waterfowl, or sightings of sick or dead wild birds, such as gulls or birds of prey to Defra. If you have any concerns about the health of any wild birds please contact the Defra helpline.
The Avian Flu has no connection to the Covid-19 pandemic with is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus which is not carried in poultry.
Fixed Electrical Inspection
PSP Group News, PSP RiskThe testing and inspection of Electrical systems is required under the Electricity at Work Regulations and will therefore apply to business premises.
Most establishments require a full test and inspection every 5 years. This work must be carried out by competent and accredited contractor.
They also require an Annual Routine check, this check may be completed by a competent person who is a user of the system. The person doing the routine check will need to look for breakages, deterioration, signs of overheating and ensure that adequate labelling is in place.
The following is a general summary of of the requirements for certain establishments-
It is a legal requirement to comply with this legislation and in the event of large fire loss at a premises a copy of the electrical report and certificate will be required.
Christmas Cheer and Decorations
PSP RiskIt’s the most wonderful time of the year…
But before settling down to a pile of mince pies and the wrapping of Christmas gifts, the decorations need to go up.
For many of us that means getting them down first, as Christmas decorations are very often stored in lofts, therefore it is important to ensure that you retrieve them safely from where you put them at the start of the year.
Christmas Tree
If you choose to have a real tree take care when handling it and transporting it and check the tree for unwelcome visitors and make sure you keep it watered to prevent it drying out and dropping needles.
Make sure the tree is firm and stable in place and avoid placing it in an awkward position.
If your tree is over 6 feet tall, then use a small step ladder to hang the decoration and do not decorate the tree alone. (Beware the helpful suggestions)
Christmas Lights
Visually inspect your lights for obvious signs of defects and switch them on to see if they are working prior to hanging.
Where you can use LED lights as they have a lower voltage
Never overload the socket or extension lead and keep the lights away from flammable materials
Turn off lights when you go to bed
Outside Decorations
Take care if you are hanging lights and decorations outside and at height. Particular care should be taken if you are using a ladder.
Ensure the ladder is fit for purpose and free of defects, make sure you place the ladder on level ground and that someone is with you to foot the ladder if necessary.
Ensure the lights and decorations are specifically designed for outside use and that the electric cables is suitable and connected to an adequate socket.
Avoid trips and falls by using cable ties to secure trailing cables and try to avoid placing decorations too close to pavements.
Charity Displays
If you are assembling a display for a charity at your home, please tell your home insurer.
These are just a few points from the team at PSP Risk who
wish you all a very Safe & Happy Christmas.
Travelling to the EU/EEA from 1 January 2021
PSP Group NewsIf you have plans to travel to the EU/EEA, including the Republic of Ireland anytime from 1 January 2021 you will need to ensure that you have the correct and up to date documentation.
Following the confirmation of the trade deal the following will apply –
Taking a car
In addition to taking a copy of your valid certificate of motor insurance, you will need to carry a Green Card. This will need to be obtained in plenty of time before you travel and cover the period of your journey . Once received you will need to carry the physical document, although it may not always be green, an electronic version (PDF) will not be accepted.
If you are taking a caravan or trailer, you will require an additional separate Green Card.
You may also be required to obtain an International Driving Permit to drive in the EU. This document which must be shown in conjunction with your UK drivers license is issued by the Government via local Post Offices. Depending on where in the EU you are travelling, will determine which International Driving Permit you require.
Healthcare
If you currently hold a European Health Insurance Card, this will continue to be valid until it’s expiry date. A new arrangement has been agreed going forward and you can apply for a UK Global Health Insurance Card.
It is also advisable to ensure that you have suitable travel insurance that will cover your health care needs whilst in the EU. You will need to pay particular attention to the cover provided if you have pre-existing medical conditions.
For the most up to date travel information visit the Government visiting Europe website
Contact your Personal Lines account handler or usual PSP Branch to discuss your individual requirements.
Working from Home
PSP RiskAs so many of us are now considering that the new normal will include long term adjustments to working from home, PSP Risk have put together some top tips.
Making your workplace Covid-secure
PSP RiskThe Health and Safety Executive have announced that they will be carrying out spot checks and inspection on all types of businesses in all geographical areas to ensure that they are Covid-secure.
The HSE will carry out these checks by making, either site visits or telephone calls to businesses to discuss their arrangements and the measures put in place to keep there employees, customers and visitors safe.
There are some simple steps you can take in making your workplace Covid-secure –
A draft risk assessment form can be found on the HSE website, however, here at PSP Risk we are able to work with you to put together a bespoke Risk Assessment that meets the HSE requirements and your own business needs.
The Use of Chainsaws
PSP RiskIt seems that Autumn is coming early this year and during the last couple of weeks we have already experienced two Autumn/Winter storms.
The ground is saturated, and trees are still in full leaf. Consequently, there is more chance of large branches and trees being damaged by storm conditions.
When damage occurs or trees are blown down, the debris must be removed, and the area made safe. Chainsaws are usually used for this type of work but there are number of factors that must be taken into consideration before you grab your chainsaw.
Training
A person who works on trees using a chainsaw should hold a certificate of competence or a licence to use such equipment. This qualification should be updated at least every three years.
Any person using a chainsaw for any other works must have received suitable training from a qualified instructor on how to operate and maintain such equipment.
Location
Any person must ensure that they take extra care if trees are close to over head power lines (OHPL). You must not work on trees if they are within 10 metres of OHPL and such work should be passed to a competent tree surgeon.
You must ensure that as a chainsaw operator, you know your escape route and that nobody is allowed within two tree lengths of the tree being felled.
Saws and Protective Clothing
Ensure that saws are well maintained and fitted with a chain catcher, combined chain brake and front hand guard, silencer and anti -Vibration mounts.
The chains have low kickback characteristics and are sharp, correctly tensioned and lubricated.
All operators wear a safety helmet, hearing protection, eye protection and gloves.
Operators must also wear protective clothing around their legs and feet, usually chainsaw trousers with all round protection and chainsaw boots
Before you commence any work, make sure that you have completed a risk assessment and that you are competent to undertake the task without risk or injury to yourself and others.
If you have any doubts, arrange to obtain specialist assistance.
Electrical Updates for Private Landlords
PSP RiskAs a landlord it is essential that you keep up with legislation in order to protect you and your tenant. The government has recently changed the electrical regulations and these will apply to new tenancies from July 2020 and existing tenancies from April 2021.
Landlords must ensure that the electrical installations in their properties are tested and inspected by an appropriately qualified electrician every 5 years and that any new alterations in the wiring system are also tested and inspected.
The documentation in respect of these tests must be freely available and shared with existing, new and prospective tenants. The local authority is also entitled to see this information and if they make a request as such, you must supply the information to them within 7 days of their request.
The information must be supplied to an existing tenant with 28 days.
If the person is a new tenant, the landlord must supply a copy of the last report before occupation by the new tenant or within 28 days to any prospective tenant.
If the report identifies any remedial or further investigation work, this must be completed within 28 days. Written confirmation of the work carried out must be provided to the tenant.
If a landlord is in breach of the regulations, the local authority can serve a remedial works notice, complete the works themselves and recover all their costs from the landlord. They can also impose a financial penalty of up to £30,000.
As a landlord, you must regularly liaise with your managing agents in order to make certain that your properties are compliant and that you are able meet the terms and conditions of your property owners insurance policy.