RR554 - Evaluation of the mechanical condition of agricultural vehicles
An investigation was undertaken to establish a baseline assessment of the mechanical condition of agricultural vehicles in use on farms in Great Britain.
A detailed examination of 242 tractors and 71 agricultural trailed appliances was carried out to meet the requirements of an inspection according to regulation 6 of The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER 98).
Trained agricultural engineers carried out the examinations and the results analysed to provide information on the scale and nature of defects found according to vehicle age, region, horsepower and main farm activity.
There are currently no figures, statistics or information on the mechanical state of agricultural tractors and trailers in the UK that enable evaluation of the impact of interventions and the effective direction of policy for Department of Transport (DfT), the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and other interested bodies (eg insurers).
This report and the work it describes were funded by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Its contents, including any opinions and/or conclusions expressed, are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect HSE policy.
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