CPA Bulletin

Q&As: 1 52 CPA Bulletin > August 2019 www.cpa.uk.net q & a s We are dealing with our customer, who had hired one of our machines under the Model Conditions. Unfortunately, it was stolen not long after the customer had off-hired it. We are negotiating with the customer’s Loss Adjusters and would appreciate if you could confirm whether the 7 days’ notice mentioned in clause 24(a) refers to working days or calendar days. If the hire is for an indeterminate hire - i.e. a specific start date, but no end date - then the customer is responsible for 7 calendar days (including weekend) after the plant has been off-hired. After those 7 days have elapsed, then responsibility for the plant reverts to the owner. q A Does the CPA have any guidelines for helping reduce fraud and theft when hiring out plant and equipment, including what checks should be carried out on the customer before the hire commences? There is an article written by Michael Gregory, Head of JCB Insurance, regarding what checks should be carried out before the hire commences. A copy can be found at www.cpa.uk.net/articles/ q A What is the earliest date an employee can commence her maternity leave, and can she choose the date on which it starts? The earliest date is the Sunday at the beginning of the 11th week before her expected week of childbirth. She is free to choose the day her maternity leave will start, providing she gives you adequate notice. Maternity leave does not have to begin on any particular day of the week. The latest day it can begin is on the day of the birth itself. If the employee wishes to bring it forward, she must give at least 28 days’ notice before her new start date. If she wants to move it back, she must give at least 28 days’ notice before the original start date. q A I am seeking some advice regarding the lifting of people for entertainment purposes. My understanding is that this form of entertainment was outlawed in 2011. Is still the case? The Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE’s) view is that the lifting of people for entertainment is not advised, but that they are not able to ban it. As ever, it is all down to the Risk Assessment and whether the person planning and carrying out the lifting operation would be happy to defend their actions in Court should something go wrong. It would be advisable to check with your insurance broker that you are covered for this type of activity under your policy. If not, but you wish to proceed, then any additional costs you incur to increase the policy’s coverage, should be passed on to your customer. q A We are a plant hire company primarily who has their own plant insurance. However, we have a customer who does not have his own hired-in plant insurance but wants to hire equipment from us. He wonders if you can direct both him and us on where he could acquire insurance (hired-in plant) cover on an ad-hoc basis? You could speak to any of the insurance brokers listed on the CPA website at: www.cpa.uk.net/insurance890594/ in acquiring ad-hoc cover. It will be a case of contacting each broker to ascertain what their cover entails, and for what cost. q A