WARNING! (Or maybe, "what's the point")

[The Viking]

So,
We needed some vents cut in at high and low level in a boiler room wall on the second floor at one of our customers.
(Unfortunately, our customer wanted us to get it done for him after I shut the boilers off, long story)

We got a quote from a builder we used on another site, passed the quote on to the customer, got the PO and proceeded to go through all the right motions.
-We got a proper method statement from them. (boom lift/cherry picker will be used)
-We got a proper risk assessment from them. (all works will be carried out by properly trained personnel)

The D day arrives....
I arrived to site as the flatbed that delivered the boom lift drives away. To my horror, one of the builders are driving the boom lift over the curb, one wheel in the air due to the angle, and the builder's mate is trying to "help" by pushing the cage (thus walking a foot in front of the wheels).
This on a piece of machinery weighing 7 metric tonnes!!

When I challenged them as to if they were trained to operate said lift they duly replied "No, but we didn't think anybody would care about that"...

All these nice regulations we got nowadays, just there for the honest people.

-Legally, what would happen to me if there been an accident?
-Legally, how would my employer stand if there been an accident?

-Realistically, why should we bother?
-Realistically, (in our trade) will the F-gas regs make any difference to the way refrigerant is cared for?

(On this occasion, I ended up being a glorified lift boy, driving the boom lift for the builders, after they been and rented a pair of harnesses!)

[Brian_UK]

Well you could blame the hire company delivery driver for handing over the machine to non-qualified personnel. (How's that for passing the buck )

Who ordered the boom lift ?

[The Viking]

Who ordered the boom lift ?

The nice friendly, all knowing, all trades builders

[Brian_UK]

Well in that case I would say that although the builder was a sub-contractor to yourselves they are the responsible body.

It could be argued that you did not scrutinize them sufficiently about their working methods. It seems therefore that your Method Statements and Risk Assessments were not, in fact, done correctly as they did not show up the deficiencies of your sub-contractor. It may be that they lied to you which would no doubt raise more questions....