SPRAYER TESTING - ARE YOU READY TO PASS?

Regular testing of Pesticide Application Equipment (PAE) is not a new concept but some practitioners don’t do this legal practice as often as they should. Paul Bannister explains why it’s important to comply with the regulations

THE NATIONAL SPRAYER Testing Scheme (NSTS) was introduced in 2003 with the key objective of providing a scheme to test all types of PAE. However, the concept was initially set up in 1997 by the Agricultural Engineers Association (AEA) as a voluntary scheme, predominantly with compliance from the agricultural sector. This voluntary scheme soon evolved and the requirement for PAE testing was written into legislation via the Plant Protection Products (PPP) Sustainable Use (SU) regulations in 2012. Then in November 2016, it became a legal requirement to test all pesticide application equipment in the agriculture and amenity sectors. The frequency of inspection depended upon when the machine was purchased and the size of the boom. In November 2020, the frequency of mandatory inspection changed to either every three years or every six years – depending on the size of the sprayer boom width or the nature of the machine. Pedestrian knapsacks are still required to be inspected by a competent testing person.

Testing preparation

When out visiting sites, I hear lots of myths and rumours, which are often used as excuses as to why machines are not tested. Irrespective of these excuses, it is a legal requirement to have your PAE tested. It makes financial sense due to the current cost of pesticides and it is also essential to ensure that the accuracy of application is on the intended target area. To help you plan for regular, up to date sprayer equipment testing, the NSTS have produced a helpful operator guide to help prepare the machine for the NSTS test (see link at end of this feature). This checklist is designed to act as a prompt to undertake the general pre-start/pre-operational checks before the sprayer is filled and used. According to NSTS test statistics for the amenity sector 583 machines were tested in 2020 compared to 715 machines in 2019. A key observation however is that half of the number of sprayers tested passed with no faults in 2020, which is a marked improvement on a 45 per cent pass rate in 2019. However, within the 50 per cent of the sprayers tested that did not pass 20 per cent of these had faults or more.

Pass or fail

Within the analysis the NSTS have been able to identify the Top 10 Faults for 2020 where machines have not resulted in Pass (see panel item). These faults are issues we generally find as examiners and in many instances are quickly resolved. When faults are recorded as a ‘fail’ this can be updated once they are either repaired or replaced. This could be as simple as removing, cleaning and replacing the diaphragm check valves. However, a major fault, such as a crack in the tank, may be harder to resolve but should have been spotted by the operator before the examiner arrives on site. Once passed, the machine will be issued a sticker with a unique number and a date, written on by the examiner. These fade with time so the NSTS offers a ‘look up your test details’ web-based service. By adding the test number of any machine, you can see when the report was completed, the machine make, boom width, capacity and the test result. A reminder regarding the next test date will also be sent via email. Despite the frequency of the mandatory tests being three or six years, I would recommend a more regular inspection either by completing the NSTS every year and/or ensuring the spray operators undertake a more thorough inspection. A good suggestion is when the NSTS examiner undertakes the test, have the operator present to aid with the testing of the machine to see what is being tested and what is required to ensure the machine can be maintained to the same standard. ■

To access the NSTS guidance document visit nsts.org.uk, clink on the Documents & Links header, and select Operator Check Sheet. There are a number of test centres positioned across the UK, visit nsts.org.uk for more details. Contact Paul Bannister: amenitytraining@btinternet.com