Maintaining best practice: Rob Simister’s approach to the nominated storekeeper role
For Rob Simister, agriculture has always been a way of life. Joining the family business straight from school in 1983, he became the fourth generation to work in an enterprise founded in 1930. From his early days in the stores and making deliveries, Rob gravitated towards the practical side of the job, particularly field walking, which he still carries out seven days a week.
Over the years, Rob has gained an impressive array of qualifications, including BASIS, FACTS, BETA , and is a member of both the BASIS Professional Register and the BASIS Environmental Advisers Register. Among these, the Nominated Storekeeper course holds a special place. Initially undertaken to ensure the business met its legal and environmental responsibilities, it has become central to the high standards Rob insists on, especially as their chemical store is located just 20 metres from a river.
The NSK course provides practical, up-to-date training on the safe storage, handling and record-keeping of professional pesticides, alongside guidance on meeting audit and inspection requirements. It equips storekeepers to minimise environmental risks, maintain regulatory compliance and adopt best practice in everything from spill response to storage layout. For Rob, this knowledge is essential to ensuring products are stored correctly, free from cross-contamination, in-date, and leak-free, and that every inspection, whether from the Environment Agency or the fire service, can be passed without issue.
“Best practice is key,” Rob explains. “We need to be fully up to date, because inspections from the Environment Agency or fire services can happen at any time. Training keeps everything running smoothly and ensures the store is always audit-ready.”
Preparation is a team effort. Rob works closely with Christine in the office, whose meticulous attention to detail has even led to a perfect inspection score. Together, they ensure every aspect, from paperwork to storage capacity, is “absolutely bang on”.
For Rob, refresher training every few years isn’t just about ticking the compliance box, it’s about staying sharp. It also enables him to advise farmers on their own storage practices, adding value to his agronomy work. Looking ahead, he plans to encourage his son, already BASIS and FACTS qualified, to complete the Nominated Storekeeper course, continuing the family tradition of knowledge, care and professionalism.
For more information about NSK courses please visit: BASIS NSK Courses
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For more information about Environmental courses please visit: BASIS Environmental Courses
For more information about BASIS Crop Protection IPM courses please visit: BASIS IPM Courses
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