We don’t operate the S76 but I believe the principle is the same regardless of type.
Our maintenance people carryout the pre-flight check on our helicopters and sign for it in the Technical Log. Personally I believe that this covers me from a legal aspect and I am comfortable that our maintenance personnel no more than I do about the mechanical aspects of the machine. In my pre-flight I do check that the panels are secure, fluid levels are correct (where they are visible through a sight glass without opening panels), and that there are no obvious signs of physical damage.
There is also an additional concern. It is not possible to inspect certain items on the checklist without climbing to a height of more than 2 metres above ground level. It is now illegal, in our jurisdiction, to work, permit, or require someone else to work at heights above 2 metres without a safety harness, or work platforms with safety rails. Obviously this is impractical on a flight-line.
It would seem to me that the days when pilots are seen clambering over their aircraft before flight are coming to an end.