Knowledge is Power!

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

Interesting to see that AA site appears to have closed the previously open access availability of reference documents and templates which is now restricted to members only.

 

Understandable on the one hand - there is a need to generate income I guess but questionable perhaps on the other.

 

A bit like the perceived prohibitive cost of British Standards resulting in a restricted awareness  of standards and a perpetuation of less than adequate operations....

 

 

 

 

[Tom D]

I think the AA are within their rights, the BSI however.....

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

No doubt I think both are within their rights Tom, but would it be perceived as progressive or regressive in terms of industry standards?

[Mark J]

BSI publication prices are a joke.  How can you expect an industry to adopt best practices when the rulebook costs over a hundred quid?

Edited July 30, 2017 by Mark J

[beechwood]

I personally think it's a good thing that you have to be a member of the Arboricultral Association in order to access reference documents and forms they have spent time and money creating/storing online.

The Arboricultral Association need financial input to be able to operate and this is just helps the case for saying if you want this resource to available then you need to be a member.

Might be an unpopular view but I don't have a problem with the cost of the British Standard. Like any publication that is likely to sell in very limited numbers the cost is likely to high in comparison to something that sells in large numbers. For example look at the cost of a chipper compared to cost of a car and how much more you get for money with a car.

I wonder how many Arborist who say 'All work carried out in accordance with BS 3998' in their quotes actually have a copy and have read it?

[Gary Prentice]

Ordinary memberships less than three quid a week. For that you get access to all journal articles FOC, reduced fees for workshops and seminars, and entry to the arb show. All the Other downloadable risk assessments, method statements and business stuff is another bonus. I don't really understand why more people don't join.

 

And the British standard (3998) is, I think £180. Is that really beyond the reach of businesses whose main occupation is arboriculture?

 

PS. I'm not getting involved in the discussion about where the BS Offices are or the fact that the authors work for nothing, that's a different topic altogether

[openspaceman]

4 minutes ago, Gary Prentice said:

I'm not getting involved in the discussion about where the BS Offices are or the fact that the authors work for nothing, that's a different topic altogether

You won't be responding to my thought that it is strange that a  more entrepreneurial society like USA releases much its government assisted  publications into the public domain (many will be viewing this using software developed from such a programme) yet UK makes its public bodies and first steps agencies charge for their output.

[Gary Prentice]

1 minute ago, openspaceman said:

You won't be responding to my thought that it is strange that a  more entrepreneurial society like USA releases much its government assisted  publications into the public domain (many will be viewing this using software developed from such a programme) yet UK makes its public bodies and first steps agencies charge for their output.

I possibly would if I could find it again

 

but until I do, I don't think the ANSI standards are available free of charge.

[openspaceman]

1 hour ago, Gary Prentice said:

I possibly would if I could find it again

 

but until I do, I don't think the ANSI standards are available free of charge.

ANSI is a private not for profit organisation, who owns BSI?  A quick Google shows it is also a not for profit company with a royal charter, no shareholders

Edited August 28, 2017 by openspaceman