Two tree lengths?

[testcricket01]

we usually work side by side with about 1/2 trees inbetween the ones we are felling that way we no there always out the way. sometimes in small woodlands we will just walk to the middle one guy goes one way other guy goes other way.

[tommer9]

James it all comes down to justification in your RA really. AFAG guidelines are all well and good, but they are gudelines and cant be expected to cover every situation. Two guys right next to each other is IMO as safe as 2 guys working well apart . They teach 2 tree lengths and a 'buddy system' (eg central fueling point and a pointer that has to be moved by each man; if its not moved when you come to fuel up then your mate may be in trouble)

which is all well and good on paper, but if that is the only way of knowing your mate is seriously injured then by the time you get to him he is more than likely to be cold or close to it anyway...

[slack ma girdle]

Given the vast array of bad practices that go on in modern forestry because thay have always be done like that, your system works well for you and will in all probablility keep safe. However it is the unexpected that causes problem. These problems are generally unforeseable, and will therefore not be on your risk assessment. If it works for you and you can justify it tell them to get off site as they are compromising your safety !

 

Rant rant rant

[jojam]

Given the vast array of bad practices that go on in modern forestry because thay have always be done like that, your system works well for you and will in all probablility keep safe. However it is the unexpected that causes problem. These problems are generally unforeseable, and will therefore not be on your risk assessment. If it works for you and you can justify it tell them to get off site as they are compromising your safety !

 

Rant rant rant

 

Well said:congrats:

[bob]

take a afag guide with you and highlight the 2 tree length bit

no UNAUTHORISED persons within 2 tree length

 

 

know your legislation and carry a set in an envelope to refer to when needed

surprising how wording and then proof of works

[daltontrees]

Here's what I think may be a couple of relevant bits from the AFAG guidance

a. the guidance 'does not cover exceptional situations where the risk assessemnt shows advanced or alternative felling techniques are required'

b. 'It is important to remember that felling is a one-person operation'

It seems that if your buddy is not working on another tree but just watching from 2 trees away he isn't really 'working'. Safest place has to be in the other 'escape route' position (3 oclock to 4.30 or 7.30 to 9 oclock). If your risk assessment could show that the risk of fatigue and leaving a tree mid-fell for any lenght of time outweighs the risk of 2 people at the butt in the escape zones surely there's no problem? Isn't that what you're saying anyway? Give the jobsworths a copy of it and they'll retreat with their posteriors covered. Otherwise it looks on paper like a fair cop...

[Peter Marsh]

The two tree rule comes from AFAG and I feel in this situation, from what you describe, it is being implemented in its literal meaning more than likely by individuals not familiar with or from a practical arb / forestry environment.

 

In my view, working as a party of two in this aspect would be acceptable, as only one felling operation is being undertaken. This is the critical part. Two felling operations in the same area need to be a minimum of two tree lenghs. You are working as a team of two undertaking one felling operation at a time. Personally I would prefer this rather than two individuals working possible several hundred yards apart. This could be classed as lone working. I would detail this on the site specific risk assessment. Hope this helps.

[Doug Blease]

Jamie,

 

Knowing how safe you guys are to work with I am sure you had it covered. If you have too divert from your generic RA or the AFAG guidelines, all you have to do is address it in a site specific RA and make sure you and Kevin have agreed that your alternative method is a safe method.

 

Doug

[Highland Forestry]

Very interesting subject here...

Depending on how you look at it, it;s not always possible to be two tree lengths from felling activities.... take railway clearance for example, the whole squad, chipper the works is never two tree lengths away from the actual felling - it would just be impractical.

 

The AFAG guidelines are all well and good but they're generic, and more often than not it's easy to just quote them and job done, but sometimes you have to just roll with your own ideas and opinions, cover them in your SSRA and then you have peace of mind that the job is being done your way and not dictated to you by pen pushers.. just MO.

[Nick D]

pu it on your risk assessment that that is what you are doing - as risk is known it is then safe to work