What gear???

[MattyF]

Can i just say, you are all great on this forum.. Lots of forums, when a newbie asks a question they get told "leave it to professionals" You lot are great though..
 
I do not intend to be a professional tree surgeon or whatever they are called, but what i am up to, is i do a lot of voluntary work, that includes looking after a 60 acre site that has been sadly neglected over the years, and i am going to sort it out and put it back as it was nearly 50 years ago when i first got involved with the place.. Yes i am a bit old to be climbing up trees, but hey ho!!
 
I bought one of them Timberwolf chippers about a fortnight ago, brilliant buy that was, well, i think so.. Only 6 years old, just used by one man, once, on his own property, and needless to say it is in "as new" condition.
 
Now, if i can just manage to avoid falling out of a tree!!!
 
john..

Well John here it comes ... leave it to the professionals ! There are so many rules and BS now involving tree climbing through H&S but there has been one long standing rule that you have to have a qualified second climber if you are performing Arial tree cutting on site to rescue you ... this may be a good opportunity to get a second climber to show you some gear and tricks.

[MattyF]

As a minimum qualification to cover your arse for insurance I would recommend you do the course your self too.

[john87]

26 minutes ago, MattyF said:

Well John here it comes ... leave it to the professionals ! There are so many rules and BS now involving tree climbing through H&S but there has been one long standing rule that you have to have a qualified second climber if you are performing Arial tree cutting on site to rescue you ... this may be a good opportunity to get a second climber to show you some gear and tricks.

Yes, all good advice and common sense, but if i wish to be stupid, then there is no law that says i have to be sensible!!

 

Nearly forgot.. You mention courses. What courses could i do?? What do they involve??

 

john..

Edited June 13, 2021 by john87
Added something..

[Doug Tait]

2 hours ago, john87 said:

Yes, all good advice and common sense, but if i wish to be stupid, then there is no law that says i have to be sensible!!

 

Nearly forgot.. You mention courses. What courses could i do?? What do they involve??

 

john..

I'd guess Matty is referring to, Climbing/rescue course (NPTC 206, 306)

And possibly, 

Basic chainsaw course (NPTC 201, 202, 203)

Aerial use of chainsaw (NPTC 308).

 

It's expected that when someone is working in a tree there is someone else on site equipped and trained to perform a rescue if required.

 

Doing the course yourself will give you a much better idea of the big picture, for instance where you position the tail of your rope will be critical if you're injured and need to descend quickly. When I started I climbed recreationally a lot and would challenge myself randomly during a climb. When you've struggled to get to the end of a limb and your rope is running round branches and crotches, imagine you've just broken ribs, cut yourself or been unconscious briefly, how do you get down from where you are quickly? It was an eye opener for me as you can be in a position where it takes time and effort to get down even without an injury. Even opening a carabiner with a broken finger is a challenge.

 

Certainly I have experienced 'minor' accidents on the ground and things become difficult and very stressful quickly. Knowing the guys I work with are capable and have performed actual aerial rescues is a more comforting thought than the times I've climbed alone.

[john87]

Hi Doug,

 

Yes, i agree totally. I will point out though, that i am only going to be doing very simple stuff and certainly not going off to the ends of limbs!!.. Bugger that!!

 

When i am doing any climbing i will make sure that there is always someone there too, not sure that they would be too much help when it came to going up a tree though..

 

After a lifetime of engineering, riding motorbikes, and yes, plenty with chainsaws and farms, it is all to do with common sense, and knowing your limits.. Try to be clever or being "brave" and pushing your limits, is a sure way to get hurt..

 

In engineering they have something called "FMEA" that is; "failure mode effect analysis" In other words, if this or that goes wrong, what will, or could, the outcome be.. Trust me, everything i do will be slow and methodical with lots of thought as to what could possibly go wrong..

 

Like the sound of them courses though.. What do they make you do though..?? I am not doing anything that i do not feel comfortable with though.. I do not need, nor want, a certificate in being brave and going beyond MY limits.. Not interested what others want to do.. It would be like someone making you do judo breakfalls when all you ever really wanted to do was lay down!!

 

Not sure what is involved on the chainsaw course?? Not much that a sensible person would not be doing anyway.. Would not mind doing one though. What does it cost??

 

Back in the early/mid 1980's i worked on a farm. One day a car arrived and a bloke gets out and announces that he is from the HSE and that do we/I have a chainsaw.. I/we answer Yes!! and he asks would we like a short course??

 

Well, obviously yes!

 

We were there for about an hour while this bloke did his bit. We did not get a certificate or anyhing, but i do not think they did them then anyway?? Still, i have NEVER forgotten what we/I learnt.

 

Fast forward about 40 years of incident free chainsaw use, and one thing the HSE instructor told us, one thing that he was absolutely INSISTENT about, that i have NEVER EVER forgotten, and that was.. NEVER EVER cut with the top of the bar.. Now, what do i see all the "experts" doing????

 

Yes, i know full well WHY they do it, but would i do it?? Not a chance, as it is OBVIOUS as to what is likely to happen.. [and i guess the HSE bloke had seen the results a few times too..]

 

Still, the "experts" know better than me, and are more skilled than me, so THEIR limits will be a lot "further out" than mine, but as i said, i know my limits and will not be pushing them..

 

I would like to do courses though, the more certs the better!! I always liked doing exams and stuff..

 

john..

[john87]

Just been reading the C+G syllabus thingy for the NPTC 206. Looks quite interesting...

 

john...

[MattyF]

John the qualification is very basic .. it’s not what your thinking of some super human out on 2” twigs stuff , it’s just basic get up the tree and selecting suitable anchors etc... my thoughts are if your doing volunteer work it’s an absolute minimum you should have otherwise no ones insurance is covered... also it will set you up with the basics , it may all seem like common sense but trust me I’ve seen some ridiculously dangerous things being done by folk who should of known better if they had been taught the basics which are pretty foolproof.

[john87]

14 minutes ago, MattyF said:

John the qualification is very basic .. it’s not what your thinking of some super human out on 2” twigs stuff , it’s just basic get up the tree and selecting suitable anchors etc... my thoughts are if your doing volunteer work it’s an absolute minimum you should have otherwise no ones insurance is covered... also it will set you up with the basics , it may all seem like common sense but trust me I’ve seen some ridiculously dangerous things being done by folk who should of known better if they had been taught the basics which are pretty foolproof.

That all seems sensible enough!! So long as i would not be expected to do stuff i was not happy doing!!

john..

[john87]

Hi Matty,

 

So basically then, all i would have to do, is to arrange for an assessor to come and see me, or go to see them, and just show them that i can look at a tree and decide if it is safe to climb in the first place, [thing not defective] find a suitable place to anchor to, and get myself up in the tree and down again safely, using the correct equipment, and have an awareness of things to look out for and an awarness of what the risks were and what could go wrong; That kind of stuff??

 

john..

 

[MattyF]

Pretty much John