Milling qualification?

[polish pete]

 I provide mobile milling services.  I use bandsaw mill, chainsaw mill and most recently swing blade Lucas.

 One of my regular clients asked for RAMS and qualifications.  I can write risk assessment and method statement but is there any recognised qualification similar to Nptc?

[GarethM]

Turn the argument back and ask them what they deem as qualified but would assume basic chainsaw tickets would be enough.

 

You don't ask a joiner if they've a ticket for that circular saw.

[Squaredy]

8 hours ago, polish pete said:

 I provide mobile milling services.  I use bandsaw mill, chainsaw mill and most recently swing blade Lucas.

 One of my regular clients asked for RAMS and qualifications.  I can write risk assessment and method statement but is there any recognised qualification similar to Nptc?

Don’t forget qualifications are not always written.  Not everything can be proven in a test environment.

 

If they are the type of organisation that is going to want everything on paper they might not be worth having as customers.

[Steven P]

10 hours ago, GarethM said:

Turn the argument back and ask them what they deem as qualified but would assume basic chainsaw tickets would be enough.

 

Depends on the customer, they might not know any appropriate qualifications - just know that someone (insurers...) have asked for them to be suitably qualified with risk assessments... might draw a blank if you ask the question...

 

I'd be tempted to play off the experience outweighs paper qualifications and offer up what you might have - basic chainsaw tickets, whatever you have that might be (a bit) related to milling and working with timber.

[AHPP]

Is this regular client private sector or public sector?

[skc101fc]

I was asked the exact same set of questions from university college, Cork. When I couldnt give qualification, and only a rudimentary, generic risk assessment they concluded the only answer was to seal me in a Heras fence enclosure,and to opetate only at a weekend with fewer on site students walking around the work area.

Another site at a major sporting and tourist castle renovation had exactly the same approach.  Even though it was a construction site of a truly astounding scale they went through the vaguest ever risk asses and then again put me in my own sealed off enclosure.  I didn't even have to wear high viz, but if I stepped outside I had to wear one. - I'd told the safety manager there was too much risk of snagging a flappy vest!  The grunt I was given , employed by the company had to wear his vest at all times. I was there for 4 weeks, moving in and out of my enclosure only to arrive and leave again. 

[polish pete]

Thanks for your replies.

 It's Natural England.  I do regular tree surgery and coppicing/felling work for them. Part of the annual woodland management is fencing around freshly cut areas. Normally they provide materials but I thought I could get some extra work with my Lucas Mill. It also ticks their box of using available materials. 

 I will talk to them about experience rather than paper tickets. 

 They are supportive,  it's just that they have to follow their paperwork framework...

[Brushcutter]

As far as I am aware there is no NPTC or Lantra award for milling in general. 

 

Your chainsaw mill would be covered by your chainsaw maintenance and cross cut as the power source.

 

I once did a band saw course which I got sent on and the guy who did it knew less about band saws than milling than I did. He was expecting a little workshop resaw as that's all he sees. A Robinson's resaw and a stenner 41 were too far out his comfort zone so I felt we showed him more than he showed us. So specific training for band saws and table saws exists.

 

As the PUWER requirement would be to show suitable training did you get any from the machinery suppliers. If not maybe see if they could do you something?

 

The other option if a local training provider would be willing to do a certificate of training. Then you have something to show people. 

[AA Teccie (Paul)]

18 hours ago, Brushcutter said:

As far as I am aware there is no NPTC or Lantra award for milling in general. 

 

Your chainsaw mill would be covered by your chainsaw maintenance and cross cut as the power source.

 

I once did a band saw course which I got sent on and the guy who did it knew less about band saws than milling than I did. He was expecting a little workshop resaw as that's all he sees. A Robinson's resaw and a stenner 41 were too far out his comfort zone so I felt we showed him more than he showed us. So specific training for band saws and table saws exists.

 

As the PUWER requirement would be to show suitable training did you get any from the machinery suppliers. If not maybe see if they could do you something?

 

The other option if a local training provider would be willing to do a certificate of training. Then you have something to show people. 

As above plus write a statement explaining why you are deemed competent to operate the machine / deliver the service plus the experience you have (incl. any recognised clients, Local Authorities / Construction co. etc.) and what procedures you follow (RAMS included but ref. to machinery handbook etc.)

People often refer to qualifications meaning competence