HSETreework update

[bob]

TREEWORK E-BULLETIN - ISSUE NO. 2 (NOVEMBER 2010)

 

Welcome to the 2nd edition of HSE's Treework E-bulletin. This replaces ‘Treework News’ and will enable HSE to provide more frequent updates of news and information and keep you informed of the latest issues affecting treework.

 

ARBORICULTURE AND FORESTRY ADVISORY GROUP (AFAG)

 

The main meeting of AFAG has been deferred until 2011, but AFAG’s Training and Certification Group met on 3 November 2010. This followed and was combined with the meeting of Lantra Sector Skills Council’s Trees and Timber Industry Group. The purpose of the joint meeting was to discuss the current revision of AFAG 805 Training and Certification. The comments from members and other consultees are being considered and it is hoped to finalise the redraft of AFAG 805 asap in the New Year.

 

Previous AFAG papers and meeting notes are available from the AIAC/AFAG webpage: HSC Agriculture Industry Advisory Committee

 

APF

 

HSE, together with its’ partner organisations from AFAG, were present at the APF in the new ‘Safety and Health in Forestry Arena ’. For the first time, many of the major organisations involved were co-located in one marquee - providing a one-stop-shop for those looking for information and advice on how to improve quality, productivity and safety. There was also a full program of working demonstrations and seminars on each of the 3 days covering a wide range of topics of interest to contractors, operators and managers. These included safe use of a full-scale railway crossing and avoiding contact with overhead power lines, together with a safety competition highlighting safe use of chain saws.

 

Feedback from the industry and all involved indicates this joint venture was extremely successful. The aim is to repeat the “arena” at the next APF in 2 years time. Meanwhile, the rail crossing and power lines at the site are available for businesses and industry organisations to run their own training and safety awareness events.

 

For further information contact: [email protected] .

 

RIGGING AND DISMANTLING RESEARCH

 

The first 2 in a series of 4 articles describing the findings and recommendations have been written by the research team and published in the journal ‘Essential Arb’. The articles have also been posted on HSE’s Treework website: http://www.hse.gov.uk/treework/articles/rigging-research.pdf

 

RECENT ENFORCEMENT BY HSE

 

A Suffolk farmer has been fined after one of his employees cut his left arm with a chainsaw.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that, in addition to lack of training, supervision and appropriate equipment, there had been no assessment on how to carry out the work safely.

The farmer admitted breaching Section 2(1) Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and was fined £1,600. He was also ordered to pay £1,400 in costs.

Farm worker’s arm cut with chainsaw – What's new at HSE

 

A landscaping company was recently prosecuted and fined £700 plus £300 costs for not having Employers Liability Insurance. Remember this is a legal requirement if you have employees.

 

http://nds.coi.gov.uk/content/detail.aspx?NewsAreaId=2&ReleaseID=416462&SubjectId=8

A social housing landlord has been prosecuted after one of its employees hit an underground cable, while planting trees. The company was fined £8,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,939.20.

http://nds.coi.gov.uk/content/detail.aspx?NewsAreaId=2&ReleaseID=416419&SubjectId=7

[Further advice on avoiding danger from underground cables is contained HSE guidance HSG 47 http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/hsg47.pdf ]

 

An Improvement Notice has recently been issued on a company engaged in commercial forestry requiring refresher training for chainsaw operators.

 

SAFE USE OF MEWPS

 

More people die from falls at work than from any other cause. Whilst use of mobile elevating work platforms/powered access equipment has been a major factor in the reduction in fall accidents across many industries, there have been a number of fatal and serious accidents where operators have become trapped between the guardrails or other equipment on the platform and adjacent obstructions. For the latest information see:

Avoiding trapping/crushing injuries to people in the platform of mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs)

 

HSE’s LADDER EXCHANGE

 

This year’s ‘ladder exchange’ initiative continues until 30th November. For further information see

 

HSE: Falls from height: Ladder Exchange

 

 

You can view all of the past E-bulletins and Treework News at: Tree Work ? Resources

 

Please feel free to use this information and pass it on, using your own networks.

[David Humphries]

Does Francis know you're posting this up, wouldn't get on the wrong side of her

 

 

No seriously, good post Bob.

 

Thought about doing it myself a week or so a go, but plumb forgot

 

 

Hope people make the time to go in to some, if not all the links. Very useful

 

.

[Dean Lofthouse]

Been into the MEWP link

[High Scale]

I was looking for this...An Improvement Notice has recently been issued on a company engaged in commercial forestry requiring refresher training for chainsaw operators.

But I found the rigging research pdf instead, much more interesting.

Edited December 6, 2010 by High Scale