AA

[Colin Bashford]

the AA are apparently planning on doing full page ads at the

front of the arb sections in the yellow pages to promote arb approved companies,

telling the public why they should choose them etc...... Can anyone verifiy this

 

I believe that it is true. Certainly they the AA have been talking about it for a long time.

 

I however have some problems with the AA scheme. An AA approved contractor is only as good as the staff that they have at any one time. The tree company can become approved and then a couple of weeks later lose all their good climbers and be staffed with crap! That does not quarantee a good or a safe job for the client.

 

Much better is the ISA Certification scheme were it is the climber/worker that is 'approved', then you should always get a good job for the client.

 

Colin

[Mr Ed]

I dont think the ISA scheme is 'better', but there is certainly some merit to it. The main thing I like about ISA certification is the ongoing requirements for CEU's.

However, the AA scheme is not a bad thing - but who's to pay for policing of the contractors?

[Colin Bashford]

Well, we have the last laugh, if we want. If people at grass roots level, voted with their feet, things would soon change to accomodate everyone, and then they'd represent everyones interests not just their own. I was a member of the AA for a few years, cos I thought at the time they cared for people that cared for trees, I left cos I felt it was just another back-slapping club for the boys. I've joined the ISA instead now, and think, for now, its better than the AA. We'll see.

 

Big A

 

I hope that you will not be disappointed with the ISA and its UK/I Chapter. We really are trying to assist and represent those at the sharp end of our profession. I am keenly interested in finding out what is required by those at the grass roots level.

 

In respect of the ISA Certified (I hate that term) Arborist I can advise that accreditation is by examination but that it is not a difficult exam and 'course work' can be done at home.

The accreditation is subject to Continuing Educational Units (CEU's) to ensure you keep up to date. Obtaining CEU's can be as simple as reading selected articles in the ISA News letter and answering a set of questions from multiple choice answers. This can be done in a lunch break in the cab of your van. These are then sent off. You also get CEU's for attending seminars, lectures, trade shows and demonstrations.

 

When you acheive Certified Arborist status you have a badge and an identification card to show clients and employers that you are qualified. In that way we can ensure that those purporting to be tree surgeons, really do have appropriate knowledge and experience. That would help to put paid to the gypsy fraternity that knock on doors and show that one man bands and of course their dog can produce high quality work.

 

Check it out with the ISA UK/I office and talk to Jean McDermott, or otherwise ask me the questions and if I do not know the answers I will find olut for you.

 

Cheers Colin:beerglass:

[Andy Collins]

Well I'm now in my 3rd year as an ISA member, and to date havent felt the same way as I did in the AA. As far as recommending that AA Approved Contractors are used, I think the clients will decide who to use, whether they are a little old lady, or a large borough council. In this area, council tree works are carried out by many skilfull arborists, who I know arent AA approved, yet carry out just as good a job. The domestic client sees these carrying out council works and 9 times out of 10, will approach them for the work. I know all professional arborists want the fly-by-nighters/dodgy types out of the way, but I'm not sure that the AA is taking the right approach.

[Steve Bullman]

ive always said the same thing regarding the ISA. i wish it was as popular over here as it is in the US

[Yorkshireman]

hope i get this right all council tree departments were invited to a h&s regional seminars approx 2 years ago and part of it was council liability if a council sets on any contractor and something goes wrong the person who signed the work order would be liable if they had not done all the checks ie risk assess,qualifications,equipment,insurance and on and on whereas the AA does all these checks so it absolves the council from checking and any liability

 

 

Sorry Bob but that simply is no reason to potentially mis spend public monies by restricting the applicants for a tender process

just because they wish to put the preverbial UMBRELLA UP ! its wrong & thats that !!!

 

if they arent able to distingush good competent contractors through pqq's & the tender process then Are they fit for post ?

 

best value applys if exclution on the grounds of 'can't be arsed' is allowed to take over then

god help this country , no wonder our council tax keeps going up among the rest of the tax burden

 

I believe that the local authority would be hard pushed to stand up if the awarded contract were challenged where Must have statements are applied (on none statutory req's)

[tockmal]

The tree company can become approved and then a couple of weeks later lose all their good climbers and be staffed with crap!

 

Very cynical statement Colin....and calling fellow human beings 'crap' is a touch misanthropic don't you think?

 

 

Much better is the ISA Certification scheme were it is the climber/worker that is 'approved', then you should always get a good job for the client.

Colin

As a Certified Arborist and member of both the ISA and AA I can honestly say, in my experience that the AA does a lot of good stuff for the UK arb scene.

 

The ISA did get its act together in the late 90s early 2000s for a short time with the introduction of the UK/Ireland Cert Arb, and organising and running comps which still continues. These days I'm not so sure about the other things the ISA does.

 

As for the AA running ads in the Yellow pages, its impact will be minimal as people are very fickle and choose their tradespeople by word of mouth regardless of AA approved contractor status blah blah blah.......

[Colin Bashford]

Very cynical statement Colin....and calling fellow human beings 'crap' is a touch misanthropic don't you think?

 

My apologies I should not have said that but am dealing with a serious injury case where exactlt that happened.

 

 

 

The ISA did get its act together in the late 90s early 2000s for a short time with the introduction of the UK/Ireland Cert Arb, and organising and running comps which still continues. These days I'm not so sure about the other things the ISA does.

 

I agree that it did go throufgh a quiet period. We are working on it right now.

 

 

As for the AA running ads in the Yellow pages, its impact will be minimal as people are very fickle and choose their tradespeople by word of mouth regardless of AA approved contractor status blah blah blah.......

I hope you are right for there are a large number of good 'tree guys' out there who can do just a good a job as the AA approved contactor but cannot afford the time and money to become approved, and under your belief with what benefit.

 

Colin

[Mr Ed]

All tree people I've ever met fall between 'slightly' odd and extremely strange.

Wanting to do treework is slightly odd....

[Lee Winger]

I've been saying for years we need another Arb trade organisation! all we need are a few like minded people to get it up and running..

 

I'm all for a guild/org that vets companys for quals and insurance and nothing more! a few of us came up with the ''Tree workers or contractors Guild'' or something very similer..

 

If we don't act fast the AA WILL push non members out of the commercial contract market! are we just going to sit back do nothing, and watch this happen?