Caught on camera

[Mick Stockbridge]

  Treemon said:

I heard maybe urban myths that someone was fined £2000 for using one on the ground - mind you ive googled it and cant find it

 

That one has been floating around for year's. I'm surprised it hasn't gone up by now.

[leightree@hotmail.com]

  felixthelogchopper said:

Going off topic and not wanting to interfere with how you run your business, you may very well find that this amounts to an illegal deduction of wages which could cause you a lot of problems.

 

Look... to stop dangerous work practice in my business this is how it is! If you want to behave like a an clown playing silly buggers with very sharp kit find someone else's toys to play with. Everyone who worked for me read and signed my health and safety policy. In there it states use of top handled saws are only to be used in the tree by trained operatives. I don't care if its legal requirement or a recommendation in my business it's unsafe practice which is a sackable offence.

Up to now I've not had to get to step 2 or 3. They have been warned when they start.

So in answer to your statement... Bring on your employment lawyers and I will put them up against the h&se lawyers ;-)

[felixthelogchopper]

  leightree@hotmail.com said:

Look... to stop dangerous work practice in my business this is how it is! If you want to behave like a an clown playing silly buggers with very sharp kit find someone else's toys to play with. Everyone who worked for me read and signed my health and safety policy. In there it states use of top handled saws are only to be used in the tree by trained operatives. I don't care if its legal requirement or a recommendation in my business it's unsafe practice which is a sackable offence.

Up to now I've not had to get to step 2 or 3. They have been warned when they start.

So in answer to your statement... Bring on your employment lawyers and I will put them up against the h&se lawyers ;-)

 

Don't shoot the messenger. If you read what I posted, I said I don't want to interfere with how you run your business. It was just a friendly word to the wise but it is up to you what you do with it. A sackable offence is a sackable offence and I agree with your robust application of H & S. Fining somebody for said offence is an illegal deduction, regardless of what your staff have signed.

[Johny Walker]

http://www.fcauk.com/images/pdfs/AFAG308.pdf

 

here we go i think

[Andy Collins]

I like this bit, and I quote "top handled saws are only suitable to be used off the ground, rear handled saws must be used on the ground"

Taking a slightly skewed look at this, it reads as if there is actually more emphasis in the fact that rear handles must be only used on the ground, whereas the top handle is only more suitable for off ground use! Not exactly an emphatic "you must not use it on the ground!!!" statement is it.

[Spruce Pirate]

Industry best practice states that they should only be used up a tree, simple as that, it's not legal, but if an accident occurs my understanding is you could be in trouble as you are not complying with "Industry Best Practice".

 

I much prefer a rear handled saw on the ground, they are much more stable. I agree, almost everyone uses a top handle on the ground occassionally (other saw out of fuel, chain blunt, in the van, whatever reason), but it is safer to use a rear handle, therefore that should be used.

 

For all those who say it's not safer try this:

 

Take a 2' piece of wood and hold it out at waist height with both hands at one end, then get your mate to push the end up towards your face. It will be very easy for them to smack you in the chest/face with it. Do the same again, but hold the wood with your hands 1' apart, you will be able to control the wood better and perhaps defelct it away from your chest/face. The difference in position of the hands is the same as that comparing top and rear handle saws. I know which I'd rather have given the choice.

[tuttle]

  Andy Collins said:

I like this bit, and I quote "top handled saws are only suitable to be used off the ground, rear handled saws must be used on the ground"

Taking a slightly skewed look at this, it reads as if there is actually more emphasis in the fact that rear handles must be only used on the ground, whereas the top handle is only more suitable for off ground use! Not exactly an emphatic "you must not use it on the ground!!!" statement is it.

 

I read it the same:

 

Top-handled chainsaws are only suitable for use off the ground.

Rear-handled saws must be used when working on the ground.

 

It's not a point of law in this statement, so I doubt it would hold up in court.

[Andy Collins]

I think the Americans put better emphasis on their wording in instructions. You May do this, you may not do that, you shall or shall not, or you should do the other, and you definitely must obey what we say.

[Spruce Pirate]

  Andy Collins said:

I think the Americans put better emphasis on their wording in instructions. You May do this, you may not do that, you shall or shall not, or you should do the other, and you definitely must obey what we say.

 

Everyone is too worried about getting sued here to put anything down in concrete terms. All these things rely on being suitably vague until a case comes to court and a judge finally has to make a ruling.

[woodland dweller]

i use a top handle for hedge laying ,saw doing the cut other hand steadying the pleacher as it falls to stop it breaking at the cut and directing it to where it needs to go. Some snedding so it will lay flat. Can't be that precise with a 2 handed saw. Is this wrong ?