Chainsaw refresher course, who should foot the bill?

[Tintin]

Self employed might try for training grant from DWP – Department for Work and Pensions

[mikecotterill]

The issue of updates will only be relevant post accident or incident. The investigators (either insurance , HSE or both) will have plenty to say if they are not in place.

It can easily be done by either a days training or achievement of further units. Not bad every 5 years compared to a lot of industries

 

Well that's how this came to light, one of the lads dropped a tree on the overheads

[mikecotterill]

Well the update to this is, as mentioned above is that afag recommend 5 years refresher, although at our place at least there's some uncertainty if its retraining or assesment that's needed? The company has found two places to do it, one for a three day course the other only one day, both are 250 pp. I think this shows up the major problem here, in that there isn't a set syllabus/course for this.

 

The employees of the company we agency to, have done their refresher training and got a lantra certificate of attendance after it.

 

Anyone know when afag 805 was produced? If it was fairly recently, hopefully it's just a matter of lantra/nptc sorting out a specific syllabus.

[Land Skills Training]

Hi Mike

Latest version of AFAG 805 was May 2011.

 

Time spent refresher training depends on what specific subject is to be covered for example Maintenance,Crosscutting, Felling(up to 380mm), Felling (over 380mm) Chainsaw use in tree, Dismantling etc etc.

Have they told you exactly what you need to refresh?

Cheers Mark

[paddy]

Agree with Andy .... I was told by an assessor recently I needed to do a refresher ... I ask for a price... Then I looked out the window at his shiny kit laden 4x4 and then walked out The door.If they came out on site ticked some boxes and then made an assement there and then you need refreshing then I would be happy too.. But not spending can not afford to and will not spend money on some thing that I am 10 times more competent than when I was giving the ticket in the first place to line some one else's pockets!

 

spot on mate,why take craftsmen back to apprentice level ,chainsaw course is first step to learn the job:confused1:

[mikecotterill]

Hi Mike

Latest version of AFAG 805 was May 2011.

 

Time spent refresher training depends on what specific subject is to be covered for example Maintenance,Crosscutting, Felling(up to 380mm), Felling (over 380mm) Chainsaw use in tree, Dismantling etc etc.

Have they told you exactly what you need to refresh?

Cheers Mark

 

So before 805 did afag mention refresher training? I'm guessing that's why it's just coming to light as its fairly recent??

 

Yeah it's a day for 30/31 and a day for 38/39.

 

Also found out that the agency may pay for it, if we sign something to say that if we leave within a certain period we have to repay so much back.

[AardvarkTreeServices]

If your a regular user and beleive your competent, then you should be able just to retake the nptc assessment and get a fresh ticket proving your competence? That should be cheaper than a 3 day course and less time off work. Probably worth running through the original course notes beforehand just to polish up on the finer points and get someone with a ticket to watch you to check your technique.

[Land Skills Training]

2 days to refresh all those sounds not too bad every 5 years. Hope they pay for you and its quite common when they do that if you leave within a year or so that you may have to pay all or some of it back. Employers are worried about investing in training and then because people have more qualifications they are more attractive to other companies and can go and work for someone else down the road for a better wage.

hope it sorts itself out cheers Mark

[muldonach]

2 days to refresh all those sounds not too bad every 5 years. Hope they pay for you and its quite common when they do that if you leave within a year or so that you may have to pay all or some of it back. Employers are worried about investing in training and then because people have more qualifications they are more attractive to other companies and can go and work for someone else down the road for a better wage.

hope it sorts itself out cheers Mark

 

How on earth does someone who is self employed not "leave within a year"? Forgive my ignorance but is there a trade such as plumber/Electrician/Joiner who requires to retrain every 5 years? Does a truck or forklift driver need to do refresher training?

 

I do know that to keep my marine licence current all I have to do is prove that I have 12 months qualifying sea service in the last 5 years.

 

Just another load of old tosh to extract cash imo.

 

Cheers

mac

[skyhuck]

You do not need to do refresher training, as far as I'm aware its only recommended.

 

If you employ people its probably a good idea to have them do some form of refresher training to cover your back.

 

You may find that some clients ask about the dates on your tickets, I had a council that questioned my tickets, as I took mine in 1996, I pointed out that if they wanted a novice with limited experience I was not the man for them. They saw my point and I won the contract.