Self Rescue

[Arbocop]

the law requires an effective rescue not taking in to account the provision of any emergency service. W@H regs.

 

industry best practices says '.....One of the ground team must be

available, competent and equipped to perform an aerial

rescue without delay....'

 

competent, dont take it in that litteral scence that people do, cs38 gives a basic minimum standard to c.30-40 ft up and c.15ft out, no moor in terms of height. risk based health and safty means that this should be assessed and putting a rescue climber wth a gang means they need to be competent to support that gang, not just have a basic minimum standard.

 

you must plan prepair equip and train. i support the nptc/lantra system but it needs to be understood it has limits, it is a basic standard.

 

als o if you look at the accidents that happen no one ever saw it happenong, all those really dodgy jobs we naturally controll the risk because they are dody, the 'easy' quick jobs are were the accidents happen.

 

having said that im sorry but have a person there competent to rescue you, yu never know...................

 

as a final thing... dont think of your self think of all thoise includeing family, freaind, staff customers that may be affected should you be unlucky enough to have an accident, i was party to a case were the widow despertly wanted to know how her husband had died and theinspector had to explain, not nice dont think of you think of them...............

 

ps weathers been great today

 

kev

[Mark Bolam]

I don't usually have a 2nd climber in for a typical Mrs. Miggins cherry trim, but will get one in for bigger more gnarly jobs. More to split the climbing than rescue me - I'm dangerous when I'm knackered!

 

I reckon if you sever an artery up a tree, the only one getting you down is yourself. Like Skyhuck has said, make sure your rope is long enough to get you down. So important, so obvious.

 

For the record, I passed CS38 the same week I first ever climbed a tree with a rope and harness. Would I have been able to rescue someone 70ft up a skinny slippy tree? No chance. They would have starved to death before I got there!

 

I personally believe every tree is different. Every job is different. Let's all bare that in mind and stay as safe as we can, make a profit when we can and enjoy it whilst doing so!

[Big 'Ammer]

I have been following this with a great deal of interest.

 

One of many reasons I left my last job was that I was expected, day in and out, to go and climb without another climber on site.

 

For years and years prior to this, I climbed with a very good climber on site on the ground, but we had no second climbing kit, the guy I worked for didn't own one.

 

We used the same set of gear depending on who was climbing.

 

This probably sounds incredible nowadays, but we had no intention of having an accident, so instinctively took care and thought about our actions whilst working in the trees.

 

However,

 

When I left to start my own company, I made a concious decision that if the job couldn't be done safely and profitably by the prevailing rules of the times, then it wasn't worth having a go, and I'd be better off retraining into another industry.

 

Its been said earlier that no one in this game is whiter than white all the time, and I am no exception.

 

There are things I do that may be considered by others to be 'not by the book' or 'the guidelines say you have to do it this way', but I am comfortable that my work practices do not endanger me or anyone else.

 

Experience, and consideration of the outcome of one's own actions, count for everything in this trade.

 

For the record, since I started my own business, I have never once climbed without another ticketed climber and spare kit on site, nor have I ever sent an employee out to climb without another ticketed climber and spare kit.

 

Time needs to be made for novices to have a go, or they never will be competent, as no matter how many pieces of paper they hold, they will remain novices.

 

I've spent a fortune on training staff, which in the first few years I could ill afford.

 

Nevertheless, in my opinion, the longer term benefits and profits of a well trained crew far outweigh the savings that are made by not spending money on appropriate safety training and finding the time to put it in to practice.

[Mesterh]

the 'easy' quick jobs are were the accidents happen.

 

You are spot on there, well with what happened to me when I had a few accidents it was always doing mundane simple jobs, lack of concentration unfortunately.

[Ian C]

I have been following this with a great deal of

 

For years and years prior to this, I climbed with a very good climber on site on the ground, but we had no second climbing kit, the guy I worked for didn't own one.

 

 

that wouldn't happen to be john woodmansey would it Nige?

[Big 'Ammer]

[quote=IC TREES;140340

 

that wouldn't happen to be john woodmansey would it Nige?

 

I worked for John for 10 years, Ian.

 

In his heyday he was an excellent climber and he taught me very well, despite the fact that 3 strand and Willans were just going out of fashion when I started using them!

 

I was chucked in at the deep end pretty much from the off after a few months on the ground, and after three years was the main climber.

[testcricket01]

if we followed all health and safety regs then no one would ever make any money or even get to work the worlds gone crazy people cant even stand on a chair and change a light bulb anymore rediculus as for the having a rescue climber i think the answer is in a ideal world you would have a rescue climber and paramedics and a hospital next door but in the real world esspecially in the finacial state at the moment people find it hard enough to get work without having to add to the costs having someone who has the CS38 isnt worth the paper its written on if you have a accident where by u cant move or do anything for your self you will properly be dead by time anyone gets to you anyways i think minimiseing the risks of being in a accident should be concentrated on more than the fact of you having a rescuer or not

[Blakes 7]

Testcricket,

if we ALL followed the health and safety regs everyone would be pricing with the same costs! So yes we would still make money.

[Stephen Blair]

Testcricket,

if we ALL followed the health and safety regs everyone would be pricing with the same costs! So yes we would still make money.

 

how long have you been in the arb game blakes?

[skyhuck]

Testcricket,

if we ALL followed the health and safety regs everyone would be pricing with the same costs! So yes we would still make money.

 

I take it you never,

 

Use an 020 one handed, except when at the very outside edge of the crown, reaching away from your body?

 

Use your saw above shoulder hight?

 

Over load any axle of your truck?

 

Do more than 70mph on the Mway, 60mph when towing?