Law on chainsaws

[dig-dug-dan]

The current certificate for using a Chainsaw is a waste of time and money. I recently proved that it is impossible, and I mean impossible, to actually report someome for using a saw proffesionally without a licence. I was categorically told that the licence is advisory, not mandatory and therefore there was nothing that could be done.

I also had to clear a fallen ash tree that had come from school grounds into the council park. I did the sensible thing and asked permissiom from the council first for access. They asked to see my licence which I sent them. They then said my licence was invalid as the numbers had changed since I did it. Since the licence has no expiry date, and I pointed this out, it was still valid. They still refused. So I ignored them and did the work anyway. I even checked with the licence issuers, who confirmed the council were wrong to refuse, and also confirmed they would not be able to do anything if I were to be caught.

its a nonsense

[Stubby]

The problem is stubby if you want to work on any commercial site you already have to have saw tickets.

Fine if you don't do that work but that's pretty restrictive especially if your the bloke who has always done bits to help the parish council out but hse enforcement on risk assessment is getting so enforced on any thing public soon you have to have some training to do any thing Arb or forestry related just to tick the boxes.

 

I understand that Matty and I do have some ground tickets in fact they all changed back in the 70s or 80s and some people had to take them again ( some didnt ) but there are pleanty of competent people I know how still work a saw . If every one had to have fresh tickets think of the upturn in brake band sales !

[wills-mill]

Perhaps we should look at keen householders as an asset, rather than putting them down?

 

Plenty of countries on the Continent will allow householders access to marked stems for thinning in government owned woods. After a bit of training and a very mild licensing fee, I believe?

Basic woodland management gets done at no cost to government, timber quality and the community benefits!

[bobh]

The current certificate for using a Chainsaw is a waste of time and money. I recently proved that it is impossible, and I mean impossible, to actually report someome for using a saw proffesionally without a licence. I was categorically told that the licence is advisory, not mandatory and therefore there was nothing that could be done.

I also had to clear a fallen ash tree that had come from school grounds into the council park. I did the sensible thing and asked permissiom from the council first for access. They asked to see my licence which I sent them. They then said my licence was invalid as the numbers had changed since I did it. Since the licence has no expiry date, and I pointed this out, it was still valid. They still refused. So I ignored them and did the work anyway. I even checked with the licence issuers, who confirmed the council were wrong to refuse, and also confirmed they would not be able to do anything if I were to be caught.

its a nonsense

 

Its not a licence its a certificate of competence

I think your post make this perfectly clear so I dont see why you should have been surprised when you couldn't report someone for not having a licence

[NFG]

This whole thread is based on the false premiss the there such a thing as a "chainsaw licence", the idea of a "Licence" for a chainsaw or for climbing trees is a joke. This is not driving a car!!

 

If operating a saw "commercially", i.e. in business for money, you should have "proof of competence" this does not need to be the tickets we generally use, but they are in most cases the easiest way of proving competence.

 

If you are using a saw in a hobby type capacity, cutting your own trees or wood, you need nothing.

 

Hi

 

+1 from me

 

Perhaps the OP works in Brussels?

 

N

[Ty Korrigan]

Perhaps...

A saw for 'amateurs' should only have a 2m electric cable trailing behind.

The my French neighbour will be forced to employ ME (or buy an extension cable...duh!)

Ty:001_rolleyes:

[Spruce Pirate]

Would a far more effective solution not be to simply ban all chainsaws? We could hand our existing kit in under some sort of amnesty. Chainsaws are, after all, so dangerous that anyone using one without certification and a hi-vis is almost certain to kill or maim themselves, and professional users face almost the same level of risk unless clad in armour suits and clutching bundles of risk assessments!

 

On a serious note, to the OP's question: no, I don't think brining in a mandatory chainsaw license is a good idea, its over-kill and un-necessary government interference.

[harrythecat178]

Our attitude when we sell a saw is try and find out what the purchaser knows about using a saw and advise accordingly, offer to sell the required add ons ie oil PPE etc, if he refuses then so be it. Unless you are going to treat a chainsaw in the same way as a gun, then it would be impossible to enforce a licence system

[TGB]

Just because someone has certs, doesn't mean they're not going to be a cowboy/girl cutter. Nor does it mean they'll cut every tree every day safely. There's less chance that they'll be the former; and more chance that they'll be cutting safely when they do bring the toothed beast to life. But no guarantee.

 

The world is full of good Intensions and people saying, this is the only way forward to a brighter morrow. And I'm not saying certs are a bad thing, nor that daylight robbery of the unwary or uninformed is a good thing. But there's plenty of people in the world, who would still if they had to, get some certs and still go through the savings of others by nefarious means; and may well do so unsafely.

 

Also, there's plenty who would simply steal a vehicle and or just paint up a high-sided pickup, print off something that looked impressive, steal and or buy stolen equipment. Then go back to their old ways.

 

For the home '3x a year' cutter. What's to prevent them buying cheap and or dodgy gear down the pub. If certs were the golden egg of safety. There'd be no pictures or gruesome stories, of certificated arborists having cut into a leg or rope or accidentally unclipped a piece of safe gear or fallen from a MEWP. And you can't say because it's law, it'll definitely happen this way or that. If laws could prevent people from doing bad things, the prisons would be empty.

Edited February 22, 2015 by TGB

[IVECOKID]

There is more Fatal accidents caused by in proper use of mobile phones than chainsaws so I think we need to enforce a ticket of competence for them . Lol

 

Ste