puwer

Sorry I should have said the highest level ticket that contains chainsaw use.

Yes you will. One day ROLO course, CITB H&S touch screen test (most people do operative level) and then submit your application to BALI for a blue skilled CSCS/LISS operator card. The reverse of your card contains your occupation title, which is a reflection of the “tickets” you have. For example (please don’t quote me exactly on this) for the card to say ground based chainsaw operator you would need something like maintenance, crosscutting and felling small trees. As the fell small trees is the highest level ticket within that occupation title, it will need to be less than five years old or accompanied by evidence of Lantra Awards or FISA refresher training.

Enjoyed reading that Steve and glad to have been part of the journey. CC-A

Freeworker Fachhandel für Baumpflege und Seilklettertechnik » Rope Wrench zertifiziert! Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

I am sure Paul will provide input as required [emoji106]. The AA standards do not specifically stipulate how a company manages and records customer Enquiries. The standards state "suitable for the size of business and a logical system to ensure that all get a response". What this means in reality is that a very small company owner may record Enquiries in a diary and then strike through them as they are dealt with, through to a full CRM (client relationship manager) system that a larger company may use. It is very often very easy to assess this element through questioning with a company owner or administrator and simply observing the records a company may make. No requirement for a documented enquiry process/procedure, however where a company holds iSO9001 and has such a process, an assessor may ask to see it and simply ask the company to demonstrate how it complies with its own procedure. Without derailing the thread and just to provide a little food for thought, a large part of the assessment process is about asking a company to demonstrate what it says it is going to do. Particularly for smaller companies, concise risk assessments and policies that are then implemented will be far more effective than reams of paperwork. And lastly for me the scheme is a little bit of a three pronged approach, demonstrating legislative compliance, good practice compliance and consumer protection. A small company having something in place to make sure the people who call them get a return phone call isn't that unreasonable is it, and I would suggest might be one of the reasons a consumer would choose an ArbAC. Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

Thankyou Colin for reiterating my point as per my previous post: Quote: "This requirment for a certficate or award applies to people working with chainsaws on or in trees on agricultural holdings. UNLESS it is done as part of agricultural operations (for example hedging, clearing fallen branches, or pruning trees to maintain clearance for machines, etc) by the occupier or his employees and they have used a chainsaw before 5th December 1998. If therefore your chainsaw work is part of agricultural operations AND the work is being done by the land occupier or their employees; AND they have used a chainsaw before the 5th December 1998 then as you say you will not need a ticket." What you need to make sure you understand is the AND part of the exemptions, the fact that you have used a saw before 5/12/98 is not a stand alone reason for not achieving a relevant cert or award.

All workers who use a chainsaw should be competent to do so. before using a chainsaw to carry out work on or in a tree, a worker should have received appropriate training and obtained a relevant certficate of competence or national comptence award, unless they are undergoing such training and are adequately supervised. However, in the agricultural sector, this requirment only applies to first-time users of a chainsaw. This requirment for a certficate or award applies to people working with chainsaws on or in trees on agricultural holdings. UNLESS it is done as part of agricultural operations (for example hedging, clearing fallen branches, or pruning trees to maintain clearance for machines, etc) by the occupier or his employees and they have used a chainsaw before 5th December 1998. If therefore your chainsaw work is part of agricultural operations AND the work is being done by the land occupier or their employees; AND they have used a chainsaw before the 5th December 1998 then as you say you will not need a ticket. I don't know your working circumstances and if all the above exemptions apply then we are on a winner, if not then just because you have been using a saw before 5/12/98 doesn't mean you don't need to comply to the requirements of having a certficate or award. Owing to the fact that you do have relevant certficates or awards, and let's say the exemptions do not apply to you then i would argue that you are actually meeting the provisions of PUWER 98, and not in fact going above and beyond the requirements of the law. Let me know your thoughts, appears to be an often confused situation. Regards

Sorry i don't follow; just because you did your tickets prior to 1998 how does that make you sorted for life?

Guidance notes: No1 - Trees and bats No3 - Planting and managing amenity woodlands No4, No6 and No7 etc General guides: Tree work, choosing your arborist, a guide to qualifications and careers in arboriculture. Examainers, invigilators, question writers Tech Cert.

http://www.totalarb.com/content/cm000192.htm Original GTGCP (1999) Aerial Rescue Guidance Notes (1997) Peer review group members: Safe working methods with top handled chainsaws Karabiner safety in the arboriculture industry Determination of rope access and work positioning techniques in arboriculture

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/logging/manual/felling/cuts/special_techniques/unacceptablepractices.html

http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/crr_pdf/2001/crr01364.pdf For those that require a little bed time reading Page 36.

Heartwood cutting or face boring is utilised as most have said to relieve tension in the heart of the trunk, removal via heartwood cutting prevents wood fibres being pulled. General rules of thumb (species, grain direction, lean etc etc need to be considered) once a heartwood is used, remaining hinge should be at least 6" either side and approx 50mm wide. Generally heartwood cuts are placed at the same level or just above (25-50mm approx) the sink level, your back cut would also go in at this height so the cuts would all marry up in alignment/levels. Humboldt sinks, use of ears, heartwood cuts etc. all help reduce the chances of "barber chair, splits, shakes" all good techniques for us to know whether it be felling on the deck or limb removal in the tree! Edenarb - spot on.

Without splitting hairs, the letterbox cut would refer to the removal of the centre of the hinge when the tree has hung up leaving two supporting pegs either side. A heartwood cut would be introduced from the front of the sink as posted fanning out the centre of the hinge, the remaining hinge would be approximately 50mm thick leaving a min of 6" either side of the fan. Same meat, different gravy we have our lingo!