ArbjobsNick

Five lads already booked in and raring to go don't miss out on taking part in this event at the AA Arb Show. Use this link for more info and to download entry forms Arboricultural Association Arborist Tree Challenge

Don't know if any of you guys and girls are up for it but we have amended the arborist team challenge to an arborist tree challenge this year its a simple work climb event were you have to hit a few targets in the tree canopy. Entry fee is only £10 and we have four categories Novice Expert Premier and Veteran 40+ to choose from. Some top prizes have already been donated by Justin FR Jones & Sons, Honey Bros and Yale Cordage and more to follow I am sure it should be good fun and when you come down its only a short stagger to the beer tent! Please see Arboricultural Association Arborist Tree Challenge for more info and entry forms and more info.

Last year I had two operations to remove a melanoma from my head being told you have a malignant melanoma (it won't ever happen to me) scares the **** out of you. Hell to the macho sun creams for puffs try laying on a hospital bed as they cut a big chunk out of your head.....I promise you the noise and smell of blood and quaterised flesh are enough to put anyone off. Have been given the all clear now they got it all thank heavens. If you have an odd shaped mole or mark please dont delay have it checked out. Early stages what they call T1 & 2 are thinner and easier to treat later deeper tumours can be much harder. If you need any more info please use the official cancer research website here is a link. Melanoma skin cancer : Cancer Research UK : CancerHelp UK By the way despite the smell and sound it didn't hurt that much so don't let that put you off please get treatment sooner rather than later. Nick

I am pretty sure Andrew Cowan (Arbourecology) is going to be doing some air spade demos and a lecture at this years AA Arb Show 11th 12th June. I understand he is trying to get together a training program for anyone thinking about starting root care and management as misuse of the air spade can be just as damaging as topping out a tree. I hear there are also going to be a couple of articles in the next AA newsletter in relation to this. Hope this helps Nick

I (Arbjobs.com) am Sponsoring the Arborist Tree Challenge at this years AA Arb show http://trees.org.uk 11th & 12th June. Based on a simple (well fairly simple) work climb you can enter one of the four categories of climbers for only £10 Novice, Expert, Premier and Veteran (Over 40) We have some top prizes in each category both F.R.Jones & Son and Honey Brothers have both already offered to donate vouchers for £150 for first prize £100for Second and £50 for third. Visit Arboricultural Association Arborist Tree Challenge for your entry form and a set of rules. I would like to thank Paul Searl, Nigel Fagg and Tony Derbyshire for offering to judge the event for us this year. If you like the sound of this event you may also want to book on to the one in August at the FR Jones & Sons Forest and Arb Show in Kent that climbing event is being co-sponsored by Steve at Arbtalk and myself.

It is my understanding that LOLER inspectors should require that ropes used for PPE are marked up correctly now our industries best practice requires ropes to meet EN1891 and as such any rope used should be marked up as such in that it has been tested and meets the European standards required to keep you safe at work. With regard to splicing organisations or ombudsman for the UK, do we need one? Several forward thinking European hand splicer’s (see list below) have already invested some time and money and had their hand splices officially tested by SATRA to ensure they meet the European standard and can as a result now sell their ropes bearing a CE number assuring the quality of their product. (Germany) Freeworker Drayer (Germany) DRAYER Fachhandel für Baumpflege und Seiltechnik Poel (Holland) Welkom bij Poel Bosbouwartikelen Apeldoorn - Home Now there are several very competent hand splicer in the UK you have to wonder why none of them just taken the bull by the horns and followed suit? It worries me that LOLER inspectors are getting no official guidance on what is or is not acceptable from any other official source having got your LOLER ticket to inspect folks kit you and your liability are pretty much on your own to pass or fail kit as you see fit. I can only wish you the best of luck. In reference to the CE of any hand spliced rope if you take a rope with a CE and apply a hand splice you have to cut and remove some fibres. Now the engineering of this "if done correctly" may be sound ( it has to be as several people have had them CE’d) None the less you are deviating a product in doing so you are changing the construction of that item. The manufacturers CE is therefore no longer valid. It's simple non CE marked hand splices are no longer a CE marked item and if you supply a non CE marked item to a member of staff and that member of staff has an accident you (and your LOLER inspector) could be spending a lot of money in court trying to justify the cost saving of your purchase. Don’t just take my word for it give your employee liability underwriter a call see how he feels about your insurance. GREED ARROGANCE AND IGNORANCE WILL NOT KEEP YOU SAFE

I saw him at the East of England and can account for seeing both Alex, Steve and the Platten lads when he was climbing haven't got a clue who he is but he was good. Were do you get White Stretch Airs? I heard a rumour that the Twig was going to take on The Stig and climb around a tree canopy faster than the Stig could drive the Top Gear course in a transit towing a chipper LOL. Would love to see that. Anyway a few Clarkson esq quotes for you all. "He is said to survive on woodland fungi and leaves and that on a warm summers day he is followed by a small cloud of aphids we just know him as THE TWIG" "They say in the spring you can see him turning green and that if he stands too long in one place he will probably root to the ground we just know him as THE TWIG" "He has been known to quake in fear at the sound of a chainsaw and that every year he uses as much carbon as a small South American rain forest we just know him as The TWIG " "At the sight of small boys with conkers he is said to visibly shake we just know him as THE TWIG"

MB I told Yvonne about an incedent earlier in the year a yound boy had cut over half way through the tip of his finger and Cellox was applied to the wound. Yes it stopped the blood but it would almost certainly have also stopped the blood flow to the tip of the finger. Now it was some time ago I did my first aid at work but I seem to remember tissue starts to die within 15 minuites. So allowing for the delay in transporting to lad to hospital and the delay in A & E whilst the medical staff worked out what had been applied I would hazzard a guess that the lad didn't even start reciving treatment to re connect his finger tip for maybe an hour. Did he loose it ? I don't know can I find out? probably? Do we agree that Cellox isnt good in all circumstances ? I hope so. Cellox is a great product the problem we have here in the UK is that it is being widely sold as a cure all with no training or understanding how or when to apply it correctly. Many hospital staff in the UK do not know what it is or how to deal with it (some hemostatin products cause burns when water is applied) so being cautious medical staff may take some time in finding out how to treat a casualty with Cellox applied. If you have a major trauma any delay may count. Good training and carefull working practice that avoids accidents cannot be replaced by a £15.oo bag of magic powders.

IF you need any more evidence to stop you playing around power lines watch this. If you are easily shocked don't watch this it's not nice.. Shock tactics? maybe Human electrocution looks like this.... [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjjo6QVfxXk]YouTube - Indian Man Electrocuted to Death on Top of Train.[/ame]

I thought the show was great for its first event. The organisers are meeting shortly to decide if they are going to run another one so if you want to retain a scottish trade event please make your feelings known on here and we will pass on the responce. I personally think it has huge potential to be an ongoing annual event in Scotland but that is just my opinion, what do you think?

Thanks for your support lads. Nick

Pleased to help some of the loyal Arbtalk members were I can. Nick

Students and the open are held on seperate days and we only announce the winner and not the remaining scores so nobody looses face, even to the students ; )

Wouldn't miss it I think this is going to be great chance to review some of the new kit out on the market and a rare chance to get together with other climbers in the Scotland and Boarders area. Yve James do you have a map of directions?

Last week leading up to AA SHow we have a few spaces left for competitors and I am going out on a limb to offer Arbtalk members 50% discount on team entry fees. Enter your team for £50 with a chance to win £500! We are limited to the number of teams we can take so book early this price includes free entry to the showground and lunch laid on by us. Good luck all see Arboricultural Association Arborist Team Challenge for challenge details. Nick

Last week leading up to AA SHow we have a few spaces left for competitors and I am going out on a limb to offer Arbtalk members 50% discount on team entry fees. Enter your team for £50 with a chance to win £500! We are limited to the number of teams we can take so book early this price includes free entry to the showground and lunch laid on by us. Good luck all see Arboricultural Association Arborist Team Challenge for challenge details. Nick

Justin I am just down the road from Chesterfield I will have a look at it for him and advice FOC as a favour. Nick

Hi John I am pleased that we can now offer it to everyone in the industry and am hoping for a full house especially with the prizes on offer. Unlike other events it should be a walk in the park for any everyday arborist with a broad spectrum of trials based on what we do. All in all its supposed to be a bit of fun for those taking part my wife and I do our best to make sure everyone enjoys the day and wants to have a go next year. Hope you will be putting a tema in. Good luck Nick

Have any of you tried the new Stetch air Gladiator type A's? Kevlar 100% waterproof front panel with lighter weight breathable material to rear. I bet you can get them from any of the better equipment suppliers. Mate of mine runs a yard in Norfolk had a pair last year recons they are the mutts nutts, I also heard there may be a limited edition of specials coming in for the trade fair.

Hi all last year we ran the first Arborist Team Challenge at the AA Trade Fair I got a fiar slating for not letting everyone play so this year we have opened it to the industry. We are limited on spaces available due to daylight hours but with a first prize of £500 to the winning firm and £100 to the team members its got to be worth a go even for the giggle. Entry fees have also been dropped to £100 per team. This open event will be held on the Saturday the 27th. With the support of one Mr J Jones of F.R.Jones& Sons we are running a student version on Friday the 26th. Open to Colleges or students F.R. Jones and Sons are offering a £100 voucher for every team successfully entering. Again we are limited to numbers so get your entries in quickly. F.R.Jones are offering the winning Student team or College £500 voucher towards equipment and the winners will also get £100 voucher each. We are supported in running the event by some of the countries best training providers many of whom I am sure you will recognise who are all donating their time to ensure you have a good and safe day. Those of you who watched last year will know this is about the team as opposed to the individual and we want everyone to have a great time. Please come along and join in. For more information about the individual trials that make up the Arborist Team Challenge please visit Arboricultural Association Arborist Team Challenge Good luck Nick @ Arbjobs.com Challege Host

TOny this is a cheeky little experiment and not really fair Chatsworth have huge anchient oaks with very little crown hollow and rotten and very few have failed. Risk of failure has to be based on the wind sail area and location (protected / unprotected) decay advancement (Matteck) as a "Consultant" you have to protect your liability not just be a tree hugger. Who knows when that tree will fail ? and as you wont get 100 exactly the same you cannot work this out on a percentage scale. Each tree has to be assessed individually a timely and expensive project, good luck. Nick

I know I am too late but what about this based on the old BT tag line "Its Wood to talk!"