AA Teccie (Paul)

Firstly, I hope your 'friend' is okay and soon recovers...and returns! As you are aware there is no requirement to wear a chainsaw jacket (see AFAG 301//401) unless of course your site specific risk assessment dictates otherwise (easy to say but in reality highly unlikely to veer be applicable whilst climbing, whihc of course would/could restrict movement and increase heat stress / fatigue.) In my expereince, most/many accidents are down to poor work positioning techniques and often involve untrained and/or inexpereinced guys. The main area where chainsaw jackets may be used are in MEWP work I would suggest. Cheers Paul

Chainsaws definately come under PUWER 98 (Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regs. see Help becoming an ARB Approved Contractor and scroll down the page.) Remember PUWER is a massive set of regs which covers all aspects of equipment / machinery use, from selection and suitability, to maintenance and inspection, to information and training (inc. certs of competence.) With regards to chainsaw stops, and spikes, and ladders maybe, IF they're not checked under LOLER, and to be quite honest I don't know if they should be, they should be under PUWER so you may as well include them anyway. Cheers.. Paul

David, THANK YOU (said on behalf of the industry and other ARB Talkers) this infomration and the way it is presented is simply fantastic...and not forgetting our fav 'HAMA', in combination your FUNGI info is moving our (inc. myself) awareness and understanding on 'leaps and bounds'. Keep it up boys. Paul

Hi there, These reports can be complex and can, potentially, expose the author to significant liability issues. Hence appropraite PI insurance is paramount, inc. for these types of report (check the small print.) In all honesty, unlike perhaps a tree condition report, I would suggest these are better left to the expereinced consultants...which of course you may be. Cheers all.. Paul

Morning all, Interestingly Bartlett's showed various P&Ds under a digital microscope at conference yesterday, fascinating stuff I have to say, inc. this. The outcome was a combination of factors, both biotic and abiotic, but often combined aphid, mites and seridium. So no single causitive agent. They advocated treatment with a contact insecticide, under licence, and also considering 'good husbandry' things like soil decompaction and mulching. If anyone's interested they do now offer a 'P&D' diagnosis service AND as part of the report they advise on suitable treatments. Cheers.. Paul

In my experience, as a former TPO tree officer, sometimes decisions are taken away from you where there is strong local interest and a political will...I think it's called 'democracy'. Hence you may wish to consider an 'appeal', not to be undertaken lightly tho as at tax payers expense, but this can sometimes have the effect of being a 'check and balance'. You have 28 days from receipt of the decision notice to appeal (see Planning Portal - Tree Preservation and Replacement Appeals) and remember, unlike previously, you can only use the reasons cited on the application to support the appeal (you cannot 'add meat' via an appeals notice.) Haven't read the detail to be honest but what you describe is, in (large) part, the reason I left the TPO officer role....I simply wasn't cut out for it finding myself trying to defend previous poor planning decisions often involving retention of inappropriate trees (not to say that's the case here of course!) Good luck..! Paul

Hmmm, interesting. So, the current position, as I understand it, is that you have been paid for a contract you have not yet fulfilled, i.e. you haven't done the stump grinding to the original trees, but you have completed additional works, i.e. a variation to the contract, with no payment received. Whilst I understand your reluctance to do the grinding, I would suggest you are contractually obliged to do so to the original trees (but not the additional two.) I would also suggest you send an invoice for the other two trees removed citing it as a contract variation instructed on site (hopefully you gave a price to the cleint before commencing works which, ideally, should have been noted on your copy of the quote and then signed by the client.) I would also include a quote for grinding out the remaining two stumps. Hoping my ramblings, whilst perhaps not what you wanted to hear, offer some help / guidance. Good luck..! Paul

Hi there, your 'mechanics' skills could/would be a much welcomed addition to many tree surgery companies as there's always some vehicle/machine breaking down and being mechanicaly minded often indicates a good aptitude etc. Also being 29 (I remember it well...well actually not so well now, boo hoo) may help, i.e. maturity. Good luck and give Andy Gentle a shout as he says. Cheers.. Paul

Hi there, The HSE LOLER guidance states: "What is a 'competent person'? The term 'competent person' is not defined in law but the LOLER Approved Code of Practice and guidance[2] (paragraph 294 on competent persons) states that: 'You should ensure that the person carrying out a thorough examination has such appropriate practical and theoretical knowledge and experience of the lifting equipment to be thoroughly examined as will enable them to detect defects or weaknesses and to assess their importance in relation to the safety and continued use of the lifting equipment." This clearly highlights the importance of someone having suitable industry experience to undertake the inspects of arb kit and, similarly, I would suggest an industry based training provider may provide more suitable, 'tailored' training. On a number of occasions I have observed inspections undertaken by none industry expereinced persons and it often leaves much to be desired. Good luck.. Paul

When we stepped into the main marque on the Sat morning we were greeted by a rotten stench, basically the mud we'd stirred up on the Friday whilst trying to set up was releasing a putrid odour, there's no way we cudda sat in there. Plus as Hama said the chairs wudda been well buried within 10mins of sitting on them...and then, just to cap it all, we got stuck in the mud on the way off the site. All in all a 'good effort' but must try harder next time. As Ed said I was completely gutted and again apologise to all you guys. Will post back when we've reached a decision about when 'ARB FEST II' will happen...'watch this space'! Cheers fer now.. Paul

Hi Christopher, ABSOLUTELY...please 'watch this space'! Sorry for any inconvenience. Cheers.. Paul

Guys, REALLY sorry to everyone affected but basically we couldn't even set the event up, let alone welcome you and host the presentations doing justice to the presenters. The main marque become flooded, and I mean flooded as a quagmire, as we attempted to set up and the lighting engineers and generator contractors were getting stuck in the mud trying to access the site...'unbelieveable!' On behalf of my colleagues here at the AA again I do sincerely apologies for any, and all, inconvenience caused and it was a decision taken with a very, very heavy heart! PLEASE watch this space for further updates and I so look forward to meeting with you in the near future. Off to dry out...cheers all. Paul

..you askin?....I'm dancin....NOOOOOoooooooo!!!!!!! Tee hee..

Rob, you might wanna bring a 'ground sheet'....just in case! Thanks fer yer enfusiasm...good stuff. Paul

OR, 'better still', why not turn up on the day n 'pay at the gate'...and bring yer mates!, as the last day for formal bookings was yesterday and we do have a number of places left to fill n it'd be great to see more people there. REMEMBER £75 (+VAT...boo hoo!) if you become an AA member on the day...that gives you 20 quid extra to spend on 'Pina Coladas' on the Sat evening. See http://www.trees.org.uk/ARB-Fest for more info. Cheers for now n looking forward to seeing you there. Paul Thanks Jaime..!

Perhaps too simplistic but hopefully it will be a case of "either / or" meets the PUWER requirements, kinda as chipper training can/does. 'Fingers crossed'..! Cheers, Paul

Hi Stuart, Thank you for the information here, very useful. Will the Lantra courses follow the traditional 'independent assessor' route or the ITA (integrated training and assessment) route? If the latter will it still be permissible for Lantra to issue a 'certificate of competence' as required under PUWER ACOP Reg.9 for chainsaw operators? Thanks in anticipation. Paul

Jack, this is very sound advice from Stuart as I have seen first hand with several London..ish based 'ARB Approved Contractors' how the apprenticeship arrangement can benefit both the students/trainees and the employer. I think Bicton do the apprenticeship scheme and possibly the others too. I know Capel Manor (N. London are very active with it.) Good luck with everything..! Paul

Suggesting an alternative approach if I may, i.e. bottom up...instead of top down, and in practice maybe 'BoB' (a bit of both.) Let us not forget that crown decline, aside from any significant H&S issues which must be dealt with, is usually associated with poor rooting environment so maybe decompaction and/or mulching is the way forward. We need to reconsider our position in recommending stuff base purely on crown assessments, and more particularly when our only prescription is to work said crown...afterall, and again aside from essential safety works, remember "pruning is damage" (and of course it removes the very importnat green bits)..who did say that? Thanks all.. Paul

Hi all, APOLOGIES for my not responding sooner, things have been tad busy with the 'ARB SHOW' and so much other good stuff going on, but thank you to my 'learnED colleague' Mr Bray I think he's kept you pretty well informed (thanks Jaime!) Reet, the BOOKING FORM is below (as an attachment) the web-link is here ARBFest for further info so PLEASE, PLEASE get involved and come along as I, and my colleagues, are really keen to get stuff going 'up north' and to meet you. There will be AA books and other publications, i.e. guidance notes, available and of course purchasing at the 'fest' will save the postage, 'every little counts'. So c'mon guys get booked on as there are still places available..! Many thanks.. Paul aa_arbfest_booking_form_120412.pdf

SORRY 'Burytreeman' wrong of me to presume. PTI = Professional Tree Inspection, a Lantra Awards ITA (integrated training and assessment, like wood-chippers or stump grinders can be) 3-day course. Essentially it's an opportunity to demonstrate competence at undertaking detailed inspections of trees and become certificated ('qualified') as such. I have seen the PTI as a criteria appearing on job descriptions and contract specifications over the past 12 months or so...do't ask me to remember where tho. IF you're involved in doing tree safety inspections, and in particular if you're providng written reports, then it's well worth doing. IF you not doing detailed inspections BUT you are interested in parhaps so doing in the future, then it can be a useful 'training event' too. See Professional Tree Inspection 3 Day Course ? Training as an example and for further info. Thanks for asking... Paul

We can certainly arrange this for you, we have previoulsy run one at Cuerden Valley Park (just south of Preston), but would need an absolute min. no. of 6 (I think) and ideally 8-10 to make it cost viable (REMEMBER too there's a £50+ saving on this 3 day course if you're an AA member...available from £55.) Cheers. Paul

With all due respect, and 'yes' similarly I have climbed stuff like this (and probably worse) myself in the past, this is another example of the 'risk taking' culture which is accepted (by some...by many) within our industry. And, perhaps, (said with the utmost respect and compassion), why too often we are passing on our concerns, and sometimes condolenses, to others with our industry who have been seriously, or fatally, injured. To give the (likely) 'regulators' perspective, i.e. HSE not AA, then your approach and planning for 'working at height' failed, because you would not have got past 'MEWP', and, in the event of anything untoward happening, and particularly to an employee / engaged sub-contactor (AKA 'an employee'...in HSEs eyes), you would likley be found negligent and the costs associated with that would far exceed hiring in a MEWP. I think also the very fact you're asking means there's a doubt! I know it's easy for me to say as I don't have to face the grind every day as you guys do, but please, please think carefully and perhaps ask yourself the question that if something did go wrong could I hold my hand up and say I did all that was 'reasonable', and safe, to plan and undertake this work. Thanks fer reading all n please 'stay safe' out there..! Cheers.. Paul

Thank you 'kind Sir'...I'm sure many would say otherwise, ha! Cheers.. Paul

Hi 'Arbwork', "you're very welcomed", I just hope it's of use / interest...altho I acknowledge it's not the most exciting aspect of what we (YOU) do as an industry, nonetheless it is important stuff. Thanks for the reply. Paul