AA Teccie (Paul)

Hi Thomas, If you're within striking distance of Somerset we have one running on 6-8th September, see Professional Tree Inspection 3 Day Course To be honest, and NOT doing a sales pitch here, but, in my experience, those attendees who go residential, or B&B etc., generally seem to fare better with the assessment as they have time in the evenings to absorb the days teaching and do some revision. If this is no good there are other 'providers' who deliver it, try Treelife. Good luck..! Paul

So actually insurance and H&S, or rather a lack of it, did you (the event) a favour, ha. I agree, what people choose to do in their own time should be at their own risk, be it chasing cheese down a bl**dy steep hill or chucking burning barrells round the village (Now that really is mad!), and no need for others to intervene. Glad you had a gud'un..! Paul

HI Skyhuck, hope yer well! As you quite rightly say the HSE do not require an NPTC CoC for chippers as 'adequate training' is the legal requirement. However if the proverbial hits the fan, and chipper related accidents aren't that uncommon, relatively speaking, how do you prove/evidence 'adequate training' to HSE? As such, under the ArbAC scheme, we require evidence of auditable training and we expect to see either NPTC or the Lantra Awards ITA (Integrated Training & Assessment.) "Yes", belt n braces, but not consider it unreasonable to expect as training for the NPTC can be 'in-house', using the NPTC schedule as a basis, and then presenting candidates for extrenal audit. OR Lantr ITA, 4 trainees for 1 day training & assessment. Just to add to the mix.. Cheers.. Paul

Lorry, haha, he's beyond redemption I'm afraid. Nice one mate.. Cheers

Hi all, SORRY Guys, not a fan myself but my eldest is and when he can't watch 'the Reds' he watches 'the Yellows' (or 'Gulls') instead...AKA Torquay Utd. Hence I'm taking him to watch the League 2 Play-offs at the hallowed ground tomorrow and we plan to stay on and watch the 'BIG' game somewhere near the ground. He was hoping they would have a big screen inside the ground and we could pay to stya inside and watch but sadly not. Any suggestions..??? Many thanks.. Paul PS My team don 'Black n White' vertical stripes n 'Super Macs' my hero, ha!

Possibly one of the symptoms of 'AOD' (ACute Oak Decline) whihc is a multiple factor/casuation thing (see FC website). PLEASE don;t forget aerial deadwood is a niche habitat and hence very valubale ecologically...hence do you really need to deadwood, or do you need to deadwood all parts of the crown or just over the target, or reduce the size but leave long stubs whihc are safe (partic on Oak) and keeps some habitat. Thinks about why weez doin wot we duz...gud'on'ya! Cheers.. Paul PS This is the approach BS3998 (2010) promotes.

Sounds like planning conditions (PCs) may be the only restriction. Hence I would advise 'towing the party line' and contacting the LPA beforehand...even if with the chainsaw blipping away in the background. PCs are notoriously difficult to enforce for the LPA and more particularly after 5 years have expired. There is a chance these PCs could have translated to 'restrcitive covenants' on the property deeds so may be worth checking with the residents...think though that's principally their risk not yours as your acting on instruction and would at least have very strong mitigating grounds. (That said I've never heard of a case involving such.) The principal things you MUST consider are TPOs / Cons. Area & Felling Licence (if it's communal 'garden' area then it would/should be exempted from FC controls.) Cheers.. Paul

Tree protections/restrictions, as far as I'm aware, are: 1. TPO's - LPA 2. Conservation Areas - LPA 3. Planning Conditions (usually only enforceable for 5 years unless says differently and often used to retain development site peripheral trees/hedgerows but can also apply to new tree plantings) - LPA 4. Felling Licence - FC 5. Restrictive Covenant (rare) - Landowner / original developer or agent who has purchased 'rights' (sorry dont really know much more) 6. SSSIs (dependent upon designation type and not usually direct tree protection) - NE 7. WCA 1981 - Plymouth Pear as an endangered species (local to Devon/Cornwall) 8. Legal injunction (don't really understand these but remote possibility...I think) Obvioulsy the first 4 protections/restrictions are the ones I would expect you to have an awareness and understadning of, the others much (much) less so. Hope this helps.. Paul

Hi David, hope you're keeping well! Much good advice contained above (as always) but in repsonse to your specific question it's all down to your emergency contignecies as dictated by the particualr site/job circumsatnces. MEWP certainly can be deemed a valid method of rescue either as an aid to the 'rescuer' accessing the casualty and/or use the bucket to lower. Either way you should refer to Sect. 13 of the MEWPs guide whihc gives further advice. On a last point, from a HSE persepctive you may find it very difficult to justify tree climbing, certainly in totality, if there is access for a MEWP to the site, let alone a MEWP actually on the site. The hierachcy dictates MEWP first as 'collective protective measures', i.e. MEWP buckets, should take priority over 'individual protective measures', i.e. WP system...but you have to consider the MEWP on the job in the wider context as they may actually increase the risk levels associated with the job overall, i.e. unstable ground conditions / obstructions / o/head powerlines / traffic collisons etc. Take care out there.. Cheers, Paul

Hi Mark, I was gonna direct you to the Hort. Correspondence College but just had a look and they no longer seem to offer it....hmmm! In part this could be owing to the restructuring of qualifications under the new 'Quals. & Credits Framework', i.e. it will now be known as 'level 2 arboriculture'. As an alternative, given you wish to 'home study' (always admire people who can!), you could consider the ISA Certified Arborist perhaps, see ISA Certified Arborist Programme - Arborist Certification :: ISA Certified Arborists :: ISA UK&I Chapter, or the European Tree Worker exam, see EAC - Hoping thsi to be of help. Cheers, n good luck! Paul

I reckon that was the 'old', 1989, standard as I saw the same thing on a previous Arb assessment and the contractor involved paid about 85quid for the privilege. The new standard should come as a true document, see http://shop.bsigroup.com/ProductDetail/?pid=000000000030089960 Paul

Hi all, hope you're well. Just a quickie to say that the 'H&S' stuff is now directly accessible from the AA homepage at Arboricultural Association, see 'Help for Arborists', or directly at Help becoming an ARB Approved Contractor Previously finding the docs was something of a 'maze' type event but hoepfully now improved. REMEBER some of the documents, i.e. H&S Policy template, are aimed at the 'smaller' business, i.e. 'upto to 5' (inc. the employer). We also have some further news coming shortly involving 'free' assessments for prospective 'ARB Approved Contractors'..."WATCH THIS SPACE"! Thanks.. Paul

I admit to not really knowing but regarding VW see Verticillium wilt / RHS Gardening Advice But I alos note in Strouts n Winter DoE book 'Diagnosis Ill-health in Trees' he mentions an unexplained condition on A. pseudo. & Brilliantisimum which is described very similar to your photo's illustrating with 'inter-veinal leaf browning'. As 'treefrog' suggests cut back into a branch with affected foliage and see if brown staining is present, a process of elimination. Cheers.. Paul

Excellent! Yeah, no worries, just tell um Paul at the AA said it was okay, ha! If only..

Hi there, sorry to 'confuse.com'...something I'm very good at, but never mean to! In your case, as a volunteer and probably involving smaller trees (apologiese if I've misunderstood), then a Lantra Awards CS31 'refresher course' might be just the ticket (forgive the pun.) The confusion over medium/large trees relates to the CS33 Large Trees (NPTC) ticket and I think it has been temporarily reinstated. Regardless CS32 is still valid and is therefore is a progression option. Hope this helps. Cheers.. Paul

Hi all, The 2008 'DPC' (Draft for Public Comment) bears little resemblance to the actual 2010 doc so I wouldn't suggest it to be a suitable (FOC) alternative. 2ndly, I was with Jo last week in York and she said she was no longer supplying the standard. The 50% discount was an offer for January only whihc was then extended to delegates attending the first round of seminars we delivered. Hence £172, as full price, for the document is the only option. Assuming the doucment will be valid for a min. period of 5 years that equate to about £35 per year...a little more palatable! I see there maybe a 'cute' marketing opportunity by having your copy in your site visit folder so when trying to convince 'Mrs Miggins' why that (very) light crown reduction is an appropriate option, or why you shouldn't be removing multiple primary branches form the lower stem section in one hit, and you can refer to it introducing it as the industry standard to whihc all 'tree care professionals' should work....impressive eh?!...just a thought to try and encourage purchase. Cheers all.. Paul

In those cases I have observed I don't recall any insect activity 'per se' BUT I have seen this with wasps and hornets when the infection is related to HF and you get the strong associated odour present.

Gerrit, sorry to hear that, and even more so as we seem to be floundering a little in establsihhing the cause and taking appropriate measures to control, confine or improve the situation...I think becasue we don't really know what we're dealing with so where does one start? Regards.. Paul

Hmmm, I think communication with the LPA is key here...and very often elsewhere. What you have to remember with the TPO legilsation is that your are effectively 'guilty' until you prove you 'innocense', opposite to the usual legal position. Hence, in the very least, I would be sure to have good quality photographic evidence availbale to show the positions and condition of said trees before undertaking work. Further is there an automatic requirement to replacemnet plant under the TPO? Something else worth checking. There, typical 'AA bloke'..more questions than answers!!!..."Mr Sorenson???" Well at least it's a start. Cheers.. Paul

That's disappointing to hear, hugely frustrating, and, dare I say, demonstrates a lack of understanding of how the system works and, more importantly, how the skills develop and are applied. What if the 'training provider' supplied a covering letter saying that CS31, for instance, had effectively been 'refreshed' by virtue of training undertakne for CS32...or is that too simple,?...hmmm! Wherever possible, in applying H&S regs / industry good practice through the ArbAC scheme, we try to take a pragmatic view on things and training/competence is an area regularly involved and I often run things pass HSE who I have to say take a similarly pragmatic, rather than dogmatic (and often unworkable), approach. Cheers.. Paul Paul

"FUNGUS...I was gonna say exactly that too but you beat me to it, ha!" Nice to meet you and THANK YOU for your invaluable input here on 'ARBTALK'. I was also gonna suggest it may be one of the symptoms of the phenomena called 'Acute Oak Decline' (AOD) and direct 'Topher' to: Forest Research - Acute oak decline Regards.. Paul

As a couple of the 'above' post have, inadvertently, made reference to the issue of "refresher training" it would seem an opportune moment to mention that AFAG 805 'Training and Certification' has been updated and released. See http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/afag805.pdf They have placed a greater emphasis on 'consolidation' of skills, as a key factor in developing operator competence, and again highlighted the need for (effective) refresher / update training particulrly where 5 years have expired since previous training AND where advancements have been made in technologies and techniques...'climbing' / 'aerial rescue' and 'rigging' I would suggest are the key areas currently. Further IF it was 15 years, or more, ago since you did your original training, say for tree felling, and you have a CS30/31 (or even CS10/11???), then why not undertake CS32 which will both refresh you original training AND mean you achieve a more advanced skill. Thanks all.. Paul

September I've heard...hopefully 2011 that is! Paul

Try here.. The ARB Show - Arboricultural Association and here.. The ARB Show Exhibitors' page and finally, here (or below?) Hope tis helps and to see you there. Cheers.. Paul ARBShow-2011-Leaflet[1].pdf

See option 1: Chainsaw Training Courses - Lantra Awards UK Good luck! Paul