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AA Teccie (Paul)

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Everything posted by AA Teccie (Paul)

  1. Ooops, apologies, you're quite right standards should be upheld....trouble is I do sometimes (over) relax on here when we move away from officialdom! Thanks for the reminder..! Paul
  2. I totally agree on both counts, let's just hope he posts back!
  3. T'be honest my lass had a tough time of it with labour marathons, little b*ggers were obviously too comfortable in there, but that's short lived n soon forgot n then the fun begins....in more ways than one, certainly never a dull moment...ha! Good luck t'yas both..! Paul
  4. Glad to be of assistance 'Sir', n thanks for not getting 'p*ssed off' with me thinking I'm lecturing you...afterall I do little other tahn sit on my big fat *ss these days n guys like you do the real world stuff...not sure I wouldn't bottle it these days! Bl**dy good luck with your forthcomin 'young uns'...double trouble maybe. but that's relativbely short-lived n then double the fun. I've got 2 lads, not twins, but we're great mates n very soon they'll be able to buy me a beer....using my money no doubt, but hey the sentiment counts. Tc..! Paul
  5. Hi Mike, Sorry this sounds like a 'sales' pitch, whilst it is...it isn't meant to be (WOT???!) IF you are engaging an external consultant to 'assist' (A key word) you to develop a H&S management system PLEASE ensure either they understand our industry, and it's peculiarities (many on here eh?..ha, cheeky g*t!), or work with you to understan it. Honest, over the years I've seen H&S policies and procedures with all the 'bells and whilstles' and shiney covers you could hope for, AND paying several hundreds of pounds for, BUT which are actually irrelavnt and inappropriate for arb activities. As an alternative the AA do a H&S PACkage (£45+p&p) which covers most of the major H&S legislative areas you need to address. It's probably our best seller and many small contractors have benefitted from it's use and implementation. There is a free donwload MS on the website at Publications & Merchandise just scroll down the page to find it. Lastly, to complete teh picture there is the risk assessment workshop which is worth considering. I know many think this H&S stuff is a load of nonesense but compliance, and demonstartion of, will become an increasing requirement...sadly, maybe?! Cheers all.. Paul
  6. 'By chance' I looked in. I know it's easy to be critcial BUT I'm concerned as to 'why?' things like this are happening...and too often. Dare I say its an 'industry' problem which we need to collectievly resolve. Hence I sincerly hope 'Alderwood' responds. Cheers.. Paul PS Not seen the topped Syccie...but then again is that such a bad things for a Syccie????....oooops!
  7. Hi Alderwood, thanks for the post. As you specified it is a 'height reduction', not all over crown reduction, but it does appear a tad excessive for a drop crotch technique and it doens't quite achieve a natural form. I'm interested to learn more about the training/mentoring etc. you've received, and your interpretation of the works undertaken, as I have concerns that 'the message' is just not getting into certain parts of the training world regarding pruning standards...often than not this involves none commercial/industry based training providers, hmmm. Cheers.. Paul
  8. Must be summat about the air 'up norf' eh?, babies galore...hence I stay daaan sarrrf! Good luck both, hope you're practisin the deep breathin coz ya'll need it when ur missus forces her nails through your hands n seriously questions your parenthood.......n relaxxxxx! Paul
  9. Guess I'm just gonna have to 'Google' then eh?...how sad am I...NO COMMENTS!!! Paul
  10. "Do you have a picture?..........into your world? An image of me...." I'm not under 30 either! N I'm crap at pop trivia so I'm probably completely wrong! Paul
  11. Wearing my 'H&S' hat (NERD!!!) I have to admit to cringing when I saw the title to the post...Beech+Ustulina+rigging = aghhhhh!!! The HSE rigging research (see RR668: Evaluation of current rigging and dismantling practices used in arboriculture) gives every example where Ustulina (Kretzschmaria) appears, on Birch and Ash, a 'RED FLAG' (see p.40 & p.46) which essentially means be (very) careful and consider other means IF it has to be rigged...crane? Whilst the whole document involves serious reading the piccies and illustartions are really good. See also the climbers risk assessment matrix (Fig. 2.5) on p.30 Further section 2.7.1 (p.68) states particular concerns about the effects of UD on tree root structural integrity and seriously questions suitability for rigging, and of course climbing too. Sect. 3.1 "Establish a Safe Strategy", p.73, and p.74 the associated flowchart is also worth a read. SORRY (genuinely), not meaning to pass an opinion nor be critcial here at all, and obvioulsy the job went well and all is okay which is great, BUT this research containing this advice is now available to the industry (albet not in the most user friendly / readable format) and we do need to be aware of it and its implications for our operations. Stay safe all..! Paul
  12. Reet, I'll bow out as it looks like you've got yur quota Johnty. Hope it goes well..! Cheers, Paul
  13. Hi Johnty, When is the course and where? D'ya mind if I mentioned this to the Devon based ACs? By Chapter 8 d'ya mean the NRSWA 1991 'Signing, lighting and gaurding' (Unit 2 or Unit 10)? Cheers.. Paul
  14. Hi Chris, (Very) good question. My advise to enquirers here at the AA is that any, and all, learning opportunities that result in an advancement of your knowledge, be it in arb / business management / marketing / IT or whatever is 'CPD'. However in so far as CPD goes to support either an applictaion for AA memebrship at Tech. level or above OR to meet the mandatory CPD requiremenst of memebrship, a large proportion (50+%?) should be 'related', i.e. arb/forestry/ecology etc. Further many bodies allot CPD hrs, or points, to events/seminars/conferences etc. that they run BUT this should not be assumed, it should be considered (WOT?!!!) If any event has 5 hrs CPD allotted, but actually you only learened new stuff for half of it the you shouold only log half the time (2.5hrs)....an idealism too far maybe?! Hoping this to be of help (a first Mr Smith?..ha!) Apologies for the wrose than ever spellings n grammar...I'm knackered (old age!) Cheers.. Paul
  15. Hi all, NOT meaning to 'bang' the risk assesment course again....but there are places left if anyone fancies it (what's that about drawing pins and eyes?!) Anyway not primarily the reason for posting. I meet with Matt Southgate today, CHAS (Contractors Health And Safety assessemnt scheme see ww.chas.gov.uk) Business Development Manager, as we now award CHAS registartion status alongside AA Approved Contractor ('YES' yet another 'bl**dy' H&S prequalification scheme BUT this one does open doors and it is, by far, the largest dedicated H&S scheme around.) Reet, (get to it Paul!!!!) As you know we are looking at modifying the current AAAC scheme to make it more acessible to smaller companies and CHAS, to some extent, is leading the way here as they allow a much simpler access route for small companies ('less than 5'). We discussed the detail of the requirements today and, interestingly (need to get out more!) Matt mentioned there is still a requirement to demonstrate 'HOW' a firm assesses risk, not that this necessarily has to be documented as 'less than 5' but it's actually the easiest, and safest, way to achieve it and meet your employers duties. So, to conclude, things are progressing with the review of the AAAC scheme but it looks like some form of written evidence of RA may still be of value. I advocate the 'blank page' approach as a good starting point...hmmm! Cheers all.. Paul
  16. Steve, 'NIT' here (None IT literate),

     

    Do I need to do something to stop irritating people by making reference to me every time you welcome someone new to the forum..I'm even getting sick of myself now!

     

    Cheers..

    Paul

  17. Just goes to show how very powerful words can be, and as you say it's very clever...but simple! I will make a point of making my kids watch this...thanks for posting. Paul
  18. Absolutely, as I mentioned we also received it, it's important people are aware of issues like this and I applaud HSE for informing us...and indeed those who receive it fro informing others, as we're all in this together n need to look out for one another. I just wondered if it was the same problem or a new one (I was thinking out loud.) Cheers.. Paul
  19. We received a HSE 'heads up' on this earlier....is it the same problem highlighted a couple of months(?) ago and the HSE are just a bit slow OR is it a different problem? Thanks...as always! Paul
  20. Yup, go for it! Keep us posted a things progress as I'm most interested to learn of your experiences (arboriculturally speaking of course!)
  21. Hi all, Firstly thanks to Steve for letting me post this here...thank you! Secondly, I recently ventured back to the homestead in Lancashire to deliver 2 consecutive 'AA Risk Assessment Workshops' (not the 'sexiest' I know but then neither am I so me n the course are well matched!), BUT according to one of our esteemed colleagues, a regular 'Arbtalk' contributor (B*GGER only intro'd himself as he left the room after grilling me, "in the nicest possible way", for most of the day...'fair enough!') the day did offer a 'workable solution' to the dreaded risk assessment requirement. Hence, considering this to be an unofficial 'stamp of approval', I bring to your attention a near future event running on 27th May at Shuttleworth (Bedfordshire). Cost is £180(+VAT) for none AA members, or £150(+VAT) members, and I acknowledge this is a lot of money but when you think it includes a ('workable') risk assessment system which can be readily imported into your business I think it represents good value for money. My colleague, and good friend, Guy Watson will be delivering this workshop. If you are interested please complete a course booking form and submit to Tiffany ([email protected]) Thanks for reading. Paul
  22. Hey 'mtt.tr'...welcome to the industry and as others have said before me "you're in very good hands here with the "CC" bunch ('Cheeky'...but 'Caring'!) More than happy to chat with you directly if you give me a call at the (AA) office. A couple of things tho, Lantra SSC are the sectors skills council (SSC) for the landbased industries and develop 'apprenticeship' opportunities in conjunction with landbased colleges (Capel Manor, Enfield are very active, see Apprenticeships at Capel Manor College) and employers, including including in forestry and arb(oriculture), so it might be worth having a look there (see Lantra - Skills & Training for environmental and land-based sectors) Secondly, generally speaking you need to be 16 to operate a chainsaw but should only do so under the close supervision of an experieneced, competent and ticketed (holder of the relevant, to the operation/task being undertaken, NPTC (National Proficienct Test Council, see NPTC | Home) certificate of competence) operator. Also whoever employs you should have a specific 'young persons' risk assessment taking into account the possible increased associated risk (for those reading this is a requirement under Reg. 19(?) of the MHSWR 1999 to have this in place and appropriate controls identified and implemneted....'nerdy!!!' (moi!)) Good luck, enjoy n take care..! Paul
  23. Yup, to be honest I'm not entirely 'au fait' with the Waste Transfer requiremenst but my understanding is that the Para.21 exemption, involving the 'storage' of woodchip, is a means of avoiding the need to register as a wastre transfer centre requiring a licence. Hence my point that if they allow this then surely that goes some way to acknowledging wood chip isn't really waste but a usuable product.
  24. Just thought of an interesting paradox (don't know if that's the right word, prob not, but like the sound of it) here. That is, if the EA are happy for us to self-declare an exemption for the requirement for a Waste Transfer Licence, i.e. a para. 21 exemption, with regard to storage of woodchip then surely that's an acknowledgement that provider the 'storer' can demonstare they are recycling/re-using the product it is NOT waste....next they view it as a commodity and tax it! Still, just banging ideas around that may support our case when I make it to EA. Cheers.. Paul
  25. Previously produced a generic risk assessment for working with London Plane after visiting a contractor working in London and seeing the effects for the poor guy on the chipper and just about everyone else who was walking down 'The Mall' after visiting Lizzie's place....horrible stuff and left me thinking are these trees really the 'lungs of the city' coz on that day they were the 'lung KILLERS of the city'...not my favourite tree by any means! So, a couple of things: 1. Whereever possible work on them when dormant, preferably, or later in Summer when problem isn't as bad. 2. If not poss. then please ensure any 'dust mask' used are appropriate type to the fine hair dust hazard AND they fit well. I have also seen contractors who are sensitised to LP hairs wearing respirators when chipping. Obvioulsy if work can be done during damp / wet weather, provided it's not too wet to climb (when's that in UK?), that will help too. Lastly I was not aware the susbtance was carcogenic which puts a whole new perespective on things...be careful! Paul

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