AA Teccie (Paul)

OMG...here goes (most embarrassing moment...again) is it a Cockspur Thorn (crataegus prunifolia)...or similar.

Hi all, The AA are commissioning the production of an industry specific code of practice for tree work at height (kinda like IRATA equivalent for rope access) and are looking for both an external author and peer reviewers. If this is of interest please see the attached. Thanks all.. Paul aa_icop_call_for_expressions_of_interest.docx

THANK YOU to the various posts of support for the ArbAC Scheme , and 'me' My only desire is to make the industry a better, and more professional, place for us ALL to be, whether ARB Approved or not...but with a bigger voice, i.e. more ArbACs, it would be a great help. So, if you're NW(ish) based, why not come along to the 'FoC' workshop at Wythenshawe Park (S. Manchester) on 14th Jan. to find out more (AND remember if you attend as a small business, and with a LA Tree Officer nomination, and there are at least 3 of you who do, and you agree to the assessment approx. 10 weeks later, you can enter the draw at the end of the day for 1x FREE, saving £495+VAT, or 2x 1/2 price, saving £247.50+VAT, assessments.) Regardless, it's got to be worth it just to meet me Thanks all. Paul

It appears we are maybe at cross purposes a little here. I'm certainly not taking sides but just trying to give more of an insight from the LPA perspective. They have a job to do too and whilst I acknowledge, perhaps, their practices may appear a little 'unorthodox' they're often up against people / tree owners, not usually MoPs, who don't have any morals at all (those who produce the things we live in.) I also acknowledge there is a great difference in the way different LPAs, and indeed different TOs, apply, or rather, implement the TPO legislation and fostering a good working relationship with the TO is key to this (in my experience.) Anyhows, yer days'd be too straight forward with the LPA n TOs n you'd have no-one to 'bait' Take care out there. Cheers.. Paul

Sorry, I'm a bit "confused.com" here , nothing new, and maybe you've interpreted my reply out of context. I was simply stating a hypothetical possibility in response to your comment about TPOs being placed everywhere (or similar) in that LPAs are going to have to focus their resources to best effect. Further, it would be the LPA who would advise and consult with the tree owner rather than yourself. Time to go home I think Cheers.. Paul

Haha, not at all mate, me bringing 'sanity'...really! Cheers Iain

I didn't expect that one as a caption / punch-line Iain. Naaah, sorry, yer gonna have to put up with me 'bleating on' for a while longer I'm afraid. We did have a 3rd Teccie originally, Guy Watson, who left earlier in the year and I've kinda absorbed his role with the Registered Consultants Scheme, in part, and the higher level membership applications etc. So, this role is to support both my colleague Simon Richmond, who will also be their line manager, on the training etc. side of things, and myself with the ArbAC Scheme, plus a few other 'bits n bobs.' Hope I've not disappointed...either way. Cheers Iain, hope you're well. Paul

This could end up being a 'caption' competition I know, AND I can anticipate some of the responses , but if anyone's interested we do have a vacancy going for a new teccie: see Overview - Arboricultural Association ...now form an orderly queue. Cheers all.. Paul

Hi Ben, I almost had cause to re-trace my Irish ancestry in your last game....sooooooooooooooooo lucky! Anyway, I am familiar with NARIC as we occasionally use them for international qualification comparisons when considering applications for AA membership. I would suggest that whilst they will be able to confirm whereabouts on the UK national qualifications framework, or as it's known now the qualifications and credits framework (QCF), i.e. the level 2 / 3 / 4 etc., which is useful, it still won't remove the HSE requirement for UK based practical skills qualifications, i.e. NPTCs (or Lantra Awards now who also offer, recognised, independent assessment.) Cheers.. Paul

Haha, I understand, thanks for your reply. All the best. Paul

I am sorry to hear of your previous experience, albeit well before my time, nonetheless painful, but I can assure you the process is very, very different now being more open, transparent and fair...and there is an appeals process if your aggrieved at the outcome but no-one's ever used it whilst I've been managing the scheme. It's hugely frustrating that, despite my previous postings about many businesses having recently gone through the process successfully, and being very complimentary about it, none post on here...but they do exist, honest! Thanks for your post and sharing your experience. Paul

Gents (despite stuffing us at both rugby disciplines ), The issue here is not that the academic aspects of your training / education are not recognised, nor for a certain duration (upto 12months) your practical skills capabilities, but that from a Health and Safety Executive regulatory point of view you should conform to the UK based system. Whilst this may change in the future as currently the Association's Education and Training Committee is looking into this very issues, albeit more in relation to the 'academic' side, or certainly initially, the expectation is that if you're here for anything more than a 12 month 'working holiday' (why would you? ) you should comply. As Iain and Tony have pointed out, if after working with English guys for 12months, you consider yourself to be to the same standard, which has certainly been my experience, then you could just undertake the assessments without the associated training. Hope this helps...and watch out in 2015! Cheers for now. Paul

Point taken, controlling standards and compliance is more challenging in a larger business but you should look at what the accreditation might be able to do for your business and not measure it against anybody elses performance. Nothing in life is perfect...and that incs. the ArbAC Scheme, but it is more robust than it was previously. In all honesty, the ArbACs in question are probably working under contract for an organisation and it is principally their responsibility to supervise their activities. IF there's a problem and they bring it to our attention we will, and we do, thoroughly investigate it (the trouble is more often than not they don't flag it up.) We do reassess, every two years now (previously every 5 yrs.), and we do reserve the right to do spot-checks at any time but we don't have adequate resource to undertake this very often. Thanks for your post Dan. Paul

In all honesty, and whilst I acknowledge this has happened in the past, with the ever declining resource on LAs I reckon they'll be focusing their attention on the trees that really justify a TPO and which are deemed to be 'under threat', i.e. where the TPO is expedient. I've also had instances where tree owners and contractors have been aggrieved with TPO placed in instances like this but there's often no absolute guarantee you, as the competent, knowledgeable and experienced tree surgeon/arborist, will actually undertake the proposed works and so the TPO is deemed to be a mechanism to control standards, in effect. Sorry, waffling again. Hope you're well. Cheers.. Paul

Ideally make your TPO etc. enquiries by email, so there's a written record of such, and obviously don't proceed until you've had a formal response. OR, if you do call, make a record in your diary of whom you spoke to and when (date and time). Cheers.. Paul

With respect, don't rely on the customer to know, or sometimes to tell you even if they do know, as it is your responsibility to check...not least as it is YOU who will be prosecuted, potentially. That said I would recommend you inform the client of your intention to check for legal protections, advising you're obliged to do so, giving them the opportunity to ask you not to if they so wish (we had a recent complaint of this nature which was difficult to defend.) Lastly, as a former TPO Officer with an LPA we had many SBs protected...remember, whilst its often the Oaks / Beech / Cedars etc. involved, the legislation isn't species specific and we also had a (large) Portugese Laurel and Magnolia protected (albeit in a Conservation Area.) Cheers.. Paul

Joe, thanks for your reply here...and apologies for mine being so delayed. Very quickly, Trustmark too offer an accreditation opportunity for tree surgeons which principally aims to safeguard the domestic sector, FSB is an organisation who support small businesses with general employment stuff, legal stuff, tax / insurance stuff etc. but is not relevant to a consumer, although maybe it shows the business is 'responsible' in its running (NOT to imply you're not if you're not a member!) Local firms are the way to go for the domestic sector in particular and that's why we have increasing nos. of such under the new(ish) small business category of ARB Approved (now accounts for 42% of all contractors where 3 years ago it was only 18%.) Lastly, the confusion between AA member, available on payment of a fee, but you are then bound by the Code of Ethics and Code of Prof. Conduct, AND subject to the formal complaints procedure, and an ARB Approved Contractor does prevail but with increasing nos. of LAs putting links on their websites to ours, which points directly at the 'Find a Tree Surgeon' (AKA ARB Approved Contractor) the outcome is the intended one. To date, having assessed 10s of small business contractors nationally, ALL have said at the end how useful the process has been as their businesses fell better organised and structured and lots of questions had been answered. Cheers.. Paul

The FC recommend 'Propellar' for sterilising saws etc. on sites with Phytophthora (see Woodland biosecurity – a simple guide | Gabriel Hemery which is very useful.) Cheers.. Paul PS There has been previous threads on this subject so maybe check the archives too.

Oops, hoping the heat's gone out of the situation a little bit Whilst it's not a legal requirement to be 'ARB Approved', or indeed a member, perhaps like the CORGI registered plumber it is a, convenient, and relevant point of reference for Local Authorities (LAs) to direct people to. Further it is one I am becoming increasingly aware of as many LAs now direct enquirers to the AA website when looking for a 'tree surgeon'. In reality what they are also seeking to do is further marginalise the disreputable 'rogues' in society who would never normally consider a 3rd party accreditation such as ARB Approved...and YES, including yourselves, there are many, in fact the majority (currently), of reputable tree surgeons who are not ARB Approved but what other, readily available and recognised, benchmark can they use? Lastly, please have a look at the scheme and how it might benefit your business, not least in the process of organising and preparing for assessment by using the publicised standards (see below), rather than simply dismissing it outright...thank you. Cheers.. Paul Standards-5-or-more-employees-FINALv3(131011).pdf Standards-less-than-5-employees-FINALv3(131011).pdf

Hmmm, MEWP?...or at least a modified climb to achieve a 'safe(ish) system of work' taking account of the fungal agent involved and extent of decay which was probably predictable from external observations. How else could you have done it? Straight fell, accepting some peripheral damage maybe. Maybe time to reflect and review for next time. Cheers.. Paul

Hi there, I'm sure not surprisngly so, but my advice would be to source a decent, dynamic training provider and do, for instance, an advanced rigging course with them....and maybe get assessed for your "Aerial Tree Rigging" (formerly CS41) as part of the same process if you haven't already. There, I'm sure this will prompt / provoke others to respond! Cheers.. Paul

I'll "second" that (but then had you said Armellaria I'd have seconded that too! ) Cheers David, Paul

Hi all, If this workshop / seminar is of interest it will take place on Tuesday 14th Jan. 2014 at Wythenshawe Park (South Manchester.) Please email my colleague Polly ([email protected]) as numbers are limited with being a FREE event. Hope to see you there and remember whilst this is focused on the ARB Approved Contractor Scheme, it applies equally to all businesses being recognised by HSE as an industry benchmark. REMEMBER, if you attend as a small business, i.e. 'less than 5 employees' (inc. regular self-employed people), and you are supported / nominated by a Local Authority Tree Officer (see attached) you can enter the draw at the end of the workshop and may win either a FREE, or one of two 1/2 half price, assessments saving rather a lot of money. (This is conditional in that you must also agree to be assessed approx. 10 weeks later, i.e. 1st week in April.) Call (07971 995351) or pm me, or reply here, if you wish to know more. Thanks all.. Paul PS We will have the same event in the NE (Houghall) on 12th Feb. if nearer. Free_Assessment_Nom_Form-1113.pdf

Hi there, Maybe it is 'over-egging' it a little. Certainly discussions previously with Peter Annett has suggested it to be 'best practice', or certainly very common place and 'deemed' to be so. It is about managing relationships much of the time and the client may be a 'one off' and the TO an 'on-going' one. Point taken about consulting with your clients though. Cheers.. Paul

Thanks Phil, very useful. Whether 'CPMs' includes harness and lanyard I don't know but clearly it's both a sensible thing to do and accords with industry good practice. Cheers.. Paul