David Humphries

Quote: Originally Posted by vduben "yeah i did!!! since most folks slated it, even tho like i said i wouldnt hang a heavy bit off the basket etc" I think an opportunity for honest debate is disappearing from this thread by your removal of the middle picture. My post was not really an attack on you or your skills, (appologies to you for any uncomfortableness incured) more it was a Warning to the inexperienced who are viewing here, looking to the pros for tips and more effecient ways of working.

Yes..

Fortune sometimes smiles..... But id say it really depends on what the size of shop/buisness was.

Have been trying to get our Occupational Health depatrment at work into the idea of doing annual back surveylance for a few years now. I'm convinced that this could reduce lost man hours and help combat all those weird noises made by aging arborists as we bend down to pick things up. We also are fortunate that there's a yearly program of Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (white finger) Blood Pressure & Hearing Tests.

Sorry for the criticism vduben, i did consider sending you a pm on this, but i'm guessing the forum is about sharing thoughts...right ? Do you know what the Safe Working Load is of that cage ? You + Saw/gear + Branch/timber could very well be exceeding it. I know there will be, (and can hear) all the tutting out there at this point, but my concern would be that the MEWP is not designed as a CRANE, and even if only one "have a go" inexperienced Arby saw this and thought "great idea" they could find themselves in a seriously overloaded situation. Sorry for the rant, i know from your posts you are more than healthily experienced. BTW it does look like a nice piece of kit, is it a geenie boom?

Are all consents to work always stipulated to approved standards, agreed they should be but are they really ? Has to be said i don`t know for sure the situation on these particular trees. I would just be very interested to hear how far the contractor went to persuade the owner of the non reduced trees, to have them reduced with safety in mind, rather than just the extra finance it would have generated (me being cynical here )

Agree with general consesus here, but i`m imagining someone at the LA consented to these works.

Line of Lombardies along the back garden fences of 4/5 seperate private properties. Looks like the contractor has got all but one client to agree to the reductions. Aesthetically wrong, and now poses a significantly higher risk to untouched trees due to increased hazzard of wind throw IMO ! The question is who`s responsibility is it for the now over exposed trees. Property owner, Local Authority or Contractor? Dont know who did this, dont really care. More interested in what you all think. We all got to make a living, but......

Different rides for different jobs. 2 wheels for getting around the big smoke + mates Cabstar. Iveco Crew Cab Tipper for day to day. Valtra for towing Bandit and Igland winch. Used the Kabuta toget to a job on the other side of a soaked cricket field.

Imo i think we have the AA to thank for amonst other things, the instigation of all the many varied publications on offer for us to interact with today. Probably born out of the need to get the balanced and varied debates/opinions going which do bear fruit eventually through training, regulations etc... Without this i am sure there would be more pikies, more accidents, more so called old pros who have no realistically structured way of assessing where they are at.

THE GREATEST WEALTH IS HEALTH ! How i wish that i may remmember this, during the all too often periods of weakness.

As of now, No, No, No, No, and No stag headedness, or general crown die back other than the odd internal branch due to over shading/age etc...... This is a bit hard to determine completely though, as this year the tree has decided to shed most of its leaves. Which seems to be in line with other Fulham Oaks in this part of the UK. Which is roughly once every 4/5 years. Im sure that this is dependant on local climate etc....

MattyF, Is that an Igland power winch on the tractor? If so what model?

Totally on board with that one Roller !!!!!

Correct. The Avenue does back on to woodland where there are loads of decaying standing and fallen dead trunks. I dont feel that compaction is the real problem here. Unfortunately since noting armillaria on the first tree, we had discovered it on the next three along the line. Going to prove that this pathogen is probably everywhere in THIS ENVIRONMENT.

Obviously totally depends on your LA. im speaking from personal experience having worked 22 years for an LA, and have been fortunate to have been backed to the hilt by (many) bosses who see or are persuaded of the benefits of good training.

A good way round all this is get yourseves a local authority job, get all your training paid for (NPTC`s, RFS cert, Tech cert etc..), do a bit of extra private work during days off. Then leave and set up your very own Qualified Company.

I`m very interested, please keep posted on venue/date confirmation/change etc... Will be coming up from London if anyone requires a lift.

I believe the more you climb the safer you are due to you greater experience,if you were to use a mewp for much of you're work you skill levels would drop as would you're fitness,so when you did climb you would be less safe IMO A VERY valid point. Especially the FITNESS angle ! But the more you climb, surely the less you would have the experience/skill to use MEWPS safely, (when or if considered) What is the overiding factor that determines the correct balance ? I do not feel comfortable that it is just finance!

ET AL !!!!

Some of the last few posts are exactly why this thread were started. It has confirmed to me there is a more than noticable chasm between those in the industry who do consider and use, and those that do not. Its bloody obvious that there are huge financial considerations to deal with, hire costs, training, maintenance, storage, LOLER Certed etc... and some of us are fortunate to be in a position where other people pick up those tabs. But ive seen plenty of instances where these can be costed in to quotes, and still leave a healthy profit. The powers that be ie; HSE, AA, ISA, LANTRA, NPTC et al need to be more realistic with coming to terms with this percieved gap, and make access to training and related issues much more open to those who have the experience but maybe not the cash to jump on board, and get the majority in to a possition where MEWPS become a tool of choice and not just a financial one. This may eventually seriously reduce the over subscribed list of climbing accidents we are all hearing/seeing and reading about far too often. RANT OVER