R Mac

Cheers mate, here we go Yours is in the fridge, if you're not here soon I'll have to drink it

My comment was tongue in cheek mainly He would still be responsible for checking his own kit prior to use.

That's all right though, it'd be the next day and his own responsibility.

Without a doubt, if it has to be done it may as well be done right rather than a box ticking exercise. In reality I'll probably get mine done, might as well add another to the list of people standing with their hand out having just had to pay £142 for waste carrier registration, upper tier for arb in N.I. Sod it, I'm going for a beer, purely medicinal, I need to de-stress. Enjoy the weekend folks, all good replies :thumbup1:

Regardless the user is still considered competent for 6 months and I've seen the assessment schedule, there's some written stuff but the visual checks, which are the ones most relevant when a climber dumps off his approved kit aren't much if any different to what is taught on CS38/39. Too much smoke and mirrors and from where I stand is looks like the emperor is at best wearing only his underwear.

To be honest Marc I would think it'll only fail in use, it's unlikely to be fine when you put it in your kit bag tonight and in bits tomorrow morning when you take it out (unless you have a problem with mice)

Maybe, maybe not, you'r going to be the one at risk after all, but aye as far as HSE is concerned I would have though it would be a conflict of interests but who knows

The thing is that it isn't as clear cut as having an experienced LOLER inspector and an inexperienced user, it can just as easily be the exact opposite. Take a 3 day course, pass the assessment and bingo you're considered competent.

Lots of good answers here and good to see things from a different perspective. I understand that LOLER isn't specific to the arb industry, really my point was that we're considered competent for 6 months and then someone else is considered more competent and on what basis? They've attended a 3 day course which as far as the actual checking goes is just the same as we've already been taught on CS38/39, it isn't as if they need to apply any specialist equipment to see the things that the rest of us can't, clearly for all their supposed competence some of them aren't even familiar with the equipment we use which is hardly reassuring. I've read on here about LOLER inspectors failing equipment simply due to a lack of knowledge regarding said equipment, I'd suggest that if you come across a LOLER inspector who isn't familiar with a certified item of equipment in your posession and attempts to fail it on the basis that he's unfamiliar with it that you report him to HSE as he's potentially in breach of the very regulations he's trying to implement. See excerpt below from the HSE information Sheet LOLER, How the regulations apply to arboriculture LOLER requires lifting equipment to be thoroughly examined. This means a detailed examination by a competent person who has appropriate practical and theoretical knowledge and experience to enable them to detect defects or weaknesses in the equipment being examined and assess their importance in relation to the safety and continued use of the lifting equipment. No doubt some will say that with the amount of new products coming onto the market that it's unreasonable to expect someone to be up to speed with it all, I'd say if you can't take the heat, if I'm to be expected to pay to have someone else check once every 6 months something that I'm required to check every time I use it they damn well better know more about it than I do. Regarding impartiality, can you take the LOLER course and assuming you pass then LOLER your own equipment?

Well obviously that ones fine You'd probably prefer this

That's a very good answer and not a take on it that I'd considered myself but I see where you're coming from.

Ok, thanks for clearing that up, I'll get my daughter to 'Like' it and pass it on to her friends. Hope she doesn't win the saw, she'd probably give it to me and bad enough having to use a pink saw but a Husky Only joking, it's a good cause and :thumbup1: to Husqvarna UK for supporting it.

Like the title says, you're a sole trader/contract climber, you purchase and use your own equipment, you don't let anyone else use it and you don't use anyone elses, you do pre use checks and keep a written record. What is the point in taking it to a Loler inspector to have it checked on the 1st day of the 7th month when you've been deemed competent enough to do your own checks every time you used it during the preceding 6 months?

Just checked the link but it doesn't say how to donate, all it says is Husqvarna will donate £1 for every 'like' on their Facebook page but I'm not on Facebook

Sveriges, make your mind up, 1st you're saying it's a racing engine and the issues are just the effect of it and being light and powerful and that putting a stronger, heavier clutch on it will mean the consumer loses out or the problem will shift elsewhere now you're agreeing that the factory will look at the problem and address it.

I've just bought a similar machine, Rock Machinery 13hp Chipper, £1549 inc UK Mainland delivery. Comes with a Briggs & Stratton engine unlike the Titan which has a Lifan (Chinese) engine. Rock 13hp Chipper/ Shredder | Rock Machinery I posted a quick demo on the Wee Chipper thread.

ebay always seems to cost me money

Thanks, pricey but nice

Which one?

Yeah I'd agree but just looking at worst case, you could have a Honda engine on the Hyundai for around the price of the Rock. I'm happy with my Rock chipper so would be inclined to go for the Rock grinder but £999 for the Hyundai is a good price for something that isn't going to see a lot of use. In the end they're all much of a muchness.

At the website listed price I'd go for the Rock version with the Briggs & Stratton engine, at the ebay price I'd probably go for the Hyundai and if/when the engine packed in stick a Honda GX390 engine on it at £600. As for other options, in the USA the home Depot and Toro small grinders look like the same thing. There's also the Forest Master which looks like it's essentially the same thing with what I guess is a Loncin Engine at £1350 or thereabouts.

Looks like the same basic machine as the Rock Machinery one and any number of similar machines, same basic unit with a variety of engines and a choice of colours.

Cheers, the BR430 is a good price too, a bit more airspeed (82m/sec) for a little more cash.