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Do you need to update your First Aid training? Our Emergency First Aid at Work short course includes additional topics recommended by the Forestry Commission, including severe bleeding, crush injury, hypothermia and Lyme disease. One day short course - multiple dates available. Only £80! For more information and to book, please visit our website - https://www.merristwood.ac.uk/CourseInformation/ShortCourseDetails.aspx/727000234066894/Arboriculture & Forestry

I fear that I may be opening a can of worms here, and putting myself up for some abuse;- but I'm stuck anyway so here goes! So I've recently found myself in a sticky situation. I called up my Insurance Brokers, (one of the big, well known Arb insurance specialists), to renew my Public Liability policy. As I've done annually for the last 8 years I think, with no problem. This time they questioned the fact that I don't also have Employers Liability and then proceeded to give me a very hard sell, and I would say actually tried to bully me into taking it. I firmly refused as it's not worth it for me so they eventually said that they could not even give me the original Public Liability insurance. Their argument is that according to the HSE it is against the law to climb without a second climber on site, so the Public Liability would be invalid anyway if I was working alone. And if I am doing it "properly" and using a sub-contractor then I need the Employers Insurance to cover them. Some background. I'm a Sole Trader, doing a mix of tree surgery, general gardening and landscaping work. I occasionally have other people to help me out on bigger jobs but it's only a few times a year and always either my brother doing it for the crack or a mate for some beer money, so all very casual. Also, I only do this over the summer as I have a completely different job during the winter. I was paying about £350 for the P.L., if I was to have the E.L. as well it would be double that per year. It really wouldn't be worth it financially given my circumstances, the amount I earn from the tree surgery work. There's a few issues here, one obviously is the whole lone working thing. I didn't really want to get into a debate on the rights and wrongs of this here, it's been covered quite a lot already on Arbtalk. I recognise that it is a risk of course, but it's one that I am willing to take for now given the relatively small amount of climbing work that I do. As long as I am not endangering others then I believe that it's my risk to take. If I am using anyone else to help me then it can be their choice, I will be open about the fact that I have no E.L. insurance. The other issue is that of being correctly insured for all work that I do. Working without Public Liability is very much NOT what I want to do. I have always tried to "do things properly", in as much as being fully insured and having all my kit up-to-scratch w.r.t. Loler regs. I'd been with that insurance company for a number of years, they'd never asked too many questions and never pushed the E.L. on me. I don't know why they are suddenly insisting, I asked if the law had changed or something but they said no. I've not yet tried any of the other companies around but I'm concerned that they are going to take the same approach and say both policies or nothing at all. If that happens then I'll have a few options, none of them at all attractive. a) Lower myself to the ranks of the cowboys and work with no insurance b) Give up the climbing work altogether, (I could get P.L. but it would be limited to 5mtrs effectively meaning no climbing) c) Bite the bullet and take out the annual E.L. as well but that would mean very little profit from my tree work I'm now in a right quandary about what to do. Has anyone else been faced with a similar situation? Are there any companies that anyone knows of that will provide P.L. without E.L.? Or, if I could get the E.L. on an ad hoc basis that would be ideal. It makes no sense to pay for a whole year of cover if I'm only going to need it for a few occasions. If I could get the cover as needed on a daily basis I could be all "above board" with a clear conscience, without wasting lots of money. I'm sure this is an impossible dream unfortunately. Is it indeed strictly the case that it is against the law to climb without a second climber on site? I get the impression that it's a bit of a grey area. Cheers guys and gals.

I hope none of the neighbours took a photo of me retrieving a plastic bag from the apple tree today with no harness http://www.facelift.co.uk/news/scaffolder-could-face-jail-after-being-photographed-60ft-up-wearing-a-harness-that-wasnt-attached-to-anything?utm_source=HighTimes+Newsletter&utm_campaign=a5594b62f7-HighTimes_February18&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0a04bd58ec-a5594b62f7-182706821

The HSE has issued new guidance regarding the application of PUWER for winching operations. This can be found by a Google search on "Application of PUWER for tree work winching operations" (see attached). It clarifies the application of PUWER and LOLER in these circumstances. Application of PUWER to tree work winching operations (002).docx

Hi guys, I have just started at a new company that provide climbing inspections but some of their guys don't have CS tickets just the level 1 rope access technician qualification. What i would like to know is can we work together with our qualifications and we will be covered by the insurance to rescue each other? I've trawled the internet and couldn't find anything that was crystal. Look forward to anyones feedback! Cheers Adam

Our company Fletcher Stewart (Stockport) Limited has been advised by the UK Health & Safety Executive (HSE) that it is our responsibility to bring to your attention a recent development regarding Jo-Beau Woodchippers. Following a lengthy investigation by the HSE into the reach distances that Jo-Beau Woodchippers are manufactured to. The HSE have concluded that all new machines must now have their in-feed distances increased. The reason for extending the in-feed distance on these machines is to reduce the risk of the operator coming in to contact with the cutting system. You will see from the picture below an extension tray is now fitted to the model M300. If you have any concerns regarding this matter or if you wish to bring your machine up to the standard now stipulated by the HSE on new machines please contact the manufacturer directly at the address below. To obtain this modification all enquiries must be directed to the original manufacturer and not to Fletcher Stewart. Contact Information Jo Beau Products Grasdreef 10 8200 Brugge Tel: +32 50390402 Email: [email protected] Webiste: www.jobeau.eu HSE Case Number: 4093650 This information was authorised and approved by the UK HSE