Workers must be adequately trained and competent to carry out their job safely. The Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 places general duties on employers and the self-employed. It may also negate your Public Liability Insurance if you’re not deemed competent and proficient when carrying out works. The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER)also requires users of equipment to receive adequate training. Further information can be found at: http://ukfisa.com/assets/files/safetyLibrary/FISA%20805%20Training%20and%20Certs.pdf
Presuming that you are needing to use a chainsaw to fell trees the best place to start is with the City & Guilds Ground Based Operator. This will then allow you to go on and either train to fell larger trees or train in the aerial cutting of trees although you do need to take the Accessing a Tree and Aerial Rescue training for this first. Your decision will be whether you want to stay on the ground or if you want to climb. You can take the Accessing a Tree and Aerial Rescue training without the need for a chainsaw licence and you can complete a Chainsaw Maintenance & Cross-cutting course if you don’t need to fell trees.
Always choose an established company and preferably one that is able to offer facilities for you to train in. There are some companies that don’t have their own site and you can find yourself travelling some distance to get to site each day; this will eat in to your training time. Be certain that the providers are accredited with appropriate awarding bodies, usually City & Guilds or Lantra Awards for these types of courses. TKF Training ticks all of these boxes!
The Ground Based Operator and the Accessing a Tree and Aerial Rescue course is 5 days of training with a full day of assessment, 6 full days in total. If you want to take the Accessing a Tree, Aerial Rescue and Aerial Cutting this is 6 days of training with 1 full assessment day – 7 days in total. To become a more skilled arborist TKF offer a 23 day course which includes additional aerial courses and Emergency Tree Work, see the Basic Arborist information here>>.
However it doesn’t end there, you may have a need to use a woodchipper, survey trees or become LOLER qualified. If you’re dealing more in landscaping you might want brushcutter training or pesticides. There are also options for Mowers and Off Road Vehicles.
You will need a Chainsaw and PPE, (personal protective equipment) which TKF have available for hire if needed. All of the TKF Open courses have a hire option if the equipment isn’t already included, for example the ropes, harnesses, top handled chainsaw etc are included in the Accessing a Tree, Aerial Rescue and Aerial Cutting courses.
The pass rate is in the mid to high 90% for candidates training with TKF. As the courses are mainly practical there isn’t a huge amount of classroom based time and most assessments are practical based.
All of the chainsaw courses and climbing course do require a reasonable level of fitness. For the climbing courses learners should be aware that to take this course, you must be physically fit and not suffering from vertigo or similar conditions. You must also be free from medication that could affect your safety.
TKF run a multitude of training courses please feel free to call or email for more information and prices.
