Chainsaw Maintenance & Crosscutting

Option 1: If you'll only ever need to process timber already lying on the ground then I would recommend the 2 day Lantra training course with integrated assessment built in. It will provide you with evidence of training to satisfy legal requirements and also evidence of competence which you need to qualify for insurance. Any training that you undertake is only valid for 5 years after which you need to have a "refresher" which is of a shorter duration. The assessment part of this qualification is also only valid for 5 years but this is not a problem as it can be renewed during the refresher. This is the perfect qualification route for home owners and landscape gardeners just cutting firewood etc.

Option 2: You can have the 2 days training and then have an independent assessment on a 3rd day following the training to achieve a level 2 NPTC City and Guilds qualification that is valid for life. If ever you decide to progress to tree felling you would need this level 2 qualification in maintenance and cross-cutting as a pre-requisite. Although the qualification is valid for life you still need to have refresher training within 5 years if you operate a chainsaw commercially. This is the best route if you plan to become a professional chainsaw operator.