Legal Requirements

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HASAW) all employers, employees and the self employed have a legal obligation to maintain a safe place of work. Guidance on how to comply with this law is provided through “Regulations” and “Approved Codes of Practise” (ACoP).
The primary regulation that relates to chainsaw use is the “Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998” (PUWER). The objective of PUWER is to ensure that work equipment (chainsaws, climbing equipment, chippers, etc) should not result in health and safety risks.
Although failure to comply with any provision of a regulation or ACoP is not in itself an offence, that failure may be taken by a court in criminal proceedings as proof that a person has contravened the HASAW.

Training

Regulation 9 of PUWER states that “adequate training of the operator is essential to enable any work involving chainsaws to be carried out safely”. Andy is a Lantra approved instructor and attendance on any of his courses will provide you with nationally recognised certificate to prove conformity with PUWER.
Certification
From 05 December 1998, anyone working with chainsaws on or in trees is expected to hold a certificate of competence or national award relevant to the work they undertake. The level of certification required will depend upon the level of risk involved with the work.
Forest Industry Safety Accord (FISA) Guide 805 “Training and Certification”
• For professional chainsaw operators working in forestry, FISA recommends that the minimum level of adequacy of training for chainsaw operations – including aerial tree work, pruning and dismantling- be confirmed by an independent assessment, leading to a recognised qualification. This is also a common requirement in contracts of service.
• FISA recommends that chainsaw operators working outside forestry at a basic level (defined as “occasional users”) attend an integrated training and assessment (ITA) course. This applies to the operations of chainsaw maintenance, basic cross-cutting, and felling material up to 200mm diameter. This will be recognised as meeting the requirements of PUWER.
• FISA recommends that occasional users wishing to fell material over 200mm diameter hold a recognised qualification relevant to the activities being undertaken.
We can provide ITA courses for occasional users or arrange independent assessment following training for professional operators.