Aerial Inspections
Whilst most arborists will undertake aerial inspections as part of day-to-day work, receiving a commission to undertake an aerial inspection focussed on tree safety and risk management is an entirely different task. To assist with this, a new addition to the Association’s Guidance Note series has been produced, and 2018 will see a new course added to the training programme.
Utilising the arborist’s existing knowledge and skills, this course and Guidance Note provide a clear and easy-to-follow methodology for aerial inspections. They offer the arborist a structured framework which can form the basis of a robust inspection and provide comfort when decisions may be subject to scrutiny in a subsequent insurance claim or even by a court of law.
The course and Guidance Note include sections on:
- Purpose of the aerial inspection
- Type of aerial inspection
- Specification for the inspection,/li>
- Requirements of the aerial operative
- Collection of data
- Inspection of common features
- Production of recommendations and reports
Cost: £175 +VAT for members and £225 +VAT for non-members.
This includes a copy of Guidance Note 11: Aerial Inspections: A Guide to Good Practice.
Dates and venues to be announced soon.
Tree Pruning Workshop
Pruning is an activity which arborists undertake every day, but few have received any formal training in the subject. This workshop aims to complement the existing standard ‘licences’ for practical arboriculture by discussing the objectives and purpose of pruning trees. It also includes the hands-on application of techniques.
This course will investigate the options available to arborists, and will provide delegates with the opportunity to practise their pruning skills. Covering the information and skills that underpin good pruning practice, it will set arborists along the correct path and ensure pruning meets current industry standards. This hands-on day will cover the following topics:
- Basic tree biology
- Horticultural pruning basics
- Tool selection
- Benefits of tool maintenance and biosecurity
- Basic safety in pruning
- Basic pruning techniques
Cost: £145 +VAT for members and £205 +VAT for non-members.
Dates and venues to be announced soon.
Method Statements for Commercial Arboriculture
Method Statements are an essential part of planning, ensuring that work proceeds in a safe manner. They also show prospective clients that you operate a professional business and are capable of undertaking work in a safe way.
If you are daunted by the prospect of preparing method statements then this course is for you. It aims to demystify the process and includes the following topics:
- Why method statements?
- Which parties are responsible for what?
- Overview of the principles and guidance stated in the Industry Code of Practice for Arboriculture – Tree Work at Height (ICOP).
- A reminder about building safe systems of work and what the industry already has at its disposal.
- Your client’s expectations – What do they require and why?
- Preparing method statements, including the use of template documents.
This course will be delivered on:
17 April at Wokingham, Berkshire
31 May at Stoneleigh, Warwickshire
3 July at Illminster, Somerset
Cost: £145 +VAT for members and £205 +VAT for non-members.
Bats and Arboriculture: An Introduction for Arborists
A one-day course involving a mix of classroom and practical exercises designed to enable professional arboriculturists to undertake a pre-work bat assessment of trees.
This course provides participants with the knowledge and experience to undertake scoping and secondary inspections for bats in the context of tree works, in line with the Arboricultural Association’s Guidance Note 1 and British Standard 8596: Surveying for bats in trees and woodland.
The day includes a mixture of indoor and outdoor sessions, including an outdoor exercise. The following topics are covered:
- Bats and the law
- Bat biology and ecology
- Potential roost features
- Industry guidance and types of inspection
- When additional help is needed
- Emergencies
- Outdoor exercise
This course will be piloted in 2018 at two venues:
24 April at Trowbridge, Wiltshire
22 May at Donnington, Derbyshire
Cost: £145 +VAT for members and £180 +VAT for non-members.