South Australians do not need PPE?

Eric Frei

Check this out, look for PPE and see what is missing, and this made media in SA, was an arborist too!

Ripping into it - ABC South Australia - Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)

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Done it

Should be called Fumble tree stump removal.

Learn how to lower something.

Dead gum and not any headgear anywhere.

Eric Frei

I heard South Australians are head strong.

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Dan Croley

must be killer wearing every bit of ppe in such extreme heat, but a little bit of sweat or loosing a leg... i know which id choose. anyone with any tips on beating the heat while doing tree work out in Aus??

Jeff Darby

Start your Australian working career from the bottom up, from Tasmania slowly travelling north and you will acclimatise as you go...

I nearly forgot to comment those SA num nuts...Is he a Arborist? or just some bloke with a little knowledge and a chainsaw?...professionals would not work like that...no wonder there's so much red tape involved in treework..give me..

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Tony Knight

Not really, the killer is when you don't.

Good working pace, plenty of water, keep the sun of ya melon and go light under your PPC/PPE (NO COMANDO THOU)

You get use to it. My displeasure is working in the wind, I hate it, can't hear whats going on around you, often cuts through you and makes every job a strain. You gotta have eyes in the back of your head.

Cheers


Tony

MrDiesel

Must be a pain in the rear to share one saw between the groundy and the climber

KevinE

PPE is required here! but unfortunately we get blonks working here, the same as every other state lol! Maybe somebody should bring that video to SafeworkSA's attention?

Check out this advertisement on Gumtree: Tree removal - Adelaide Region business services - Gumtree Adelaide Region Free Classifieds

George Valentine

OK, this can be seen in 3 possible ways, one as a demoralizing/negative criticism to his lack of knowledge, info on these issues and trying to promote his work and jobs sourcing, showing absolutely no care for shelf protection and tree work rules and regulations all around (at least he has a HV shirt..!)

We can see it also as a young man with some ability to work with a chainsaw and trying to make a living...!

or

We could see it as a excellent opportunity to contact him, and introduce him to this forum and group of experts, found in here. He is going to be out there cutting trees and probably getting jobs that other certified tree people in the area will miss out but, considering that he has already made a career choice, at least for the moment, would be better for everyone if this young man get the necessary help he needs to become one of many certified and qualified tree working people in this State/country.

So, in my opinion and knowing how it goes (I've done that, been there...!), lets try to give to this young fellow, some choices and help him to get into the right track, in some way, is our responsibility to assist/guide and protect the new people to this Industry and art...!

PS: in the attached pic, its me yesterday 27/10/11 dismantling this Gum tree that was planted 2' from a septic tank...! I'm no certified arborist under Australian laws, even tough I've been as tree man since a young age and now retired, and unable (too heavy, not enough strength) to climb a tree unassisted so I use a leader to get me up, however, and doing only half a dozen of these jobs each year, I wouldn't contemplate to be out there without the necessary safety gear, is hard enough with it...!

Like any other job/career, an investment is necessary to acquire all the necessary gear, or at least the fundamentals, and by far, a chainsaw is not all its needed. A starting person my need 2 or 3 G's to get the essential stuff and like most of us, we get better and more gear as the money comes in, however, and unless some sort of mandatory conditions are "imposed", there is a great chance/risk that the young/new person to this type of career, will spend the money on anything else but the proper equipment he/she should have in the first place, particular safe gear that is seem to be seen as a luxury, by some...! (the fellow on the top pic, may be one of these)

I'm glad that the "ground person" did acknowledge and state that, those working on the top of trees, have the hardest job, believe me, I know...!

Cheers
George

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KevinE

Hi George, your point is taken on the young guy in the ad. Lets just say I was less than happy when I read the ad.

Out of interest, what was the circumference of that tree you were removing in the photos at 1m from natural ground level? I only ask as using your body for scale, the tree looks perilously close to being >2m around to me?

Cheers,

Kevin

Hayden Watt

Common sense should have another name as its rare.. not wearing a helmet in this game seems stupid to me? people may say they've been climbing for years and never been hit on the head but all it takes is a small stub to comedown at the wrong time and BANG your in trouble or dead.
And chainsaw pants are not that much hotter than jeans or other pants.. plus I would rather be dripping with sweat then dripping with blood.
Any trained arborist should know about PPE and inforce it within the crew.
No excuses realy, its just stupid to go without, plain and simple.

Eric Frei

No power wires, road just there, why didn't you fell it?

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Rob Chace

huh thats the first thing I noticed - 45deg across driveway/roadside. the other thing i thought, for the time involved would a small towable picker have been the go seeings as you arent climbing? Around here they are 200 to hire for 24hrs

George Valentine

Kevin,

Very deceptive what you may have seen in the pics, the tree was only about 15 years old and surely of no "significance". Was its ability to get its roots into the septic tank breeder, that allow the bugger to grow so big and so fast, obviously and how far the tree is concern, it was feeding on some "good stuff"...!

Actually, its roots were literally lifting the whole septic tank off the ground, more obvious these last couple of years, according to my mate, the present/current house owner. In fact the person that planted such a tree that near to the septic tank, water meter, power and phone external boxes, is responsible for all the damage already done and future if the tree wouldn't have been removed and the roots poisoned.

The wife was the photographer and while I'm missing a few stages of this dismantling (the 4 sections the trunk was cut off) I have one particular pic that demonstrates the real/accurate size of this tree. The butt was sliced for my wood turnings (bowls) with a genuine Husky 460XP torque with its original 20" bar and you can see the bar tip on on the other side of it so, the pic speaks for itself...!

I hope you curiosity is satisfied...!

I reckon, my fat ass and gut, throw you out, huh...???

Cheers
George

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silver squirrel

I have worked in this industrie 15 years and seen a few accidents these guys are stupid.They should not be on this site .

George Valentine

Sorry mate, I'm a little confused, to whom are you referring to, please...???

Cheers
George

Dan Croley

tasmania it is then! thanks man

KevinE

Tasmania is bloody cold & wet mate!

Tony Knight

G'day George, I like your attitude, but as this fella can set a climbing/life line and obviously stay alive in a tree as well as and operate a saw I am guessing he is aware of the issues and precautions required in this industry. The fact he chooses to ignore some important and industry standard safety measures says something about his/their ethic in general (this is supported by the operation of the ground crew and the lack of protective measures displayed by them). Like you I have grown in this industry and observed many changes in PPC, PPE, training, safety and attitude. As the industry evolves its up to us as individuals to embrace safer technologies and not pass them off as a waste of time. Its the only way to instill this in the next generation of school leavers.



Tony

Dan Croley

Cant bloody win can i. Taz is freezing and wet but Aus is silly hot. just gonna take what ever work i can to be honest. just think of the money and it could be a lot worse... could be in england. ha

Eric Frei

This was on Channel 10 news on Tuesday, what do you think of the chainsaw pants/ chaps used by these Queenslanders?

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Garry Brockley

I am astounded by the total lack of professionalism on that news article, why doesn't the 10 news crew check these things before filming and putting it out in the public domain.
our industry suffers enough from door knockers and hacks! why compound the issues with idiotic scenes of a crew with no care for OH&S rules? the public perception of tree workers is bad enough without these poorly filmed news reports, ridiculous.

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Josh Wrigley

Why doesn't Workplace Standards crack down on these breaches?

Eric Frei

Why doesn't the boss?

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Josh Wrigley

Sorry Eric, I'm thinking from a sole trader point of view, where the boss is most likely on site or up the tree.

Ignorance on my part, sorry

Stuart Primrose

Actually...Hobart is the second driest city in Australia while on the p.p.e. rant did anyone see Yannick in the last Arbor Age using his chainsaw without chaps or protective trousers? a few issues earlier he had his apprentice up on a roof using a saw without eye protection, or chaps/ch saw pants.....What kind of example is being set??

Eric Frei

It's only The Australian Arborage .... well discounted by most thinking people.

Who is naming who a legend all the time in that rag? An orgs sesspool.

Read something else, they got no idea and are owned by orgs publishing their crap.

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Stuart Primrose

hmmm, sounds like you really don't like it! I reckon there are some good articles in there sometimes, would be better if they didn't have so many ads and more articles....Still should be setting an example with basic p.p.e. use

Eric Frei

A lot of people wouldn't know what good is and just think it is because it is there.

Read scientific articles, you'll get a lot smarter.

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esky79

I've been doing this job for 18 years. When I first started I learnt that you put on a helmet, earmuffs, safety glasses, chainsaw pants and lace up steel cap boots. The 16-18 guys I went through school with all learnt this as did all the groups prior and after. My question is where are all these responsible workers?
Also work safe are so slack on tree guys its is ridiculous. I didn't see a work safe inspector for the first 16 years of my working career.
My experience is that they also give employers far to much slack. Under section 21.2.E of the Vic OHS act 2004 you must provide the minimum amount of training required for that person to undertake their job safely(slightly edited wording but the idea is the same)