OH&S, real cases, real people ... smarten up! Get professional or get fined.

Originally Posted by HSE

Felling trees

Summary

A member of the public was seriously injured when a 7 metre high lime tree was felled into a public road. The lime was felled by a trained arborist even though it was within the pavement near a crossroads. The contracting company did not carry out and record a site-specific risk assessment and only used signs and traffic cones to prevent access to the felling zone. The person injured was walking along the pavement towards the crossroads and was hit by the falling tree, which fractured her skull and later triggered a convulsion.
Action

The contractor was prosecuted under Section 3(1) of the Health & Safety at Work Act for not taking adequate precautions to protect the public. The company pleaded guilty and was fined ?3,500 together with ?2,723 towards the prosecution's costs.
Advice

This accident could have easily been prevented if an on-site risk assessment had been carried out before work started. The tree should have been sectionally dismantled and precautions such as barriers should have been in place to prevent the public approaching the work area.


Working and tree-climbing without any emergency procedures to carry out an aerial rescue

Summary

A self-employed arborist was found unconscious, suspended 5 metres from the ground. He had fallen whilst in an ash tree and banged his head and body against the tree trunk. Prior to the fall he was carrying out pollarding work with a chainsaw. The emergency services were called to cut the arborist free, and he was taken to hospital unconscious. He sustained serious head injuries and fractured his lower leg, spine and ribs. The HSE Investigation revelealed there was no emergency procedures to carry out an aerial rescue and there had been no regular inspection of climbing equipment, including rope and harness.
Action

The proprietor of the arborculture company was prosecuted under:
Regulation 8 of the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1992 for failing to have approriate emergency rescue arrangements and
Regulation 9 of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations1998 for failing to ensure lifting equipment used for lifting persons was thoroughly examined by a competent person.

The proprietor pleaded guilty and was fined ?5,000 plus prosecution costs of ?2,495.
Advice

This case highlights the importance of having a minimum of two people present during all tree-climbing operations. One of the ground team must be available, competent and equipped to perform an aerial rescue without delay. It is recommended that climbing teams regularly practice rescue techniques and a first-aid kit is available. Further guidance can be found in the Arboriculture and Forestry Advisory Group leaflet AFAG 402.

All climbing equipment should be thorougly examined by a competent person at regular intervals. If the equipment is used for people then this examination should be every 6 months. All other climbing and rigging equipment should be examined every 12 months.

Use competent contractors

Summary

A tree surgeon was employed by a householder to top and trim a garden tree. He climbed the tree to carry out the work, using a top handled chainsaw. Whilst removing branches he seriously cut his left arm and face with the chainsaw. The emergency services were called out to rescue him from the tree but he later died in hospital as a result of severe blood loss.

The investigation revealed that he was climbing the tree without using a rope and he had inadequate protective clothing. It is highly likely that he had been holding the chainsaw one-handed. There was no first aid equipment on site and no emergency procedures existed. The other workers on site did not have the necessary skills to climb the tree and carry out an aerial rescue.
Action

As the tree surgeon was self-employed, no prosecution could be brought. At the inquest the Coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death, but said that if an employee had died rather than the tree surgeon, he would have recorded a verdict of unlawful killing, because of the lack of safe working practices.
Advice

Tree work needs to be carried out by competent people who have received adequate training. A specialist contractor should carry out any work that involves tree climbing or work at height.

This case highlights the high risks associated with poor arboricultural working

practices. It is essential that all of those involved have been properly trained and where necessary hold the relevant chainsaw certificates of competence.

There must be somebody on the ground capable of carrying out an aerial rescue if something goes wrong.

All climbers should carry a large wound dressing in case of injury.

Except in special circumstances, chainsaws should be operated with two hands on the machine.

All arborists should use work-positioning techniques with ropes and a harness. It is never acceptable to climb the tree without being attached to at least one load-bearing branch.

Originally Posted by Sean Freeman

Here's a break down of what they did up to about 1999 in Victoria, since then the Code of practice has come out with major input from them, as a group they are envolved in consultation with ISAAC re safety issues.

Attachment 765