As a Landowner, engaging a competent FWM is key
A recent query received into FISA about accreditation turned out to be a Landowner enquiry who was recommended to get a competent FWM – the shared links below may be helpful as explanation for other Landowners who do not often undertake forestry works.
There is not a specific accreditation which audits forestry safety systems. Several Clients do run there own systems within the industry as an approval system prior to engaging contractors. The HSE guide HSE Using Contractors: A Brief Guide INDG368 can be helpful.
Forestry work is high hazard and fatal incidents run above those for other industry statistics.
Although everyone involved in forestry work has health and safety duties and/or responsibilities, the primary responsibility for ensuring the effective planning of work and management of risks in forestry rests with the Forestry Works Manager (FWM). As a Landowner, engaging a competent FWM is key and should be a route you look to undertake. Supporting detail for this can be found here.
Chainsaw work is particularly hazardous, FISA produces additional recommendation on this topic. A competent FWM has the principle responsibility to commission people who will deliver the range of works associated with the operational site. The FWM will consider /check a wider range of safety critical items, including:
- Contractors have the relevant and current skills, knowledge, training and experience to do the job safely and without putting their own or others ‘health and safety at risk
- will check contractors have sufficient resources to carry out the work safely
- assure the Landowner that operator and machinery competencies/certification match the required work
- check competence and machine certification is relevant and up to date
- systems are in place to manage competency certification
- systems in place to manage lone working
- check operators have the right tills, equipment, plant, materials and protective clothing
- check operators have spill kits