Safety Guides & Technical Notes

FISA Safety Guides are listed below and are all downloadable for printing direct.

FISA Technical Notes can be found here.

What are the Competency Frameworks?

Free Webinar - 16th September 2022 at 3pm

The webinar included a live Q&A following presentations of how real worked examples from industry are being implemented as part of the FWM & chainsaw competency frameworks.

Using a tree jack

FISA Technical Note 001

September 2025 - the TN has been updated with higher quality photos; updated text around ‘when not to use a tree-jack’; and updated QR codes on final page

Advice from the Chainsaw Working Group aimed at Operators is summarised in this document. These are general guidelines and set out advice at the date of issue; they may not be relevant to your situation or site and it is necessary to use common sense when applying them. A full glossary of terms used is found at the end of the document.

Guidance for FWM - Planning Chainsaw Operations

FISA Technical Note 002

Chainsaw operations remain the highest risk activity within our industry.

The FISA Chainsaw Working Group has prepared guidance on the planning of chainsaw works,  for those undertaking the works, Forest Works Managers and Landowners.   This guidance has been in circulation as a working draft for comment; we now release as a final version.

Safety Guides

FISA Safety Guides are numbered in the same format as the previous AFAG Safety Guides:

  • 100s - Establishment
  • 200s - Maintenance
  • 300s - Chainsaw Use
  • 500s - Extraction
  • 600s - Processing
  • 700s - Vehicles
  • 800s - General Safety

Technical Notes

  • TN001 - Using Tree Jacks
  • TN002 - Planning Chainsaw Operations
  • TN003 - Inspection of Work Equipment & Machines
  • TN004 - Chainshot - Manage the Risk

Additional information

Aerial tree work guides from Arboricultural Association can be found here

A couple of AFAG guides can be found here

Bulk purchase of some of the FISA guides is available - please email technical@ukfisa.com for more detail.